Wavewalk prefers to use the term Twinhull rather than Catamaran to describe its patented invention because its design does not fit the typical catamaran form, which implies two hulls of the same size that are placed at a considerable distance from each other, and attached by means of a wide structure (deck) from the top of which the boat’s users operate it –
The twin hulls of the Wavewalk boat form are close to each other, and they are attached by a narrow bridge located at the center of the boat’s cockpit. The passengers sit on top of the bridging structure called ‘Saddle’, and they operate the boat from within its cockpit.
Like all catamarans, the W boat design is subject to forces that pull its two hulls apart, especially under heavy loads. Different catamaran designs address this problem by different means, depending on factors such as the boat (or ship) size, materials from which it is built, etc.
Wavewalk’s first production series was the 300 (2004-2010) and its second production series is the 500 (2009 – ). Wavewalk chose rotational molding as a production technology for both series, and in fact, most modern kayaks are rotationally molded from Polyethylene, which is the most suitable polymer resin for this application. Since 2014, boats from W500 series are outfitted with a structural element called ‘Saddle Bracket’ which takes care of excessive loads.
The 700 series is bigger than the 500 series (dubbed the world’s best one-person fishing boat), since it is designed to carry a crew of two large size anglers and their fishing gear, while being propelled by an outboard motor. Due to technical limitations stemming from its large size and complex form, it could not be rotationally molded in one piece. Therefore, Wavewalk had to come up with a two-part solution, as shown in this instructional 3D animation video:
The Saddle is attached to the Twinhull by rivets. After the riveting is done, the rivets are waterproofed.
This innovative solution offers several benefits to the users, including light weight (just 80 lbs for the basic W700 model), resilience, strength, and durability.
The W700 saddle is watertight, and provides flotation in case of an accident.