A Washing Machine is a stretch of turbulent water, where waves come at you from different directions. This phenomenon is caused by capes and points, rocks, currents, etc.
Being a most seaworthy craft, the Wavewalk S4 performs very well in the washing machine next to Bullocks Point, in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, where we shot this video.
The driver stands behind the passenger, while shooting this video.
Lots of fun!
3 guys in a motorized Wavewalk S4 in the ocean chop
- Location: Narragansett bay, Rhode Island
- Vessel: Wavewalk S4 motor kayak skiff, the world’s most stable kayak
- Engine: 6 HP Tohatsu outboard motor (going full throttle)
- Total Payload: 600 lbs including passengers and motor.
- Crew: Two passengers sitting and the driver is standing up.
- Water condition: Choppy, and fit only for seaworthy boats
- Accessories: The two seated passengers are riding a standard S4 saddle seat outfitted with a part that makes it 6″ higher, namely 21″ high. This higher saddle seat offers a sitting position that’s more like riding a horse than riding the saddle seat of a personal watercraft (PWC – “jet-ski”).
- Everyone on board is perfectly stable and comfortable, having a great time, and wishing they had a more powerful motor…
- In order to further protect the front passenger from spray generated when the boat smashes into waves, the crew raise the bow by sitting closer to the stern.
Pictures from the production floor
Our manufacturing contractors sent us a couple of new photos from the production floor – The image above shows a Wavewalk S4 before the saddle was attached to it, and the image below shows an S4 and several kayaks from other series. In the background, behind the kayaks, it’s possible to see their new, huge rotational molding machine, with two Wavewalk molds mounted on each arm: The bigger S4 and W700 molds on one arm, and the smaller W500 and saddle molds on the other arm.
Fishing offshore for 10 hours in my S4
By Terry Wilkison
I watched Wavewalk’s latest S4 stand-up driving video. It’s a good Video! I alternate between standing and sitting. My swivel seat’s profile is small enough that it doesn’t keep me from enjoying the benefit of the Wavewalk Kayak PWC style of seating, it really just adds a backrest. I have damage in my T6 and T7 vertebra from the past 12 years of deploying to the Arabian gulf conducting anti piracy and drug ops in RHIBs at high speed. They are incredibly capable craft but you take a beating. I really enjoy the S4’s comfort and handling.
Speaking of which I went out today for 10 hours! The fish are around but they are finicky and what works is changing day by day. I went out 5 miles to a buoy and found bait and huge schools of skipjack tuna. I caught perfect small sized skip jack and rigged him up on my big rod. He was very energetic and some very large fish ate him within 5 minutes. Unfortunately it cut three 150lb fluoro, probably a Galapagos shark which are common. I was able to make bait easy but it was small in comparison to what I normally get so I had to redo my rigs. With the moon phase the currents are running upwards of a full knot which makes bump trolling live bait very challenging. I caught one very small yellowfin, maybe 5lb. And missed several other bites trying to figure it out. Most excitingly was I had ANOTHER Marlin come and circle my S4, a striped marlin probably 150lb or so. He almost got my live bait which I did not want to deal with! This boat is lucky!
I’ve got my new loading procedure down now. I’m using a cheap truck bed extender from amazon and abs pipe as rollers. In the bed I’ve put a u bolt in the front of the bed with two pulleys to give me a little advantage. I can back down and slide straight to the water and load back up without getting wet and no lifting! I will try to get a video at some point and some better pictures. I’m jotting notes too as at some point I want to have an improved version of the extender built (a little longer) right now my
back brakes are still getting wet with saltwater….
I’ve attached a few pictures. It was a beautiful day with scenes straight out of a national geographic movie. Thanks for designing the S4 so I could enjoy it! Oh and by the way my 10hour day on the water cost me only 35 dollars. 2 gallons gas, 2 stroke oil, 40lbs ice, 2 liters of water a couple canned coffees and breakfast. Judging based on economy and capability no other craft that I know of comes close to what the S4 provides! The only problem is I. spending to much time fishing for my wife’s liking!
Tight Lines!
Terry
Driving the S4 standing up
This piece should be entitled Driving the Wavewalk S4 motor kayak skiff standing up, at full speed, in the ocean chop, while shooting video.
The Wavewalk S4 is the world’s most stable kayak, and the stability and control it delivers in rough water surpass the stability and control that a Jon boat or micro skiff offer in such conditions. This is achieved through the combined effects of the twin-hull (catamaran) built and the ergonomic jet-ski style saddle-seat. The S4 is more seaworthy than many bigger boats since its driver and passengers can balance themselves easily and effectively, even when going in the ocean chop.
Last year, when I visited Larry (Captain Larry Jarboe), in Key Largo, I saw him driving his S4 standing while holding in his right hand a rope attached to the bow. This year, after experimenting driving this way, I found that the stability and control I achieve surpass those that the extremely stable Riding position offers. This statement might seem strange to many people, including those who drive their S4 in the chop, but consider this – When it comes to very small vehicles and sporting equipment, the height of your center of gravity is not necessarily the most important factor, and your ability to balance yourself effectively is what usually determines the performance level you can achieve.
Here are some examples to illustrate this notion –
A pair of skis offer the skier standing on them better stability and control than a luge does.
A standard bicycle offers its rider better stability and control than a recumbent bike does. If you ride your bike on a rugged terrain, you’d tend to prefer doing it standing.
A sailing board offers the user who stands on it far better control and much higher performance than a sailing kayak does to the person sitting in it.
Technically speaking, I hold the strap attached to the bow in my right hand, and I steer with my left hand holding a U-jointed (articulated) tiller extension. Shifting my body weight adds a lot to my balancing capability. The ability to gain some extra leverage on the tiller extension by hold it next to the side of my body makes steering even easier.
The lower part of my legs touch the saddle, so that I can lean on it if necessary, such as when making a sharp turn at high speed, or tilting the boat into a big lateral wave. This is not a typo – You can do it when you drive an S4, and it works.
While driving this way, I wanted to shoot video using my cellphone. in order to do this I let the strap enter my fist from below (next to the pinky, and made one loop around my hand. This freed my thumb, index and middle finger to hold the cellphone, and even point it in different directions. Grabbing the strap does not require force, and the main advantage it gives is offering a fourth reference point, in addition to one’s two feet and their left hand that’s grabbing the tiller extension.
Note that all this requires practicing before things become easy, intuitive, and fun.
Interestingly, waves look smaller when you’re standing 🙂
More on designing fishing kayaks that offer the best stability »