I upgraded to the Cobra Wave Witch after surfing a Wilderness "Kaos" for many years. They are basically too different animals. I found the Witch to paddle faster and catch waves easier, unfortunately it also pearl dives when it gets too hollow. The Kaos surfs much better on larger wave faces and steers by leaning into the turn, similar to surfing.
My wife rides a Cobra Strike which is slower than the Kaos but also more manageable. The Witch would begin to plane aft but the bow would always dig in with it's ship-type vee shape. I found it to be ok on 1-2 foot waves but in anything bigger, steering with the rudder down the line proved ineffective, the bow would eventually carve into the wave with loss of rudder control.
If this boat had more of a surfboard shaped bow, it would easily hold a line as the Kaos does, but then it would also lose it's flat water tracking ability. For Waikiki type rolling waves that break straight to shore more gently, the Witch is fine. For beach break or long peeling type waves, the Kaos or Strike ride better & safer!
I purchased a plastic Wave Witch 3 years ago and love it. I have to qualify that I instantly went out and added a set of wings used for OC-1's to the nose to correct its love of Pearl Jam (that's where the boat pearls and jams you into the bottom). I regularly surf the La Jolla shores and it is a great fast boat that lets me run the caves, or carve the waves. On a big day that is just right it is fast enough to catch the break on the reef that deposits you at scripts pier! I also use it on the bay in Newport and can keep up with sis who has one of Hobie’s pedal yaks. The only thing I have ever broken on the water was my leash. Oh yeah, they can do a great eskimo roll out the back side of a wave if you are getting closed out.
The only warning I would give anyone is that they are so fast that you can catch more than one wave in a set. And that tends to make the board surfers think there is one more reason to hate kayakers who are fast enough to get into any thing, take 1/10th the time to fight their way back on line in big surf and can reposition for the one that came out of no where. The bottom line is that you are so fast you are always in the wave before them. Just use good manners and wait your turn or surf the edges on crowded days. When that is not good enough for them just remind that angry 18 year old that swinging at a man holding a 6' staff is a life altering experience in humility. :)