This list features links to articles published in recent years on
various subjects related to kayaks, fishing, paddling, rigging,
ergonomics and design.
If Firefox is your browser, you can use the ‘Find’ feature to look for specific words and phrases in this page.
You can also search our entire blog by using its ‘Search’ function, located on the right side of this page >>
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further assistance.
In this page:
How To – Technical Stuff and Rigging
Other Stuff
Demo and Instruction Movies
Why motorize your kayak, and do you really need a motor on board?
What type of solution would best fit your kayak motorizing needs – an
electric trolling motor, or an outboard gas engine? How to motorize your
W kayak on a budget? What are the practices we recommend following in a
kayak motorizing project?
This section of our blog is dedicated to answering these questions, and others.
Here is an example of a motorized W500 kayak with a 2HP outboard gas engine…
More About Dangers To Kayakers and Kayak Anglers in Warm, Fresh Water
So, you’re paddling your kayak, or fishing from it in warm, fresh water,
and you may think to yourself that nothing could happen to you if for
some reason you’d have to ‘take a swim’ because you lost balance and
fell overboard… Well, you’re wrong… Officials with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed that a deadly amoeba,
which is commonly found in lakes and rivers is the cause of the recent
death of a Florida swimmer – Health officials in Brevard County, FL,
said they believe water infected with the parasite Naegleria fowleri …
How to Keep Your W500 Fishing Kayak Cockpit Dry
Typically, very little water can get inside your W500 cockpit, because
the kayak offers a high freeboard – more than any kayak does. This is
true even when you’re launching in the surf, because —
THE BARGE – A NEW CLASS OF FISHING KAYAKS
Most people know what the term Barge means when kayaks are referred to:
It’s a big, wide, long, heavy kayak that’s hard to car top, hard to
carry, hard to launch, hard to paddle, and hard to beach. A Barge is a
kayak that’s slow, and doesn’t track well, hence the expression “A barge
to paddle” —
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Aesthetics and Performance in Fishing Kayak Design
In case of a product such as a kayak, the beauty we see in it is a
measure of how much we appreciate its performance in terms of what’s
important to us, subjectively, whether as something we’ve already
experienced with this kayak, or something we believe we would
experience, if we used it —
Kayak Fishing As An Extreme Sport
For most anglers, kayak fishing is an extreme sport. Extreme in the
sense that an angler fishing from a kayak is compelled to give up the
two essential things that any regular fishing motorboat provides, which
are adequate stability and elementary comfort. The third requirement,
storage space is important —
Too Much Storage In A Fishing Kayak…
…Gary was having an argument with other kayak anglers, some of which are
presumably kayak dealers, sales reps, etc., on an online, Texas fishing
forum. On that occasion, one of the other participants argued about the
W500 that “It had too much storage for a fishing kayak”.—
What Is kayak Back Pain, And What Does It Mean For You?
…Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with
actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.
Pain plays a critical role in our survival and well being, because it
motivates us to withdraw from potentially damaging situations, avoid
those situations in the future, and protect a damaged body part while it
heals. —
Paddle vs. Pedal Drive in Common Fishing Kayaks
…This article examines pedal drive propulsion for common (mono hull,
sit-in and SOT) kayaks from several technical angles, which are:
Ergonomics – How does it feel to operate a pedal driven kayak, and what
are the potential physiological drawbacks in this type of propulsion.
Mechanics -How efficient are pedal drives’ pedaling systems.
Hydrodynamics -How efficient are pedal drives’ propellers, and how
effective is pedaling kayaks compared to paddling them. Real World
Performance – How effective are pedal driven kayaks in applications such
as fishing trips, stand up fishing, fishing in moving water, fishing in
shallow water, launching, beaching, etc.—
Resting in Your Fishing Kayak – Don’t Fall Asleep!
Spending long hours paddling and fishing can make you tired. Stretching
while standing up or lying down on the saddle of your W500 fishing kayak
can be invigorating or relaxing, and will help keep you fresh. As far
as resting while lying down, —
More Storage Than Any Other Kayak: The W500
Some fishing kayak manufacturers try to lure potential buyers by
offering bigger hatches, and additional space to put gear on top of
their SOT kayaks’ decks. Obviously, those solutions are neither
effective nor user-friendly, but what else can you do to solve the
storage problem —
Lumbar Spine and Kayak Back Pain: Facts
The term ‘Lumbar Support’ appears frequently in discussions about kayak
fishing and paddling related back pain. The underlying assumption in
those discussions is that the lumbar area of your back (lumbar spine)
requires adequate support, and if such support is provided your back
pain will disappear, or at least become tolerable —
Some Practical Advice About Rigging Your Fishing Kayak
Contrarily to you might have heard, there is no such thing as perfect
rigging for a fishing kayak, and the reason for it is that kayak anglers
differ by their personal needs, fishing style, fish species they go
after, etc.
Having said that, there’s still plenty of opportunities for you to make
mistakes, and this is why we generally recommend to go about these
things slowly and carefully, without rushing into particular solutions
unless you know there’s a good chance that they’d work well for you —
Kayak Fishing Safety: Is It safe To Paddle An Uncomfortable Kayak And Fish From It?
Thousands of kayak anglers are risking paddling and fishing accidents
because of their kayaks’ poor ergonomics. The hazards are many and
diverse: First, there’s the danger of being unable to paddle back to
shore, as a result of fatigue, and even exhaustion. Strong wind and
tidal current are external forces that could be hazardous to a tired
kayak angler, especially if elderly or inexperienced —
Kayak Fishing in Icy Water
Winter isn’t necessarily the end of the fishing season for W the kayak
fisherman but it’s important to stress that fishing from a kayak in cold
water and/or weather can be extremely dangerous, especially if the
water is too deep for you to stand in, and more so if you’re fishing at a
distance from shore —
Stretching in Your Kayak to Relief Fatigue and Pain, and Improve Circulation
Stretching is recommended by doctors, chiropractors and various
therapists as means to relief tension from muscles, tendons and the
spine, and get the blood flowing better in those tissues. Stretching
helps prevent fatigue, relief fatigue, and eventually prevent possible
injury and pain, mainly in your back.
In sum, stretching is beneficial for your circulation, your legs, and your spine.
Being unable to stretch your legs and back —
Stand Up Kayak Fishing and Paddling – For Real
The W-kayak is the only kayak that was developed for high performance
stand up paddling and stand up fishing in moving water, and it’s the
only kayak that fits both these extreme applications in terms of safety
and comfort. Here are the facts we recommend you know about stand up
padding and fishing from kayaks and other small crafts —
Kayaking Back Pains and Leg Numbness
In other words, when your legs push your feet against your kayak’s foot
braces (or footrests) they also push your lower back against your seat –
and as a result the seat pushes back against your lower back with an
equal force. Your legs have the most powerful muscles in your body, and
they constantly generate this force from the moment you sit in your
kayak until you get out of it. The L kayaking position deprives your
legs from their natural role —
Fishability – How Fishable Are Fishing Kayaks?
What is Fishability? Dictionaries define fishable as an adjective
meaning ‘that may be fished in’. By extension, the noun fishability can
be used to describe the usefulness of a fishing craft for catching fish,
from the angler’s well being and performance standpoints. Basically,
you can catch fish just sitting on a log in the middle of a pond, or a
river – so being able to cast a line and catch fish from some floating
object doesn’t —
How to Save Money When Buying a Fishing Kayak
Fishing kayaks can be expensive, and when you start adding the cost of
all accessories you’ll find they actually cost much more. However, by
buying a Wavewalk fishing kayak you can save a lot of money (up to
$1,350) just on accessories: —
Rigging Your W-Kayak With a Milk Crate – Is it Necessary?
It seems most kayak fishermen have gotten used to rigging their fishing
kayaks with a milk crate attached behind the cockpit. If you happen you
own a SOT fishing kayak, rigging it with a milk crate would make sense,
since SOT kayaks are basically hyped paddle boards that offer too little
storage space and no real cockpit. Sit-in fishing kayaks offer a little
more in this aspect, but not enough to drop the idea of adding a milk
crate However, if you own a W fishing kayak, you may want to reconsider
the pros and cons of adding a milk crate —
Lures for Bass Kayak Fishing By Roxanne Davis
This is Rox’ answer to a question on bass lures from Petru, a kayak
fisherman from Ontario: Petru, Here is a couple of pictures of the lures
and hooks I use, and have had great success with —
Range of Motion and Protection From the Fish – Kayak Comparison By Jeff McGovern
Range of motion and protection from the fish – Sounds a little weird but
the W kayak offers a far better range of motion for anglers and some
measure of protection when landing fish. I’ve noticed this the most
dealing with saltwater speedsters in —
Casting From A W Fishing Kayak Compared To Casting From Sit-In and SOT Fishing Kayaks
By Jeff McGovern
In preparation for comparison to the new W500 I have been spending time
“relearning the joys” of sit inside and sit on top kayaks. Besides the
obvious back issue already known there is the concern of shoulder pain. I
have had some discomfort, but in talking to a few other fellow kayak
fishermen they mentioned the pain associated with casting from the
awkward L position. I noticed soreness the next day trying to power out
long casts from the L position —
How Effective Can Fishing Kayaks’ Outriggers Be?
Your fishing kayak’s stability is key to your success and fun in kayak
fishing, and the outriggers may help in achieving better stability, but
at a price. By effective we mean how much stability can a pair of
outriggers add to your fishing kayak’s initial lateral stability, and
what are the drawbacks for using outriggers or that purpose, if any.
First, you need to understand what makes your fishing kayak stable (or
unstable), and here is the skinny —
What Makes The W Kayak The Stablest Fishing Kayak?
The W fishing kayak’s superior stability is not just proven – it is
spectacular, and anyone who watches our demo movies is amazed by what
they see. In a nutshell, our patented stabilization technology consists
of a number of unique factors working together to assure maximal
stability – far more than any other fishing kayak can offer, including
the widest sit-in and SOT fishing kayaks, and even fishing kayaks
featuring outriggers (stabilizers). These key stability factors are —
Are SOT Kayaks Safe For Offshore Fishing?
A kayak fisherman recently posted his personal offshore capsize report
on a Connecticut fishing blog. It was detailed and well written, and I
copied some paragraphs from it that I found particularly interesting. In
his report the writer exposed the brand name and model of his fishing
kayak, a top-of-the-line, 34″ wide sit-on-top, but I replaced these
explicit names by the phrase “SOT fishing kayak” because the problem
described is not necessarily typical to that particular brand or model –
It is true for all SOT kayaks —
Kayak Fishing Standing – And What If? (Stuff Happens)
It seems like all fishing kayak manufacturers these days claim that at
least one of their fishing kayak models lets you stand up and fish from.
Some of them even go as far as say ‘in confidence’. The problem with
those claims is that they aren’t true, and the sure way for you to know
that is by asking yourself a basic, simple and essential question:
-”What if?” -What if you lose your balance for any reason, just because
stuff happens? —
About Rudders and Fishing Kayaks
Rudders are almost a necessity in modern SOT and sit-in fishing kayaks,
simply because most of these kayaks have become so wide that they lost
the ability to track, which is essential for any water craft. The
increase in width is the kayak manufacturers’ response the the demand
for more stability, and it comes at a price of lesser speed and poor
control, I.E. lack of tracking capability that’s often coupled with
lackluster performance when it comes to maneuverability. Interestingly,
no W-kayak paddler or fisherman has ever felt the need for a rudder —
Saltwater Fishing Gear Maintenance, by Jeff McGovern
Kayaks are king in saltwater flats fishing. You can get into places
that even the finest flats boats have trouble accessing. You have no
fuel expense and the maintenance on the kayak is far less than any motor
powered craft. However, saltwater is not kind to equipment of any
type, so unless your gear is properly cleaned up after every trip, it
will wear out quickly and be ruined. The process begins —
Kayak Fishing With Children
Kayaks should offer high performance not just as fishing and paddling
platforms for adult fishermen: Children too like to have fun fishing
and paddling with adults or by themselves. Stability: Although children
are smaller than adults and therefore are less prone to destabilizing
their kayak they are also more careless and forgetful, and tend to get
overexcited and sometime even to panic. This is why –
Stability in Fishing Kayaks – Problems and Solutions
DESIGN FOR BETTER KAYAK STABILITY: WHY AND HOW – WHAT IS STABILITY?
Stability is defined as resistance to change, deterioration, or
displacement, and it is synonym to reliability and dependability. In
naval terms it means the ability of a watercraft to maintain equilibrium
or resume its original, upright position after displacement, as by the
sea or strong winds. This article discusses lateral stability and not
directional stability i.e. tracking, which is discussed in other
articles on this website. WHY IS LATERAL STABILITY SO IMPORTANT?
Lateral stability is a key factor in kayaking and kayak fishing since it
enables prevention of accidents as well as increases the well being of
kayakers and kayak fishermen —
How to Choose a Fishing Kayak That’s Best For You
Kayak Fishing Facts You Need To Know – Your overall kayak fishing
experience depends first and foremost on your physical well being – You
want perfect comfort regardless of where you fish, and for how long.
Fishing kayaks can compete with bigger boats in price, portability,
maintenance, ease of use, and in some cases mobility, but they fail when
it comes to comfort and other ‘fishability’ factors, with one
exception: our patented, well tested Wavewalk kayaks. Comfort is
multi-dimensional —
Back Pain, Good Posture and Kayak Fishing
UK researchers recently published an article about the beneficial effect
of good posture in the British Medical Journal . According to this
work, about half the UK population suffers from back pain from time to
time, with up to 15% having chronic problems. They found that back pain
is the second biggest cause of sick leave. These British researchers
found that long-term back pain can be relieved through encouraging
sufferers to adopt good posture —
The W Kayak Combat Position For Fighting a Big Fish
A big and powerful fish may be smaller and altogether weaker than you,
but being in its natural element while you’re not gives it an advantage
that may compromise your kayak’s stability, get you somewhere that you
don’t necessarily want to go to in long a ‘sleigh ride’, or make you
lose the fish because you’re too busy controlling your kayak. This is a
maneuver that Jeff McGovern and myself developed together —
Paddling and Kayak Fishing in Cold Water and Weather
‘Cold’ is relative of course, and what I mean by it in this case is
temperatures below freezing or close to that. Sometimes you can find
open water on a frozen river or lake, and since it’s possible to launch
your W kayak from ice as well as to beach it on ice the question is ‘why
not go paddling or fishing?’ The simple answer is ‘because it’s very
dangerous’. In other words, the combination of ice and cold can turn out
to be deadly.
Some of the factors that contribute to making such activities more dangerous are —
The Wet Ride – Problem and Solutions
This article examines the ‘wet ride’ issue, which is sometime viewed as
inseparable from all forms of kayaking, kayak fishing and kayak types.
It exposes possible dangers and inconveniences associated to direct
exposure to water, humidity and cold in various circumstances, and
describes solutions based on the new, patented technology applied in W
Kayaks. What’s a ‘wet ride’? A wet ride is a common expression
describing a kayaker’s experience of paddling and/or fishing while being
wet. The wet ride can be caused by many things, including stepping in
water while launching, being splashed by spray and waves, water getting
into the cockpit through the scupper holes in sit-on-top kayaks,
condensation under the spray skirt in sit-in kayaks —
Fishing Standing in a Kayak
This article examines what makes standup fishing so important and why an
increasing number of kayak fishermen are attracted by the newly offered
possibility to stand up and fish in a W Kayak. Fishing from small
watercrafts – Overview – People all around the world have been fishing
from small boats for millennia. Interestingly, many native fishermen
like to stand up in their boats when they propel them and fish from
them. After all, what could be more natural? If possible, standing is
both a powerful and comfortable position for a person making a
continuous physical effort. It is good for our blood circulation, less
strenuous on our back and it enables us to make a good use of our legs —
Kayak Fishing As It Should Be
Fishing from kayaks is a cool idea in principle but most fishermen have
realized by now that in practice it leaves much to be desired in terms
of comfort and performance.
Our patented W Fishing Kayak solves these problems at their root, and
offers you optimal performance and the best fishing experience —
Problems and Solutions In Kayak Fishing
Why Kayak Fishing, and Why Not… For thousands of years people around the
world have been using small paddle craft for fishing. In North America
canoes have been popular from pre-Colombian times, and kayaks were used
by native people of the Arctic Circle for fishing in estuaries and
protected waters.
In recent decades kayaks have become popular in recreational paddling,
and more recently recreational fishermen have started using the kayak as
a fishing platform. What’s so great about kayak fishing?
The idea of kayak fishing is an appealing one: These boats present a low
cost of purchase and zero cost of maintenance, and offer excellent
portability, physical exercise and a pleasant way to commune with nature
while fishing in places that may be difficult to access with bigger
boats. …And what’s not? —
Kayak Fishing in Shallow Water
Using Your W Fishing Kayak In Shallow Water – W fishing kayaks offer new
opportunities for kayak anglers who fish in shallow water. Poling –
You’ll find that poling your W fishing Kayak is easy. We recommend that
use use a Wavewalk paddle that’s longer and sturdier than kayak paddles.
Going Over Obstacles – When you feel or see a submerged object (e.g. a
rock, or a tree trunk) that’s preventing you from going forward you can
try and go over it: Raise the bow as much as possible by positioning
yourself in the rear part of the cockpit and leaning backward, and
paddle and/or pole as hard as you can. When you feel your boat can’t go
further ‘up’ move as forward as possible on the saddle and try to tip
your boat to the over side of the underwater obstacle by pushing with
your paddle —
Common Kayak Fishing Myths, Tales and Hype
Like every other sport or activity, kayak fishing has its own myths and
beliefs that evolved over the years as a result of fishing kayak
vendors’ marketing campaigns and more naturally – as fishing tales… True
Or False? – Questions You May Have Asked Yourself: -“A Sit-On-Top kayak
(SOT) is more comfortable than a Sit-In Kayak (SIK)” That may be true
if you feel comfortable sitting on a paddle board that offers you
absolutely ne protection from water or weather, and has has holes
(‘scupper holes’) going from its deck down through its hulls and below
waterline. These holes were put there to drain the water that’s nearly
always present on the deck from because of spray and waves, but they
obviously conduct water in the other direction too —
Thrust in Electric Trolling Motors for Fishing Kayak
Thrust is a unit of measurement that manufacturers of electric trolling
motors for fishing kayaks and other boats use to describe propulsion
capability. Thrust is measured in units of weight. In the USA it’s
usually pounds (lb.). This can be confusing, since we often tend to
think of propulsion in motion terms, or in horsepower (HP). Before going
further, we’d better clarify what weight and thrust have in common —
What To Carry On Board Your Fishing Kayak by Jeff McGovern
A kayak is not a bass boat, bay boat, or a flats boat when it comes to
hauling equipment. While a kayak can fill most boating roles, space is
limited– so serious thought is needed as to what to carry. You outfit
your boat according to the needs you have in your own fishing area. My
fishing time is split between saltwater and freshwater in Florida. The
gear is similar, except for the tackle changes normally associated
between the two types of fishing. Safety gear is first —
Kayak Fishing From the Mounted (Riding) Position
While the advantages of fishing standing are pretty obvious to most
fishermen many who haven’t tried the W Riding (mounted) position may
wonder what’s so special about it, and why it is considered so
advantageous when compared to the traditional L kayaking position or to
fishing seated in a canoe. The answer is that it has to do with how much
support you have for your casting and reeling-in efforts, as well as
when you’re fighting a strong fish: The result of every physical effort
you make, whether it’s jumping, running, pulling or throwing something
depends on the kind of support your body gets —
Southern Kayak Fishermen’s Complaints
I recently visited a popular online kayak fishing forum serving kayak
fishermen in a Southern state. One of the discussions in it was about
the negative side of kayak fishing as the participants see them.
Most of the participants fish from SOTs and some from sit-in kayaks, but none of them fishes from a W Kayak.
These are the problematic points that the participants seemed to agree
upon: 1. You really can’t do it [kayak fishing] right without getting
wet and muddy —
What Color and Form for My Fishing Kayak?
The color question keeps coming back and probably would forever.
If you’re just paddling you probably want a bright yellow kayak that
will be the most visible to fast motorboats drivers. If you’re hunting
or bird watching you’d better choose a dark green or camouflaged kayak,
for obvious reasons. The answer becomes more complicated when it comes
to fishing – From an underwater perspective the color of a surface
object is a minimal issue. Flash and shine are more likely to cause a
reaction among fish, as well as sudden motion and noise. Having said
that —
Headwind and Side Wind – Paddling in Strong Wind Without a Rudder
W kayakers usually report excellent performance of their boats under
wind, mainly because it tracks well and offers various means for
power-paddling and counter-affecting the wind. Here are some tips that
can improve your W kayak’s performance when you’re paddling in strong
wind —
The Yak Back – What Your Fishing Kayak Shouldn’t Do To You
The ‘Yak Back’ is a popular name given to a condition caused by paddling
traditional sit-in and SOT kayaks, and fishing from them. The ‘Yak
Back’ symptoms include leg numbness and cramps, discomfort in the hips
and buttocks, pressure and pain in the lower back (lumbar) area, and
premature fatigue. Paddlers and fishermen suffering from Yak back feel a
strong urge to change positions, stand up, walk, and stretch. Early
Yak Back symptoms can appear as early as half an hour from launching,
and they tend to aggravate as the hours go by.
It is not uncommon that people who paddle sit-in and SOT kayaks and fish from them develop a chronic Yak Back condition —
Getting Trapped Inside a Kayak
Kayakers call this type of accident ‘Entrapment’ (which in regular
English is a juridical term…) However, in the world of kayaking
entrapment is described as a situation where the paddler’s lower body,
or a part of it (E.G. leg, foot) is caught inside the hull while the
kayaker is trying to retrieve it from there during a ‘wet exit’, that is
while attempting to leave his or her kayak and swim. Imagine yourself
in turbulent water, your kayak overturned —
Are Sea Kayaks Seaworthy?
This article examines issues related to the seaworthiness of kayaks in
general and of sea kayaks in particular, and discusses an alternative
approach to sea kayak seaworthiness based on the new W Kayak concept —
Common Kayak Injuries
Paddling a common kayak, be it a sit-on-top (SOT) kayak or a sit-in
kayak (SIK) involves being seated in the non-ergonomic L position, as
well as paddling it in the traditional kayaking style that requires
typical, repetitive motion. Both can lead to various injuries. Lower
Back Pain – Traditional kayak paddling technique, a.k.a. kayaking is
based on torso rotation initiated from your hips. This motion is
impossible to perform while you’re leaning backward (“slouching”) and
it’s best performed while you’re sitting straight —
Technical Stuff
Clamp Mounted Side Mount For Fishing Kayak Electric Trolling Motor
Various vendors offer clamp mounts for electric trolling motors, for
canoes. Some of these motor mounts fit our W500 kayak. Here is an
example of such mount that works with our W500…. DIY Clamp Mounted Mount
For Electric Trolling Motor – Here is a schematic description of an
easy to make DIY clamp mount for an electric trolling motor for your
W500 fishing kayak —
How to Avoid and Repair Scratches in Your Kayak
Going with your kayak over oyster beds, shells, sharp rocks, broken
glass, metal debris and even concrete ramps can get its hull scratched.
In most cases such scratches are negligible, and you need not pay
attention to them. However, if you want to avoid getting your kayak
scratched you’d better watch out for signs of such potential hazards in
the water – especially if you’re fishing or paddling in shallow water —
Kayak Side Flotation- How it Works and Why Use it
Most W Kayak models come equipped with one, two, and even three pairs of
detachable flotation modules. A flotation module is a 5 ft long plastic
foam ‘noodle’ with a bungee cord going through its core. The bungee
hooks at its ends enable attaching the module to Nylon eyelets around
the cockpit. The flotation modules are essentially recovery accessories:
In case you capsized your W kayak, flotation modules attached to its
side (see figure below) can help preventing it from overturning, and if
your kayak is overturned they help keeping it afloat, and by that make
it easier for you to turn it back. In some cases, when your W kayak is
laying on its side, the presence of a single flotation module or better –
a pair of such modules under the top side of the lower hull can lead to
the boat righting itself, and this is how it works —
Wheels For Fishing Kayak Transportation
This article presents different approaches to transporting your kayak on land.
In most cases, you won’t need wheels for your W kayak, as you’ll just
drag it from your vehicle to your launching spot, and back. But if you
must carry it over long stretches of asphalt or concrete pavement, you
may want to consider shielding its hulls from excessive abrasion by
attaching the lid of a plastic bin to the part of its hulls that come in
contact with the pavement. It’s an inexpensive, easy, and lightweight
solution, and the lid can fold easily, so you can store it in one of the
hull tips when you’re fishing and paddling.
The drawback of dragging a kayak is that it’s not as easy as
transporting it on wheels. Kayak anglers have different fishing styles,
and they fish in different environments. This fact, as well as logistic
issues, affects the way they rig their fishing kayak with wheels (or a
single wheel), a kayak trolley, cart or a simple mat.
What you need from your fishing kayak wheels —
Detachable Flotation For Fishing Kayak
Flotation is a useful means of recovery for kayaks and other small craft.
Depending on where it is added to the kayak and how much of it is used,
it can assist you in recovering your W kayak, and in preventing it from
sinking if it gets filled with water. When attached below the kayak’s
saddle (Fig. 1-3) the flotation will keep the kayak floating if it gets
overturned, or if water gets into the hulls. However, having the
flotation attached to the sides of the craft is more effective: When
attached on the kayak’s sides (see Fig 4) the flotation modules work
both to – a. Stop the kayak from overturning, and -
b. Help the kayak right itself, even without your help. If your W kayak
kayak is lying on its side (it should right itself, in principle), side
flotation will assist you in turning it back, and recovering it. If you
happen to flip your W kayak over —
Ergonomics and Biomechanics in Kayaks
The Problem – Ergonomics is a science also known as Human Factors
Engineering. The problem is simple, and sooner or later practically any
kayaker and kayak fisherman faces it: Spending long hours paddling and
fishing in or on top of an ordinary kayak (sit-in or sit-on-top)
inevitably causes some circulation problems and leg numbness, occasional
cramps, pain in your lower back, and often fatigue and discomfort in
your shoulders and neck. In fact, kayaking is so closely associated with
back pain that kayakers commonly appear in TV ads for back pain relief
patches and drugs…
After you begin seeking information about your problem and advice on
ways to solve it you realize that the only thing that really works —
Kayak Hydrodynamics, Hydrostatics and Biomechanics As Speed Factors
Our 11’4″ long W500 kayak is reported to be as fast as a 13′ long
touring kayak, which may appear to be a contradiction to those who are
not familiar with naval design, especially with the hydrodynamic science
of it, or with recent years’ speed achievements of multi-hulled (I.E.
catamarans and trimarans) sailing and power boats —
Other Stuff
Not all reviews have value for prospective fishing kayak buyers. For a
fishing kayak review to have any interest for you to read and
consider, you need to see that it fulfills the basic requirements of
Credibility and Relevance, and preferably have some Breadth and Depth.
1. Credibility – You should never trust fishing kayak reviews posted by
an anonymous person, under alias, a user ID, etc. That review may have
been created and published by an individual who’s involved in a
business relationship with certain fishing kayaks manufacturers,
distributors, or retailers —
2. Relevance -You should always ask yourself whether the review, or the
perspective of the individual who wrote it is of any relevance to you
personally. Some fishing kayaks may get enthusiastic reviews by people
who have fishing styles that are totally different from yours, and
benefit from a physical condition and skills that are considerably
different from yours….
The Evolution of the Kayak (pdf)
Traditional vs. Modern Kayaking – From Survival and Utilitarian Use to Recreational Applications
1. THE ORIGINS OF MODERN KAYAKS – In the beginning of the twentieth
century kayaks were practically unknown to the wide public. They were
self designed, hand made personal paddling boats used by native people
of the Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions, in Greenland, Canada, Alaska and
Siberia, mainly for
hunting marine and land animals. These peoples seldom fished from their
kayaks and hardly ever used them for recreation. They preferred to
paddle their kayaks in protected waters —
Versatility: From Specialized Kayaks to Broad Range, High Performance Kayaks
Raising the Bar in Kayak Design and Performance: New Standards For The
Third Millennium – This article discusses the changes in kayak design,
usage and performance over the past century and in recent years.
Part 5 – Versatility: From Specialized Kayaks to Broad-Range, High
Performance Kayaks – 1. THE ENVELOPE OF KAYAK DESIGN IN THE
MICRONAUTICAL CONTEXT – Ordinary multihull kayak designs offer increased
stability but at a price of reducing speed and mobility, and without
improving ergonomics. In this sense those designs didn’t really expand
the envelope of kayak performance, since the basic tradeoffs that
characterized it remained the same —
Mobility: The New Dimension in Kayak Design
KAYAK MOBILITY DEFINED – Anybody can understand that a 4×4 off-road SUV
is more mobile than a common, two-wheel drive car. Most people realize
that a skin-on-frame Inuit kayak is less durable than a modern plastic
kayak, and you couldn’t paddle it in some of the places that you’re used
to paddle in. But what does mobility mean when it comes to modern
kayaks? It basically has to do with whatever limits kayakers and kayak
fishermen from going where they want to: Such limits include spots that
are too difficult to launch your kayak from, or too difficult to beach
it in. Other limits can be water that’s too difficult to paddle in
because of currents, waves, ice, vegetation or submerged obstacles such
as wooden logs or rocks —
Demo and Instruction Movies
W Kayak Demo Movies
Watching all these movies will change your view of what a kayak should
and can do for you. W500 Series – John’s Camo W500 Kayak Rigged for
Fishing – Launching and Stand Up Paddling From Your Standpoint —
