Winter in British Columbia is full of surprises, especially when clear skies and low winds can make the paddling as good as you could expect on any summer's day.
Such was our luck in January when a group from the Nanaimo Paddlers kayaking club set out from the Cedar boat ramp to hit the rapids of Gabriola Passage to try out the Seaward Quantum.
The Quantum is definitely not a middle-of the- road, please-everyone type of boat. It is a Greenlander first and foremost, complete with a skeg, a hard double-chine and built with a sense of purpose that aficionados of this genre will appreciate, but with enough North American touches to ensure it meets the best of both worlds.

Dare we say it's a hybrid?

Consider the low rear deck and Greenland-style bow, making this a traditional performer, but add for instance flush hatches, a departure from the Brit preference for round plastic hatch covers. So what you have is a pick-and-choose of features that offers a departure from the plethora of Brit boats staking claim to the North American market.

The mix creates a kayak that can look and feel as good upside-down as right side up.

For me this was a return to Seaward after spending a summer in 2006 in the Ascente, and I was interested to see how the company had progressed. Seaward is renowned for its finish, and it is clear the Quantum is a hand-crafted boat built with care. No offshore assembly line built this boat.

The Quantum is comfortable, but novices will no doubt find the first encounter twitchy. Beginners looking for the initial stability of an ocean liner won't find it here.

That's not likely to deter the serious paddler drawn to this style of boat. And for our small but respectable Nanaimo Paddlers test crew, the boat lived up to expectations, and in many ways exceeded them.

The basics:
The Quantum may be a leap for those used to the traditional North American style, but a few minutes of testing and the twitchiness is likely to disappear in favor of a more moderate initial stability and a good secondary stability, aided by the multi-chine.

Comfort is good but the cockpit is surprisingly short. At 5'11" I had very little room in front of my feet; don't expect much in the way of foot-area storage.

Seaward has traded its old foam cushion seat pad for a molded, padded seat - a great improvement for comfort.

From there you get Seaward's attention to detail: recessed fittings, well-placed deck compass, knee brace pads and a quick-release rescue system, to name but a few features.

THE RATING

Touring:

With a capacity of 224 litres, the Quantum provides a middle-of-the-pack storage capacity - enough for comfortable weekends but shy of a good expedition capacity. The Quantum's shape means good tracking for long stretches on the water. This is the type of kayak you can spend days in without regret.

Playing:

This is undoubtedly what Seaward had in mind in designing the Quantum, particularly the low back deck (ideal for rolling), Greenland style bow and skeg. Our testers thought it rolled easily.

Stability:

Expect initial twitchiness but better control at the higher levels of performance. Edging is comfortable.

The positives:

The finish and attention to detail is the Seaward hallmark. The result is a great looking boat on the water and off, with lots of handy features.

Overall:

Anyone shopping for a Brit-style kayak will want to consider the Quantum for its array of handy features that other models likely don't have. Well-designed decking means the ability to keep everything within easy reach. In other words, it may not appeal to everyone, but it is definitely among the top options for those considering this style.