JEM Watercraft

Hello,

This question is for anyone who has built a Wadefish. Have any of you paddled your wadefish in the surf? The design seems to match perfectly what only very experienced paddlers should attempt negotiating the surf; very little rocker, very long. Just curious if anyone has a report about how she handled in the surf.

Not true surf mate.

I have paddled mine down wind in standing waves to 4 feet and breaking.

My boat was the prototype. (she was a custom design for me, for my specific wants) My seat was a little far foward for my liking (this has since been rectified in the released drawings)

Agree completely, she is not for an inexperienced paddler in the surf. Then again, no kayak is.

I experienced no problems with my boat. She will handle significant surf in experienced hands. My son has it now and refuses to give it back. I have been paddling kayaks and surf skis all of my life. If you are an inexperienced paddler, I would urge caution.. Get to know your boat well before you take her out into waves.

One thing I've learned about designing the WF and the WF 2.0, is that hardcore surf paddlers want two things

1) Low seating position. They accept having a wet butt or have some sort of non-gravity (battery powered pump) drainage system.

2) Generous rocker in the bow. It's reported to be easier to negotiate confused surf.

The WF is a compromise: seating position high enough to be self draining and some rocker but not too much to compromose touring and tracking.

So it's a boat that can handle some surf, but not the optimum surf design.

Thanks guys! Mine is almost done. One more coat of paint and some graphite on the bottom and she's done. I've just been reading about the local destinations and BTB (beyond the breakers) is very popular around here.

Any reccomendations about how to handle the wadefish traveling toward the shore/with the surf?

Practice your high and low braces and stern rudders in flat water first.

Paddle as hard as you can, brace hard, leaning into the brace till you tip. Keep doing this till you get to know just how hard you can lean her and still stay upright..

Once you are comfortable with this, practice the same in very small, gentle surf.

Wadefish is not a surf kayak, neither is it a sea kayak. You need to approach surfing waves a little differently in this boat.

Are you wanting to catch waves or do you want to just be able to come into shore as safely as possible with a minimum of fuss?

Practice launching and landing thru the surf WITHOUT all your fishing gear in the boat first. After you have done it a few times and are somewhat comfortable doing it then start adding the gear. Tether any gear you dont want to loose. Getting tumbled with rods in holders is a good way to break them.

Keep an eye out on whats coming up behind you.

Read this:
http://atlantickayaktours.com/pages/exp ... rf-1.shtml

or this:
http://www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html?146

or watch this:
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/surf- ... 3363843575

How not to do it, watch this:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NAgUSBl7KGc&feature=related

DM

Thanks for the information. I can't wait to get her in the water. I will post pictures of the "yellow peril" soon