Gumotex SeaWave

[Jake]

Try sending a note to Lenka Sušánková at info@boatpark.cz. She can give you the info you need including shipping cost to the U.S. Include your zip code in the email.

[Ktototam]

Thank you. That's what I did and she said that I need to place the order online and pay (full price obviously) and then she will reimburse afterwards. Is that how it works?

[paraglia]

When I bought from Boatpark, the VAT was deducted from the purchase price so I didn't have to pay.
You might want to clarify - their English isn't the best.

[Ktototam]

Thank you. This is the response that I received:

"Hello,

You will pay the price when ordering with VAT, but you will not pay shipping.

That is about 6000 CZK.

What you pay addition, we will return if it will be less, I will send you, link to the supplement.

If you pay by bank transfer, I will send you an invoice without VAT and with transport."

I may well just call her on Monday and try to clarify this. Not sure how they refund VAT and understand shipping is extra. Don't want to wire funds out as this will add additional $30 wire fee and I end up paying shipping anyways. Just wondering how they refund VAT. This will be a double FX conversion - I pay in USD, which is then converted into CZK, they refund in CZK, which is then converted into USD on my credit card account..not sure how much I lose though.

[JCase]

I may well just call her on Monday and try to clarify this. Not sure how they refund VAT and understand shipping is extra. Don't want to wire funds out as this will add additional $30 wire fee and I end up paying shipping anyways. Just wondering how they refund VAT. This will be a double FX conversion - I pay in USD, which is then converted into CZK, they refund in CZK, which is then converted into USD on my credit card account..not sure how much I lose though.

Very interested to hear how this goes for you. I may order through them as well!

[JCase]

Hi there, I'm new as well. I live in Portland, OR, and am very interested in this boat for its versatility. I have a wife and 4 year old daughter I'd like to have on board, and it looks like it might be perfect. I'm also considering the Solar 410, as it sounds like it might have a little more room and weight capacity - though I love the cover options on the Seawave. To those who own, or have used both, what are your impressions of these two boats, compared for this sort of family use? The closest model I've been able to try out (just sitting in the showroom) is the shorter Innova Sunny, which would be pretty tight for 2 adults + kid, especially with its weight capacity.

[ChrisvonS]

Short version: get the Seawave.

I ran a Sunny for many years on rivers and sea (see website). The big difference with the Seawave is it runs 0.25 bar instead of Sunny 0.2 (and I've modified my SW to run a little higher still).
This makes for a more rigid and therefore faster boat which is especially handy at sea where it works best. Its a bit too long for technical rivers. The bendy Sunny would easily swamp - fine on a warm summer river, less good on a chilly sea.
And as you say the optional deck - something I considered bodging on the Sunny - is a nice idea, though I never use it.

[Kalif]

Hi JCase,

I have owned both Seawave and Solar as well as almost all Gumotex kayaks over the years. Right now, I only have a Solar and it seems to be the best all-arounder. I really like it.

You do lose a little bit of speed compared to Seawave, but it is more comfortable inside, especially as a tandem, turns better (better for rivers if you care for that sort of stuff-look at some pretty impressive youtube videos for that), has fewer D-rings, but enough and is almost half the price.

Seawave gets narrower as you move from the center and is overall more speed-oriented with v-bottom and all. That means when you go as tandem, it's really tight. It was even tight for my GF and she's in front (it was with the deck on though). Actually, Framura has more room inside, but you can go only solo on that one.

The deck on Seawave didn't work for me as my neanderthal legs are long and I like to move around. Better to invest in good pants/drysuit than decks. The I-beam in the middle of the floor was quite uncomfortable as it protrudes up and down, but it makes the boat much more rigid and you can really inflate it harder than other boats.

Don't get me wrong, Seawave is one badass boat and is probably the best that can be bought right now, in that category anyway. If I was paddling single most of the time, it would be my choice.

Solar keeps its width as it moves front and back form the middle of the boat. It has the same capacity though and is basically a stretched version of Sunny, so you won't have many problems I had with Sunny (bending in the middle in single and shipping in water in tandem configuration).

Check out some pics of my Solar here;
http://s1045.photobucket.com/user/bayar ... lar%20410c

They are running a sale now, and it makes sense to get two boats (shipping cost is only slightly more for two)

Post if you have more specific questions, but you can't go wrong with Gumotex.

Best

[Kalif]

JCase,

I just realized you mentioned a 4-year old you want to take with you in Oregon waters. Since choosing the parents wisely is not the option for the kid anymore, ) you may want to go with Solar as it is initially more stable and you don't want a deck as it could be a recipe for a disaster. They have a three-seat version too, but that would just take up more space. Best to have kid sitting facing you in the back and leaning against the paddler in front. Paddle leash is not a bad idea, at least one. I use thin bungee rope I got from west marine but not always. If you use paddling pants and an oversize heavy-duty trash bag in front of you to put the legs in, you'll be warm and toasty despite the spray. Hiking socks and a trash bag up to the knees and higher and you'll be warmer than with the deck. Proven. Find a good looking trash bag to match the boat though ))

Safety first (hypothermia second )

Cheers

[JCase]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Sounds like the Solar may be a better family boat.

I'll leave alone the comments about giving my child hypothermia. Come visit an Oregon lake/river in the summer sometime!

[Ktototam]

Ok, received my order yesterday and gave it a dry run today...so far so good. No too happy about the seats though, might think of switching to something better, but will give it a 5 out of 5 for now.

What was on order: a kayak, 2 spray decks (double and single), 2 spray skirts and a pump. Didn't pay an import duty, which is good. Total ~ $1.4k.

[Ktototam]

a quick question: what seats would you recommend? Want to replace the original ones as they don't seem to provide much support.

[paddlesheep]

I found that when paddling solo, putting the aluminum deck support behind the seat gave great back support, even though I wasn't using the deck.

[paraglia]

All this talk about the Seawave tempted me give it a try. I ordered one with two decks on Monday, and if everything goes well I should receive it today.

This winter I had a lot of time thinking about how could I simplify my kayaking experience. I love paddling the Feathercraft, but having to go through the assembling process every single time it can be a daunting experience. My back also does not appreciate all the contorsioons needed to extend the frame. The Solar is a good boat but in any waves it gets swamped.

Maybe the Seawave will be able to replace both the FC (sigh!) and the Solar. Does anyone here paddle the Seawave both solo and double?

[Jake]

Feathercraft kayaks are sweet paddling boats but not so much when it comes to putting them together. I bought the kurrent 2.0 rather than the Wisper because it's the simplest and easiest of all the Feathercraft folders to assemble and break down but it still takes me about 40 minutes of feairly intense work to get it all together. Fortunately, I don't have to assemble the boat very often but if I did it would surely be an inflatable for me. I was about ready to buy an Aironaut when FC, for whatever reason, decided to discontinue production and the Seawave looks so voluminous that I'm not at all sure that it would be nearly as much fun to paddle as a well designed folder but I'd like to learn more about it from those who have spent some time with it.