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From: Bay and Beyond Sea Kayak Tours <bayandbeyond_at_ozemail.com.au>
subject: [Paddlewise] helmet and lifejacket might of helped
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 07:33:05 +1100
This is from the ABC (Australian Broadcast corporation)

Last Update: Sunday, March 13, 2005. 9:00am (AEDT)

Man killed in kayaking accident

An ambulance officer has died in a kayaking accident on Queensland's 
Sunshine Coast.

The 34-year-old Sunshine Coast paramedic was kayaking with a friend 
at Coolum Beach when a large wave capsized their three-metre craft.

Police say the two men were trying to right the boat when they were 
hit by several more waves in the rough surf.

It is understood the Maroochydore paramedic was knocked unconscious 
and was not wearing a life jacket at the time.

Police say his friend swam to shore and raised the alarm.

A local lifeguard in a jetski found the man and brought him ashore, 
but attempts to revive him failed.

URL for the story 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200503/s1322182.htm
-- 
  "BAY AND BEYOND SEA KAYAK TOURS" 
    38 Lakeside Dr.,  South Durras, NSW, 2536  Ph: (02) 4478-7777 
E-mail: bayandbeyond_at_ozemail.com.au

   Webpage:    http://www.naturecoast-tourism.com.au/bayandbeyond
   
We have been audited and given accreditations as safe professional 
operators by;
   -Outdoor Recreation Industry Council (ORIC)
   -Tourism council of Australia
   -Waterways NSW( Lic # HD0288)
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From: PeterO <rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] helmet and lifejacket might of helped
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 22:19:46 +1100
Bay and Beyond wrote: -
>Man killed in kayaking accident

G'Day,

Thanks for drawing attention to the story it wasn't all that widely
published over here and it does support the need for helmets. We were
leading a couple of trips last Sunday and decided after debate to avoid a
surf landing because of lack of helmets. I always wear a PFD but don't
always wear a helmet for surf - this sad story will ensure that I do in
future.

All the best, PeterO
(Sydney Australia)
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From: Robert Livingston & Pam Martin <bearboat2_at_comcast.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] Wavewalk W1 kayak
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 10:24:56 -0800
http://www.wavewalk.com/

This guy has designed and is marketing a catamaran type recreational kayak.
Seems like a fairly eccentric fellow (not a pejorative)

Total Length:  10' 2" (310 cm)
 Total Width:   25" (63.5 cm)
 Total Height:  20" (51 cm)
 Total Weight:  56 lb (25.5 kg)



The web site has what would appear to be inflated claims for a 10' foot boat
which makes me nervous about the whole thing.

 _____ Cruising Speed with user up to 200 lb (90.7 kg) ____
 4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)- Inexperienced paddlers
 5.5 mph (8.85 km/h)- Experienced paddlers

And the discussion of speed/design issues seems off the mark for a small
kayak such as this.

But still I am intrigued. Not because I expect to be paddling at 4.5 mph but
because I am interested in a kayak that I can use for short (less than 1
mile) trips carrying things like groceries. I like the idea of a kayak that
is easy to get in and out of (for a 55 yo) and launches/lands easily on a
beach in a fairly calm water environment.

One thing that did seem plausible was that you might be able to launch off a
sloping beach relatively easily because the catamaran nature of the craft
means that you can walk to the cockpit with the boat pointed out to sea, hop
in,  and then slide toward the bow to "lift" the stern off the beach. The
stability might make it easy to get in and out onto a dock.

It is not available at any dealers on the west coast of USA so it would seem
to be exclusively an east coast phenomena at the moment. I would have to be
buying sight unseen which makes me uncomfortable.

Has anyone tried one of these out? Willing to share any "gotcha's"?

One inevitable fact because of its complex shape is that it is heavy for its
size. Looks like it might be awkward to carry for one person although
perhaps relatively easily for two because you could walk between the hulls
holding a bow toggle in each hand to symmetrically distribute the weight.
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From: RAPHAEL RENTA <renta_at_prodigy.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wavewalk W1 kayak
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 11:08:35 -0800 (PST)
A friend of mine is/was a West Coast distributor for
this and let several friends and I try it out. Frankly
I would not take it as a gift. All of us found it to
ride very high, be extremely unstable, uncomfortable
to paddle whether standing or sitting and awkward to
steer. To see if it could hold more than one person
two very experienced kayakers tried it and
immediately, in spite of hilarious frantic paddling,
went ass over tea kettle into the water. All of this
was done on flat perfectly still water in a lagoon! I
can't imagine trying to ride that thing in surf or
down a river. 

Perhaps if it were fully loaded it might sit lower in
the water and be a bit more stable, although I doubt
it. Even so, the model I tried didn't have bulkheads
and once water starts to pour in bailing it out with
one hand while attempt to stabilize it with the other
just ain't gonna make it.

If anyone lives in the San Jose Area I could probably
arrange a tryout, but frankly the last time I checked
it was twice the price of a decent little sit-on-top
like a Maui and lacks its bulkheads, stability and
maneuverability.

Raphael
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From: Mark Sanders <sandmarks_at_comcast.net>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Wavewalk W1 kayak
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 16:19:24 -0800
Was wondering, does having two short, narrow hulls side by side have the
same benefit as one long narrow hull? Is this a way to get the stability of
a wider boat without losing so much speed?

Mark Sanders

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net
> Pam Martin

>
> http://www.wavewalk.com/
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