Joey Schott over at Turning Point Boatworks just got done prepping the mold for the West Side Boat Shop Delta kayak that he will begin building this week. This will be the first post-Doug Bushnell era boat for West Side Boat Shop and we hope to make Doug proud.
In case you have not yet heard, I bought the West Side Boat Shop business from Doug Bushnell at the end of July after he had retired back in 2019.
These boat designs are just too awesome not to preserve.
So I own all the molds and designs, trade names, etc. and Turning Point Boatworks is my contract manufacturer, staying true to all of Doug’s original, proprietary construction tricks, methods and secrets. In fact, Doug Bushnell has been coaching and advising Joey and I, revealing his secrets to us all along the way. What a tremendous asset to still be able to pick Doug’s brain and know he fully supports us!
I chose to take the Delta into production first because it is what I like to call a “civilian” kayak. That is to say, most average recreational paddlers will be able to handle it due to its stability at 23-5/8″ wide yet it will unlock a whole new world of speed and performance to them. It is the perfect boat to get people into fitness or performance kayaking and it is the type of boat that will be passed down to future generations within a family. I also know it will appeal to a wide range of paddlers and once I let them take it for a spin they will then understand what West Side Boat Shop kayaks are all about. Performance. Speed. Quality. Pure enjoyment. Smiles.
The rest of the West Side Boat Shop kayaks are much more radical in nature and require highly skilled paddlers to keep them upright and unlock their full potential as racing and fitness machines.
To add to the excitement, I’m paddling the Chattajack 31-mile race in Chattanooga, TN on the Tennessee River this Saturday in one of my Thunderbolt-X kayaks.
So this is a big week and shortly after I get back from the race I will finalize the West Side catalog with prices and officially launch the business and start taking orders. If you would like to be added to the waitlist for a West Side kayak just let me know. Tel/voice: 804.608.WSBS (9727) and email address at the top of this page.
Since “soft launching” the business, demand so far indicates the Bullitt K2, Wave Piercer, Delta, EFT/Sleek, Marauder and XR5 will be on deck. I also think I’m going to ask Joey to build a Wave Exceed to be my personal boat…because I always wanted one.
It should go without saying, but I’m super excited to know I’ll soon be able to paddle and review a new West Side Boat Shop kayak, the first of the new generation since I bought the company and the first West Side boat produced in 2 years. The first one built by somebody other than Doug Bushnell.
We have a weighty tradition to uphold and feel a huge sense of responsibility to stay true to Doug’s designs, but we are up for the challenge and are aiming high.
Stay tuned.
Dave The Kayaker | The new home of West Side Boat Shop kayaks 