New Carts from Harmony

Carrying canoes and kayaks is a pain. To help alleviate some of this pain Harmony Gear has rolled out (no pun intended) some awesome new carts for 2013. We got our first round of Harmony carts this past week and they have been really popular already.

With the huge growth in Sit On Top kayaks largely driven by the fishing market Harmony has developed a cart designed to work on any sit on top. This adjustable cart has 2 vertical poles that can adjust width wise to fit the scuppers or drain holes of almost any sit on top kayak. This has made lots of kayak anglers very happy as most fishing kayaks are upward of 70lbs, and not overly easy to carry because of their wide nature.

Harmony Sit On Top Cart w/ Flat Free Foam Wheels, $89.99

The Sto-away cart by Harmony is our most compact cart, it folds up small to fit in hatches and tuck under canoe seats. The Sto-away comes standard with a kick stand to make securing your kayak even easier.

Sto-away Cart w/ Flat Free Wheels, $89.99

WCK Demo Days Have Started!

Spring showed up here in southwest BC in a hurry this year. As always WCK has ramped up our demo days. With demo's in Vancouver, Chilliwack, Abbotsford and several other locations, trying out a new canoe or kayak, before you buy has never been easier. 

Check out the WCK Abbotsford demo days here.

Check out the Hobie Kayak and SUP board specific demo days here.

If you can't make it to one of our scheduled demo days don't worry, there are other options to get you in the boats you're interested in buying. You can rent almost any canoe, kayak or SUP board that we sell here at WCK. You can put up to $100 of your rental fee back against the purchase of any canoe, kayak or SUP within 30 days of your rental (must have receipt from rental).

If you're interested in fishing kayaks call and talk to our fishing staff, they are always heading out on the water and depending on availability can sometimes throw in an extra kayak for you to try. Thursday has traditionally been our 'after work fishing day'.

Part of the WCK Hobie Fleet, rigged and ready for the first demo of 2013.

Some happy demo'ers enjoying the sail on the Hobie Oasis Tandem.

The Oasis was the hot boat at this demo, fun really does love company!

Dont let 2013 pass you by like 2012, get out on the water and start having fun this season.

Bomber Gear fleece tops and bottoms now in stock.

Spring is an exciting time for paddling. The birds are coming home, flowers are starting to bloom and paddlers are dusting off the their paddling gear and hanging up the skis and snowboards. Spring paddling has a lot to offer here in BC but the weather can change rapidly and a BC spring day can often be on the Chilli side.

To help keep you safe and comfortable this spring WCK is now stocking a full line of Bomber Gear Fleece, Neoprene and Dry gear. Bomber Gear is one of our favourite paddling accessory lines here at WCK. Innovative products, great value and backed by what is arguably one of the stoutest warranties in the paddle sports business.  The are just some of the reason we love this line!

Here are a few items you can look forward this season form Bomber Gear,

Mens Halo 5 Top $59.99

Women's Halo 5 Top $69.99

THE HALO 5.0 THERMAL CREW IS WARM BY ITSELF on moderately cool days and ideal as a thermal inner layer.

Moisture management paneling in key areas wicks moisture away from the body, increases insulation, repels moisture and dries quickly. The Polartec Power Dry material with flat-seam, Performance Cut construction allows 4-way stretch for easy, unrestricted mobility and comfort – even under dry wear. The Halo 5.0 includes a reflective screen printed logo, SPF 40 protection, and is anti-microbial treated. 5.0 oz. per square yard.

"The Halo Top is awesome, I can use it for everything from skiing and snowboarding to whitewater or sea kayaking, best of all I can actually wear it to the pub after without looking like a goof!" - Ryan Bayes - WCK Paddle Team

Mens Halo Pant $54.99

Women's Halo pant $54.99

The Halo 5.0 Thermal Pants are comfortable and warm below deck on moderately cool days. Moisture management paneling in key areas wicks moisture away from the body, increases insulation, repels moisture and dries quickly. The Polartec Power Dry material with flat-seam, Performance Cut construction allows 4-way stretch for easy, unrestricted mobility and comfort – even under dry wear. The Halo 5.0 includes a reflective screen printed logo, SPF 40 protection, and is anti-microbial treated. 5.0 oz. per square yard.

Grand Canyon Report: WCK Pro Team - Steve Arns

WCK Whitewater Pro Team Member Steve Arns started off the 2013 paddling season with a trip down what is arguably one for the most classic whitewater destinations in North America, the Grand Canyon. Steve and his team did this classic trip without the usual support of a gear raft, doing kayak support trips presents some interesting challenges. Check out this short trip report and some awesome pictures form Steve.

 If you are any bit of a whitewater enthusiast, you've undoubtedly heard of the Grand Canyon.  The Colorado River, as it cuts deeply through layer upon layer of bedrock between the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead creates this fantastic natural playground that makes a wonderful river trip, and so much more.  Needless to say, when I got a last minute invite for a 7 day self support trip in January, I jumped at the chance.

 My first order of business was getting my hands on a boat that would swallow all the equipment needed for a winter multiday trip.  Aside from all the usual items, you're required to carry a device that lets you carry out all your waste (all your waste, including poo) as well as a fire pan a and a few other mandatory items.  Thankfully WCK came to the rescue and had a Green Boat on hand - this trip was a great excuse to pick one up and now I have one to try out on some of the rivers in SW BC.  The Green Boat is well suited for a trip like this that requires carrying a lot of gear and paddling miles and miles of flat water.  It's notably faster then a normal creek boat, it's comfortable and most importantly handles well in rapids.  While paddling an extremely loaded boat is more akin to controlled drifting rather than paddling, it handled the challenge well and kept the whitewater (which is mostly class III) interesting and fun.

 All in all, the trip through the Canyon went well.  A 7 day trip is definitely an express visit, especially with the short amount of daylight in early January.  We still had time to visit some of the side hikes and enjoy the fantastic camping.  If you ever get the chance, it's a must-do trip for any river runner.  Here are some photos, which might better tell our story.

- Steve Arns, WCK WW Team Captain

A small Toyota with 2 sea kayaks and a Green Boat.  It's only a 5800 km round trip from Vancouver.

  At the put in, wondering how we can fit all that gear into our boats.

Lunch on the first day.  We only travelled 10 miles on day 1 and 20 miles on day 2, leaving us to paddle 4 45 mile days through the middle of the trip.

A great campsite in a cave that protected us from some snow that fell on our first night on the river.

A great campsite in a cave that protected us from some snow that fell on our first night on the river.

Fantastic camping at Hance Rapid.

A random rapid above Phantom Ranch.  It was very cold this day.

Rolling the Green Boat in to Hermit Rapid.  Photo by Ric Moxon.

Truck and trailer at Lava Falls.

Being on an express trip, we passed many groups that were on longer schedules.  This is a group scouting Lava Falls.

The only downside to the trip: coldest recorded tempeatures in many years.  This was typical.  We figured it didn't get much above -10 on the coldest day.

The crew - L to R:  Tom Janney, Louis Geltman, Steve Arns, Ric Moxon.

A classic Grand Canyon side trip - Havasu Creek.

Bomber Gear Dry Suits now at WCK!

The highly anticipated Bomber Gear Dry Suits have arrived! We now have stock in both The Bomb Dry Suit and The Hydro Bomb Suits.

When you’re consistently pushing limits, you require a little extra armor (and then some). That’s why our high-end, 4-layer Bomb Dry Suit features reinforced shoulder panels, abrasion-resistant oxford nylon on the seat, knees, shins and elbows. And because staying dry and warm isn’t so bad either, we’ve incorporated the same highly durable Bomber Gear gaskets, our unique double-stitched, taped and patched seams and the same breathable Toray 4-ply Entrant HB fabric as what is used on the revered Bomb Dry Top. Other unique features include a hidden emergency whistle, glass bead reflective piping, a sleeve pocket with a drain, a reflective screen printed logo, 4-layer Toray socks with reinforced bottoms and a dual-adjustable overskirt with rubber closer flaps. Also includes TiZip zippers across the shoulders for entry and in the front for relief zip. Best of all, the Bomb Dry Suit is designed in Bomber Gear’s signature Performance Cut fashion, so you know it’s made with an intimate knowledge of how paddlers sit below deck. Guaranteed to keep you dry, comfortable, and begging for more.

This Bomb Dry Suit $899.00

The Hydrobomb Dry Suit is ideal for those wanting full-body, all-day comfort through Bomber Gear’s unique performance-driven construction at a value. Key features include our Bombtech 2.5-ply breathable fabric, abrasion resistant oxford nylon on the seat, knees and shins, and 2-layer socks with reinforced bottoms. Like the Hydrobomb Dry Top, the dry suite includes the volcanic neck system with 4-way stretch, Slickskin neoprene, minimal cone-shaped signature cuffs and fused (not glued) latex neck and wrist gaskets for an ergonomic, performance-driven fit. Other features include a reflective screen printed logo and a draw-string waist. And with our signature double-stitched, taped and patched seams with waterproof front entry and relief TiZip™ zippers, you can count on staying dry.

The Hydrobomb Dry Suit $599.00

WCK and Jackson Kayaks Invade Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is one of the great remaining frontiers of whitewater kayaking. The small but extremely active paddling community on Vancouver Island notches multiple First Decent's every year and is always adding to the growing list of Island Classics.

This year WCK is donating a Jackson Kayaks Villain for the always popular Puntledge River Festival. You can check out Fraser Valley White Water Trip Report from last years festival here.

A very happy Dave Prothero packing up to head back to the Island with his new Jackson Rockstar and Jackson Karma as well as the Jackson Villain being donated by WCK for the festival!

For more information on the Puntledge River Festival or paddling on Vancouver Island check out the Vancouver Island Whitewater Paddling Society , or check their Facebook page.

Happy paddling from WCK!

More Happy Paddlers From the Shuswap.

We love to hear about paddlers out enjoying their canoes and kayaks they have purchased from us. We try hard to match people with the prefect kayak for their type of paddling and its really rewarding when we hear how much fun they are having. Check out these pictures and kind words from some hardy all season WCK paddlers!

The kayaks they are using are Jackson Rogue's, one of our most popular "cross over kayaks".

"Thank you very much for accommodating us, we appreciate the trouble you went through.

We have been enjoying our kayaks and are out in all seasons at least 4 times a week.. we live close to the Shuswap river in Enderby… we kayak with eagles, coyotes, dear, beavers, muskrats, herons and more…they are the best investment we’ve made.  We have taught others to kayak and become junkies like us.

We have always received great service from you folks and look forward to our next visit to your store…until then…

Happy spring

Kind regards,"

Kathi

Happy paddling and thanks for the pictures!

More new kayaks for 2013, recreational, fishing and touring.

If you are in the market for a new kayak this year, you really have your work cut out for you with all the hot new kayaks that have come in for 2013.  Here is a very brief run-down on some of the hottest new boats in each category.

Recreation: Recreational kayak sales are still one of the fastest growing markets in paddle sports. Often referred to as "Rec" boats, these kayaks are designed largely for inexperienced paddlers or paddlers that just want to do short day trips. Rec kayaks are generally very stable and have large cockpits to make getting in and out easy. On the flip side, these large cockpits make it harder to get a dry fit from a skirt and can ultimately make the kayak a little less seaworthy if things get rough.  Recreational kayaks are generally shorter than touring kayaks, with less speed and less tracking than their longer counterparts. A short kayak is inherently harder to make paddle in a straight line.  This makes the design of the kayak that much more important for an enjoyable paddling experience.

Wilderness Systems has for a long time had the best selling Rec kayaks here at WCK with their hugely successful Pungo 10', 12' and 14'. This year Wilderness Systems has rolled out a new recreational kayak with many of the features people loved the Pungo for but with a few additions that make it more suited for slightly more advanced or aggressive paddlers. The Aspire 10' and 10'5" resemble the Pungo at first glance but have a few distinct differences. 

The Aspire 10 is best suited for smaller paddler and the 10.5 for
larger paddlers, both Aspire models will sell for  $699

The Pungo is known for having one of the most aggressive keels on any kayak.  That is largely why these short kayaks paddle like much longer, more efficient kayaks. The Aspire keeps some of this aggressive keel but has a retractable drop skeg. This skeg can be pulled up when more maneuverability is desired or can be dropped down to take advantage of better tracking for open water or rougher conditions. Just like the Pungo 10' the Aspire comes standard with the easy to use rear hatch and bulkhead. The Aspire also has a moulded in "console" with a place for your drink, camera or tackle. 

Possibly though our favourite feature of this new kayak is a feature that has made Wilderness Systems dominate the recreational kayak market for years, their seat. The entire lineup this year form Wilderness Systems has the new and improved Air Pro Seating. This is arguably the most comfortable and adjustable seat ever put into a kayak. If a bad back has kept you from enjoying kayaking in the past, it's time you come down and check out this amazing seat.

On-water adjustment and comfort are standard on the new Airpro seats.

Perception Kayaks has also launched a new kayak expanding on their Expression 13.5" and 14" series with a very capable and sporty 11.5'.  The Expression 11.5' is a hard kayak to categorize.  We like to put under 13' kayaks into the recreational category but the Expression 11.5' is such a capable kayak that it almost falls into the light touring category.  While it is shorter than traditional "light touring" or " day tripping" kayaks generally in 13'-14' range, this kayak has many of the features that make longer kayaks more suited for touring. The Expression 11.5' has a smaller cockpit than most rec kayaks making it easier to get a dry fitting seal from a skirt as well as making self rescues easier. It also has adjustable thigh braces giving the paddler more control than kayaks with larger cockpits. The Expression is also narrower than most 11.5' kayaks.  While this does come at the expense of some stability, the performance benefits are very impressive. The Aspire has remarkable glide and responds very well to edge turns and paddler input. Fitted with a drop skeg, when it is time to cover some water, this 11' kayak will leave many similar length boats in its wake. With rear bulkhead and comfortable adjustable seat, this kayak will no doubt be a huge hit. If you like to push yourself and progress at your sports but don't want a longer kayak to store and transport, the Expression is definitely worth checking out.

For $799 the Expression 11.5' delivers a lot of value in an affordable kayak.

Sit On Top's: While there are a lot of new Sit On Top Models and upgrades for 2013, most of them will fall into the "Fishing Kayak" category down the page. The really big exciting news in the recreational sit on top world is Jackson Kayaks Cruise 12.  Based largely off their super popular fishing series the Cuda, this kayak is ridiculously stable. Just like the Cuda series, the Cruise is designed to stand as well as sit; that should speak something about this kayak's stability.  Since the Cuda came out, the non angling crowd has longed for a similar kayak but with out all the extra fishing goodies.  Their wait is over. The Cruise has Jackson's highly coveted high low seating and removable chair making your time on the beach as comfortable as your time on the water.

The Cruise 12 with Jackson's famous high/low removable seat, all for $899.

Fishing: For us here at WCK Kayak Fishing is hands down the largest area of growth, with more and more float tubers and pontoon boat anglers upgrading to faster, dryer,  more comfortable fishing kayaks.   This market continues to grow faster than we ever expected.  In an effort to keep up with this huge growth, manufacturers continue to release new models and upgrade existing lines. There is way too much news in this category to do justice to here.  I will try to highlight some of the most exciting news, but to get the full picture, come in and check out our 25+ fishing specific kayaks.

Jackson Kayaks has some exciting news this year on the fishing front.  First off, all Jackson Kayaks now come decked out with Ram Fishing Rod holders and moulded in GoPro Camera mounts, cause we all know if you don't have proof it probably wasn't really that big.

Jackson also has a new kayak for 2013, the Cuda 12. The Cuda really doesn't need any introduction.  Imagine all the things anglers already loved about the Cuda 14 and put it into a smaller, lighter package. While the Cuda 14 is better suited for ocean fishing or larger lakes where more distance needs to be covered, the 12 will be better suited to smaller lakes, easy rivers or smaller paddlers wanting an easier to transport package. High/low adjustable seating, standing friendly, rod and tackle storage everywhere, just like the 14, we know this kayak is going to be a hit.

Cuda 12 with rudder $1399, without rudder $1199.

Jackson Kayaks has never been a company that liked to follow.  This is evident in their innovative designs and out of the box thinking when it comes to fishing. To keep the tradition alive, Jackson has another first for the angling community. The SuperFishal is the first ever fishing specific, stand up paddle board.  Yes, you did read that right. Complete with Rod, camera, paddle, and drink holders, this board was really designed to catch some fish.  Check out WCK Fishing Team member  Len Zilkowsky blog for upcoming reviews and pictures of these cool new boards.

At $869 the SuperFishal might just give some of the kayak fishing hype a run for its money.

Wilderness Systems has also done some upgrading to their already awesome fishing line up. Both the Tarpon and the Ride series form Wilderness Systems got upgraded to the new Airpro Seat system.  Adjustability, breathability, and comfort are the key features of this seat. Don't take our word on it though, let your butt and back do the talking. The Ride series also comes with a new "Advance" seating system. The Advance System raises the paddler's position almost 5" making it easier to cast as well as giving a better vantage point. Added bonus, handy under seat tackle storage with a bungee to secure your valuable tackle. The Ride was one of the top selling fishing kayaks last year and with these upgrades to an already awesome platform, it is sure to enjoy more success this year.

The new Ride 11.5' and 13.5' Airpro Advanced Seat System.

Light Touring/ Day Tripping: These boats are generally in the 14' range and offer paddlers the option of doing some light touring weekend trips in comfort or with some careful packing, the ability to go on wee- long outings and beyond. While there are not a lot of new kayaks in this market for 2013, some of our favourites have gotten some upgrades and revisions.

Again, Wilderness Systems has led this category in sales with their Tsunami and like the rest of their lineup this year, the Tsunami also got a new seat in both plastic and fibreglass models. As well Wilderness Systems has improved the construction of the fibreglass kayaks across their line up. The new construction is more rigid and more durable with only a slight increase in weight. As well, we are excited to see the Wilderness Systems fibreglass boat manufacturing moved from China to Eastern Europe.

The Tsunami 140 pictured here with the new Airpro Seat. $2199 without optional rudder.

The Jackson Journey has been a favourite amongst paddlers looking for a 14 light touring kayak capable of doing some aggressive paddling. Many 14' kayaks are designed to make paddling easy. The Journey is designed to make paddling fun. This is a light touring kayak that you won't outgrow as your paddling progresses.  At home in surf and rough waters, the Journey is also capable of long distance tripping. The lively hull partnered with Jackson whitewater kayak-esq outfitting, offer an amazing amount of control for advanced paddling or comfort for long days on the water. While the Journey hull has not changed for 2013 (and why would it?) the Journey did get some added features. Like all Jackson Kayaks  for 2013 the Journey 13.5' and 14' come standard with GoPro camera mounts, a Jackson branded Nalgine bottle as well as a new hull stiffener to make an already great kayak even better.

The Journey comes in a lot of cool new colours for 2013. Check the Jackson website for a full range of colours. Both 13.5' and 14' Journeys are $1399 with a rudder.

Check back next week for an update on the new whitewater kayaks as well as several new Stand Up Paddle Boards that WCK will be stocking. Check our site as well for the new demo day schedule for 2013.