Inside the Wavewalk® S4

The Wavewalk® Series 4 incorporates a number of design innovations, including the way its bow is bridged by a structure that can serve as a stand up casting platform.

The S4 bow structure features a pair of molded-in carry handles in its front tip, and four molded-in vertical walls that support the platform on which the angler stands.

This video offers an external view of this bow structure from the top, as well as from below:

But what would we see if we looked inside the bow? –
The following image shows the space that’s inside the bow, between the top ‘ceiling’ and the bottom ‘floor’ – The angle of view is that of a person who’s inside the cockpit, and sticks their head in the entrance to the right hull at the bow –

At the right end of the image, we can perceive the inside of the tip of the bow, with one of the molded-in carry handles.

From there and looking to the left, we can see the four vertical walls that support the top of the stand-up casting platform. When standing next to the boat and looking over the bow, these walls’ top parts look like elongated pits (as seen in the video).
The vertical wall that’s the closest to the cockpit’s front end serves as support to a wooden (MDO) wall that’s not seen here. This wooden wall is the top part of a structural element whose lower part is a front saddle bracket. The wooden wall’s top end is inserted into the coaming (spray deflector), and it is attached to the molded-in wall by means of extra-long aluminum rivets. Thus, the wooden wall adds its own support to the stand-up casting platform.

The top surface of the bow’s standing platform features grooves, and the above image shows these grooves as they would look to someone who was in the front end of the cockpit and peeked inside the right hull at the bow.

Readers who are familiar with the W700 saddle’s round ‘holes’, which are molded-in support columns for the saddle’s top, will recognize this function in the elongated ‘walls’ at the bow of the S4.

More about the S4 »

 

 

Shooting a ringneck duck out of a Wavewalk 700

By Chris Henderson

Well for the last month I have suffered through a horrible pinched nerve in my neck. This has prevented me from being out in the Wavewalk where I try and get at least 3-4 times a month during the fishing and hunting seasons. Basically every month but Feb. and the beginning of March which is effectively known as remodel season. After working diligently on rehab I was able to return to duck hunting this last week. The Wavewalks are our go to boat when it comes to hunting. We can put 3 dozen deeks, shotgun, camo net, hunting box, thermos and our selves in a W700 and paddle it anywhere we need to go. Then it not only serves as transportation but also as the boat for retrieving. That is where the stability is so important. You sometimes have to dispatch cripples (shoot them) from the kayak. As the video shows this can sometimes get a bit sporty. Wavewalk handles it fine.

The video is a bit of fun we had with a GoPro. If you don’t like hunting you won’t want to watch it. We enjoy the sport of duck hunting and the wonderful food it provides.

We were having a hard time keeping those ringnecks on the water.  They are tough birds.  We would smack them and then by the time we could get out to them they would recover and fly off!  Diver ducks are really tough birds.  Probably because they have very thick down and feathers to protect from the water.
We had a great time.

Good to be back in the saddle again.

 

 

More kayak rigging, fishing and bow duck hunting with Chris »

Fishing The Mangrove Tunnels

By Captain Larry Jarboe

 

This particular tunnel is inaccessible during high tide. Most are not this narrow. But, there are plenty of fish waiting to get caught.

That 3.5 hp Nissan [Tohatsu] is a long shaft outboard that I found south of Jacksonville for 200 bucks. With a new carb and a fresh impeller (less than 100 bucks) she is a fine runner.

Note the DIY handle of the tiller extension: It is easy to grab behind my back to steer. On straight hauls, I rest my back upon it and steer with the paddle. Good vibrations…

The pics are from the stern of the boat. As the tide pulls me thru the narrow cuts, the main resistance, the OB lower unit, wants to move forward. This gives me better control and helps clear the mangrove spider webs ahead.

Also, I built a combo 3 rod holder, Go-Pro, fish de-hooker, bait knife, and line clipper holder that fits in a single support hole of the W700 and Series 4 vessels. When I get the French fry holder mounted, I’ll post a pic.

 

 

Today’s catch before filleting

This trip produced Mangrove Snappers, Caesar Grunts, and Bermuda Chubs. We ate the snappers and grunts for lunch. The chubs will be smoked to make fish dip.

fried fresh fish fillets
Panko fried fresh fish fillets

More fishing adventures with Capn’ Larry »

Nature Coast Kayak Fishers’ club outing in dense fog

By Gary Rankel

Nature Coast Kayak Fishers
My kayak angler group ran into a morning of dense fog at Ozello 2 days ago.
Art Myjak, who is still recovering from a stroke he had 2 years ago, was good to go in his Wavewalk 500. He is still a bit unsteady and don’t think he would do real well in a more traditional yak.
Fortunately, I asked the new guys in our club to bring a VHF radio with them so we could maintain contact. They were invaluable in the fog.

 

More fishing with Gary »