The kayak phenomenon has caught us  all by surprise. It’s only a few years ago that these craft started to be used  by anglers for saltwater work in America, but they then spread rapidly to the  UK thanks to exposure on the Internet, and it’s now gone global.

It’s important to define the word  “kayak” as some confuse them with canoes. If you say “canoe” think native North  American Indian culture, but the kayak comes from the Inuit and Eskimo cultures  of the Arctic and far north and is a completely different type of craft. The  Inuit used kayaks to hunt seals, polar bears and even whales at sea, and were  their only sea transport for thousands of years.

With the angling kayak band wagon well  and truly rolling we were eager to look at a kayak suitable for the first time  kayak buyer and we chose to draw on the experience of the lads at White Water  Consultancy International Ltd, based in Carmarthen, West Wales. White Water is  one of the biggest suppliers, probably the biggest, of kayaks suitable for  saltwater as well as freshwater fishing in the UK, and what they don’t know  about kayak’s ain’t worth knowing.

We’d be working with Jody King, the  resident kayak instructor at White Water and also meeting up with another west  Walian Gareth Bowen, a dedicated and very experienced saltwater kayak angler.

HULL DESIGN AND HANDLING
Looking at several models the  Wilderness Systems Ride 135 Angler was the chosen craft due to its superb  stability and handling capabilities, and therefore better suited to those just  starting out.

She’s 13ft 4ins long (4.064M), 32-inches (78.8cm)  wide, has a maximum depth of 15.5-inches (39.37cm) and weighs 68lbs (30.84kg) in its basic form  ready for the water, but obviously a little heavier when fully kitted out for  fishing. It can carry 400lbs capacity. She is a “sit-on” kayak meaning you sit  on top of the craft inside a shallow well, not inside the actual shell.

The build material is Gen2  High-Density Polyethylene. This material offers the best combined advantages to  achieve overall strength, lightness and durability. It also gives an ultra  smooth finish to limit drag in the water, plus produces a rich deep colour to  maximise the final finish of the craft.

This material, in the unlikely  event you ever manage to hole it, can be welded back together just like metal  can. We had an example of how tough these craft are when trying to take some  photos with the 135 working in minimal water over barnacle covered rocks. She  bottomed out and was briefly battered against the boulders below by the surf.  Back on the beach we found she’d suffered only minimal shallow scratching

The length of a kayak determines  its speed and straight line capability. Basically the longer the craft the  faster it will go, plus length makes it is easier to steer a straight course.  It’s said by experienced kayakers between 13ft and 14ft is about optimum for  all-in performance and the 135 falls smack in the middle of that optimum  banding.

Much like boats, kayaks are  available with varied hull designs that contribute towards specific performance  characteristics. The Ride 135 features a trihedral design with mini keels that  grip the water to improve overall stability. This design type proves to be  extremely stable when sat both paddling at speed, and when static fishing. It’s  said you can even stand on these hulls when fly fishing, though at sea we don’t  feel this is a sensible option.

For reference other kayaks feature  a relatively flat hull base that aids speed, but reduces stability. These  require a more experienced paddler to get the best from them. Good stability is  key for a sea going kayak, so consider a trihedral design to begin with.

Performance wise the average  kayaker can expect to paddle one of these craft at about 4-knots average, but a  fully fit and experienced paddler will add a knot or two of overall speed to  this.

The 135 proves not just to be  stable, but also incredibly buoyant. You can sit on the side of the kayak, even  when she’s loaded with fishing gear, with your legs in the water with the kayak  only slightly leaning over at a shallow angle. This was done just to illustrate  how stable they are.

The storage space on these craft  means you can carry a surprising amount of gear with you too. You do need  though, just as with bigger boats, to balance out your gear both forward and  rearward of your seat. Getting a good weight balance brings out the best in the  kayaks manoeuvrability and handling, and she’ll feel more nimble and  responsive, and be easier and less tiring to paddle, so play around with it  until you get it just right.

A kayak can be brought through  light surf to land on a beach, but ideally you need calmish water to launch in  to and land from, so sensible beginner kayakers choose to use sheltered bays or  estuary banks to launch in.

Getting the kayak to and from the  water could not be easier. There are moulded holes intermittently positioned in  the base of the kayak where the wheeled trolley fits in. You can select  different holes to alter the balance point of the craft when wheeling it  around. The weight balancing on the trolley means that the craft is easily manoeuvrable  on your own for launching and retrieving. We launched on shingle and boulders  with no problems, plus we had to wheel the kayak around 400-yards from the car  park to the water.

An average male adult will have no  problem lifting the 135 kayak on and off the car roof rack, though it has to be  said that heavier craft may require two people.

DESIGN FEATURES
They manage to pack an awful lot in  given the relatively small size of the craft!

On the bow there is a rubber grab  handle for manoeuvring the kayak with a bungy type securing strap just rear of  this to secure paddle blades.

Also at the bow is a rubber capped  hatch that hides an open and spacious stowage area for securing additional equipment,  plus this open area adds to the buoyancy of the craft. This area stays fairly  dry, but anything important needs to be put in waterproof bags.

In front of the oarsman, and  positioned between your legs, is a built in console with a cup holder. This also  features a mounted rod rest and also takes an Echo Sounder unit and mounting  block allowing you to see the depth and seabed contour at a glance.

On each inner gunnel there are  adjustable foot pedals. These work in conjunction with an optional rudder that  can be fitted to kayaks to give improved steerage and control. Worked via a  simple cable system, short foot movements backwards and forwards give the  required rudder angle to provide steerage.

Just in front of the seat is a  small rubber cover hatch that hides a dry sack which can be used to store  mobile phones or hand held VHF radio’s and car keys. Although called a “dry  sack” we think such important items should also be put in waterproof bags just  to be sure.

You have a comfy and  adjustable-by-strap back rest and padded seat cushion, the rear of the backrest  carrying an additional mesh and zip pocket for the storage of smaller items.  Just rear of the back rest is another rubber sealed stowage hatch. This has  been made round enough to take a large fixed spool reel as well.

Also moulded in as part of the hull  is a space that can take a slide in tackle box for the stowage of lures and  smaller items of tackle.

On the gunnels at each side of the  seat are lanyard anchors for attaching oar safety straps to, plus a T cleat for  anchoring off from. You also have rubber side grab handles for lifting with.

Just rear of the seat and at each  side there are plastic rod holders where you can store additional rods when not  in use and also when paddling.

The stern of the 135 kayak is  moulded to form an open stowage area with criss-crossed bungy type securing  straps to hold all in place. This is often where kayakers store their launch  trolley if moving between two venues, or when launching well away from the car,  though most trolleys are collapsible and can also be stored inside the bow  stowage area.

The Wilderness Ride 135 comes complete  with a folding anchor and lightweight anchor cord, which is designed for  shallow inshore anchoring only, as kayak’s are not designed to be anchored in  deep water with rising swells.

There are also scores of brilliant  accessories now available to kayakers. For example different rod holder  mountings designed individually for fly reels,   fixed spool and multiplier carriage, triple rod holders can be bought,  improved seating and back rests, and much more to choose from, so you can  customise your kayak to be as versatile and comfy as possible.

SAFETY ISSUES TO CONSIDER
Before contemplating taking a kayak  out for the first time, get proper instruction from a qualified kayak  instructor. In a few hours they’ll teach you the basics and make your initial  steps in to kayaking a much more simple passage.

For sea use, although there are  around 10 different colours to choose your Ride 135 kayak in, we suggest you  look only at orange, yellow and mango, mango being a mix of the two, so you  stand out against the sea when viewed by other boat users, and especially  should an emergency occur.

One thing we particularly liked was  that there is a gimbal fitting accessory available that fits in to one of the  rod holders which can take a sea light. This means you have some means of  illumination available to you when coming in in low light conditions. This is  often a requirement now by many harbour authorities and in our opinion is an  essential safety factor.

Also carry a “distress” type  waterproof torch with an intermittent strobe facility for additional emergency  identification.

Most kayakers rely just on a  buoyancy aid. Fine, but get a good one with ample buoyancy for your size. Alternatively  experienced sea kayakers working their craft to their maximum often choose an inflatable  braces type life jacket that they wear partially inflated. Automatic life  jackets are not practical due to the possibility of water contact when paddling  etc. 

Do not rely on just your mobile  phone for communication. Mobile signals are notoriously poor at sea level when  working close in to cliffs. It should go without saying that it makes sense to  carry a small hand held VHF radio for direct contact with the Coastguard.

We also feel that with personal  EPIRB’s now very affordable this would make total sense for any respective  kayaker and should be part of your initial purchase. Look at the Sartech GME  Accusat MT410G personal locator beacon as an example.

You can also buy mini flare packs  for around £30 and these would be an important addition should an emergency  occur.

American sea kayakers also carry a  second paddle strapped to their craft. Also attach your main paddle via a  safety lanyard to avoid loss.

The obvious safety feature is to  always work in pairs. Stay fairly close together and always be in sight of each  other. Simple enough to do!

CONCLUSION
We think the Wilderness Systems  Ride 135 Angler sets the standard that first time kayak buyers should judge  others by due to her exceptional overall stability and her ease of handling.

She’s lightweight, tough and  durable, and easy to manoeuvre on and off the roof rack and down to the sea,  plus the basic kayak comes in at a very affordable price and volume sales prove  her popularity and ability.

PRICE
The Wilderness Systems Ride 135  Angler kayak retails for £750.00 including VAT.

There’s also a very comprehensive  list of optional extras to add, but we suggest you get advice from the lads at  White Water as to the basic essentials to start out with, then add more as  required.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact White Water Consultancy  International Ltd, Bronwydd, Carmarthen SA33  6BE. Tel: 01267 223555. Fax: 01267 223666. E-mail: sales@wwc.co.uk or huw@wwc.co.uk . Website: www.wwc.co.uk .