Expedition Sea Kayaks
Quest; Seaward Kayaks; www.seawardkayaks.com; Price: $2,542; Length: 19'; Beam: 22.5"; Depth: 14.5"; Weight: 59 lbs (fiberglass)
Quest, Seaward Kayaks
The Quest is a well-built kayak with a full overhanging bow; soft, blunt chines with moderate flare; and a slightly pronounced keel on a nearly flat bottom. The result is a sturdy, stable kayak that is reasonably maneuverable and tends to ride over waves rather than slice through them. There is a lot of room in the cockpit under the steep, peaked foredeck and cockpit coaming. The seat bottom is just a cushion buckled into the boat, with a rigid, solid seat back. This cushion is intended to double as a paddle float, or so they say, but may not be buoyant enough for large paddlers. There are adequate bungee cords for a paddle-float rescue, backed up by straps and toggles with oversized tabs easily and quickly manipulated by gloved or numb hands.
The large, simple fiberglass hatches are secured with straps and cover neoprene linings, all tethered to the boat. The forward hatch is nearly flush with the drain gutters to prevent oncoming waves from splashing up into the
paddler’s face. There is a lot of storage in both compartments all the way to the ends of the kayak. The rudder is
easily deployed but cannot be unlocked from the cockpit.
Libby’s personal take: I did not feel entirely comfortable in this boat because I sat so low that it felt as if the sides came up to my armpits. I
experimented with different seat heights, but at 5 feet 3 inches, I think this boat was just too big for me.
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