outboard motor – Senior Kayak Angler

Retired businessman and county official starts a new career as kayak dealer and fishing and diving guide in southern Florida

For decades, Captain Larry Jarboe owned and ran sawmill in Maryland, and served as a county commissioner there, and all this time, his passion was fishing and diving.
When Larry retired in Key largo, his plan was to keep fishing out of a commercial fishing boat that he owns named the Line Dancer, and offer guided fishing and diving tours from this boat. At that time, Larry was already a fan of the Wavewalk 500, which he had used in Maryland, and he became a Wavewalk dealer.
Then came the Wavewalk 700 series, and Larry discovered the potential for using it for guided fishing tours in the mangroves and for diving tours on the reef. He also discovered motorized kayaking. Both discoveries led Larry to reassess the business potential of the Wavewalk 700, and put a greater emphasis on this small watercraft, in combination with the Line Dancer, serving as a mother ship.

The Line Dancer mother ship carrying three Wavewalk 700

Captain Larry Jarboe and a client on board the Line Dancer

Larry also discovered the option to use a motorized W700 for driving clients into the mangroves, and as the creek becomes narrower and tortuous, continue in a paddling mode.

The advent of the S4 changed things for Larry and his business. He found that he could use a motorized S4 to tow two Wavewalk 700 kayaks, each one attached to each side of this versatile boat. This innovative setup is extremely stable and comfortable, and it allows its passengers to chose between paddling autonomously or being towed by Larry’s S4 skiff.

Larry developed a climbing ladder for the S4, which allows practically anyone, including big and heavy clients, as well as elderly ones to get back into the boat easily.

In addition, Larry found that practically anyone could drive the S4 and fish out of it, and this includes people who simply cannot used any other kayak, and would feel uncomfortable in a conventional small boat such as a Jon boat or a skiff, such as this 330 lbs guy –

As Larry keeps finding new ways to use the Wavewalk S4 and 700 to better serve the clients of his burgeoning fishing and diving business, he’s very excited about advising others who may benefit from the versatility and high performance of these skiff-kayaks that practically anyone can use, including people with a sensitive back, back problems, back injuries, arthritis, sciatica, excess weight, and other limitations and disabilities.

And let’s not forget couples who just want to paddle in tandem, or go motorizing in the mangroves –

Larry driving an S4 with two passengers on board. This crew spent three hours touring the mangroves.

Visit Capn’ Larry’s website Florida Fishing Kayaks »

More about the Wavewalk S4 skiff kayak »

A New Look At Motorized Fishing Kayaks and Portable Boats

Elderly fishermen welcomed the kayak fishing trend that became popular about a decade ago, mainly because they felt jaded with having to deal with big motorboats and cumbersome canoes, and they welcomed the promise for physical exercise that came with paddling kayaks.

Nowadays, many senior anglers perceive the reality beyond the hype, and they are not as enthusiastic about kayak fishing as before. The reasons for this are primarily ergonomic, namely the discomfort and fatigue associated with staying seated in a kayak for long hours, and the risk of developing sciatica and other back injuries as a result.

Pedal driven kayaks have failed to provide solace to senior anglers, and in fact they proved to be harsher on the operator’s back and legs than regular, paddle propelled kayaks.

Electric trolling motors proved to be a good solution for ponds, small lakes and slow moving rivers, as far as shorter fishing trips are concerned. Whether trough assisted paddling or as an alternative to paddling, electric motors have become quite popular with older anglers who can tolerate being seated in the L position, or similar uncomfortable postures.

Wavewalk is a manufacturer of patented kayaks that solved the back pain problem in this field, as well as a host of other physical problems that plague kayaking and kayak fishing. Wavewalk also solved the motorizing conundrum, namely the insufficiency of electric trolling motors as means of propulsion for long fishing trips and for traveling in fast currents and in choppy water – something that only outboard motors can do.

Wavewalk offers three products lines of different sizes, all of which can be easily and effectively paddled and motorized with either electric motors or outboard gas motors.

The Wavewalk 500 is a lightweight (60 lbs) super stable and back pain free twin-hull (catamaran) kayak that anyone can car-top, launch paddle and beach anywhere, including people in the late seventies and even early eighties, as well as people with serious disabilities.

The Wavewalk 700 series is a lightweight (80 lbs), super stable and back pain free twin-hull tandem kayak and portable skiff. Anyone can car top a W700 on their own, as well as carry it and launch it. It can take powerful portable outboard motors, and it’s fun to drive, even in choppy water.

The same skiff serves as a fishing kayak in places that can be accessed only by the smallest and most nimble paddle craft:

Wavewalk is now offering a third line of small craft named Series 4 (S4). This portable (car-top) skiff can take on board two big and heavy anglers, a strong outboard motor, and plenty of fishing gear. It can also serve as a paddle craft (canoe, tandem kayak) when its crew needs to go in extremely shallow water, or in no-motor zones (NMZ). Being more stable than bigger boats makes it an ideal solution for elderly anglers who fish in a variety of waters, and do it either solo or together with a fishing buddy.

Motorized fishing – something to reconsider

Many years ago you used to fish out of a motorboat, and you didn’t like the hassle, noise, trailer, and launching and beaching in boat ramps. So you looked for other fishing craft, non-motorized ones, and you weighed the options that were available to anglers back then, which were canoes or traditional (mono-hull) kayaks.
Whichever you chose, it did the job for some time, until you realized that a human powered fishing boat is a great idea, but at your age you can’t handle paddling long distances, not just because you’re no longer in great physical shape, but mainly because the ergonomics of these craft isn’t suitable for you – Your back is sensitive, and your legs tend to get numb, and your body neither forgives nor forgets any abuse.
Fishing out of a Wavewalk TM kayak would have made things easier for you, but still, you want to go places and your paddling capabilities won’t suffice to take you there, and back from there.
This is where you may be interested to consider fishing out of a motorized Wavewalk TM – You can outfit your with either an trolling motor for short fishing trips on flat water, or with a small, lightweight outboard gas engine for longer fishing trips and for traveling in moving water. And if you’re imagining that you’d need a trailer, think again, because this fishing boat can be easily car topped, and as bonus you’d be able to launch and beach it pretty much anywhere.

This short video can make this new concept a little more understandable:

It shows the Wavewalk TM 570 in action. This new series is designed especially for motorizing and fishing in moving water with an outboard motor, but you can still use a Wavewalk TM to paddle and pole when you need to, such as in skinny water, or weed infested water, or when you launch or beach in difficult spots that aren’t usable for other boats and kayaks.

More info on this car top microskiff »

More about motorized fishing kayaks »

“The W500 Rules the Water!” Says Kayak Angler With Fibromyalgia and Sciatica

Neither the fibromyalgia nor the sciatica that Rox suffers from would stop her from fishing for stripers (striped bass) in her W fishing kayak, which she outfitted with an outboard motor, so that she could cover more distance. Rox fishes standing up most of the time, yet another thing she can do only from a W kayak:

Epic, That’s what this day was……Epic. 🙂

I took the W500 fishing kayak out for my first solo Striper fishing on the Connecticut River In Windsor Locks, CT.
My buddy Mike was already on the water, I launched at 12:00 noon. I took the 1.2hp Gamefisher outboard since I knew I could count on it running well. My first slam came at 12:25, but the fish came unbuttoned.
I was drifting and casting my top water lure and working it slowly back to the W500, when BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fish on, and it’s a big one………………..ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Off goes the drag, and the sleigh ride began. It was an awesome Battle, she circled me twice, and shot up river, still towing me ………….. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

I start to tire her, and get her yak side, went to grip the lip with my boga, and ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ she wasn’t ready.
Now she is tired, I get her yak side one more time, reach with the bogas ………… and SHE IS MINE!!!!!
You could here me hooting for miles I’m sure.

29” Fat and Healthy, 14 1/2 lbs of fighting fury.

Many more Battles happened after that.

Today was one of the Best Fishing Days of my LIFE!!
I landed 3 keepers, and 9 smaller Stripers.

I had some awesome blow ups, and Lost 4 Bigger Stripers, but That’s okay, that’s why its called fishing. 😀

I can’t Thank Wavewalk enough, for this wonderful yak, The W500 Rules the water.

Rox

kayak angler standing with big striper in stand up fishing kayak, Connecticut river — Ergonomic, stable, stand up fishing kayak

Stability: The Key To Good Fishing Kayak Design

A new article on Micronautical, the kayak design magazine, discusses the importance of stability in fishing kayaks, and how to design a kayak for greater stability.

It’s an interesting read for elderly anglers, as well as for those who suffer from balance impairement and other disabilities that make paddling kayaks and fishing from them more challenging.

The subject goes also to fly fishing from kayaks, since this technique is best practiced standing up when paddling and scouting for fish, or when sight fishing.

Needless to say that stable kayaks are safer anywhere, whether inland or offshore, and that there is no such thing as too much stability when motorizing your fishing kayak is concerned.