"2005 Tyee Review" in Sea Kayak Magazine (2009-10-21) » View as PDF

"We have used Seaward Kayaks in our fleet (over 50 presently) for the last nine years and now use them exclusively. We find Seaward extremely responsive to the needs of the customer, the boats are state of the art, and the service fast and accurate. Seaward Kayaks met all our expectations regarding price quality and service. Dale, Alberni Marine Transport " ~ Alberni Marine Transport.Dale

"I purchased the Tyee model back in 1993 and have had a love affair with this boat since that time. I have been in some nasty conditions, and have learned to trust this boat. Two years ago I was in some of the worst waves and wind I have ever experienced and my Tyee eats waves. You had to pry my fingers off the paddle when we got out of that mess, my brains were shattered and I was shaking all over, but good ol Tyee just cruised along with a smile on. Great boat...... Louise Price, MA" ~ Louise Price

"This is the 2005 version of the Tyee that I purchased and I am very impressed with the changes-(I owned one of the older models)-recessed fittings, a smoother entry and the addition of a chine makes this a totally different boat than before-it is fast, stable and with the chine it is more of a play boat-as usual the workmanship by Seaward is superb-with the optional carbon fiber mixed with another material makes for a 48lb boat-well done Seaward!!!!!! Rating: 10 of 10 " ~ Dennis Wyatt

"Submitted by: Doug M. 10-02-2008 I custom ordered a Tyee in 2007. It is a fiberglass version with a Yellow deck with an orange fade into a red seam. The hull is white. This is a very fast and stable boat that inspires confidence. I have gone out into water with this boat and felt safe that I would have been in trouble with my previous boat. The amount of storage is fantastic. The seat I received with my boat was molded plastic that was bonded to the hull and could not be moved. Also it transferred the cold from the water through to the seat bottom. I contacted Seaward and learned this was something they had to do for the boats ordered through the national store I ordered through. They sent me a newer padded/molded seat that they carried at a discount. Once I installed this new seat I was completely satisfied. It is adjustable and does not transfer the cold water through to your bottom. I highly recommend the Seaward brand to anyone as the quality and service are second to none. I would really like to try one of their Quantums in the future for something that would be more of a play boat. Rating: 9 of 10 " ~ Submitted by: Doug M.

"12-01-2006 Well, folks, I spent alot of time reading these reviews before we purchased our Seaward Kayaks in October. I hope this one helps. Please refer to my review of my wife's kayak in the Cosma category for generalities working with Seaward. They were Great! I purchased the Tyee on the recommendation of the folks at Seaward. After several extended day cruises, I think, no, know, it is the boat for me. I tried several of the Brit boats and some Current Designs, Neckys, and Impex. I was very attracted to the Impex Assateague (being that I am 75" and 230#). Now, I would like to preface this review stating that we purchased Prijon kayaks over a year ago (SeaYak for her, and Kodiak for me) and were quite smitten with them. We decided on the fiberglass models as a step up? I now think so, and rather dramatically I might add. We paddled an outfitters (CoastMountain Expeditions) Necky Teslas (unfortunately no longer available)on a BC trip in the spring and I can say that composite boats grabbed my attention during that trip. The Tyee is simply stable, fast, seaworthy extreme, fabulously finished and well thought out! Did I mention how beautiful they are? Well, hold on to your booties when you unwrap them! Looks aren't performance you say? Well, I can vouch that the two Seaward kayaks we purchased epitomize the near perfect union of function and beauty! Very comfortable to paddle and they will rocket across the water. Are they faster than our Prijons, I can't really tell since those boats are very fast, and well built also, but I sure like to paddle these. Folks, if you haven't considered these boats, I highly recommend that you do. I rate the Tyee a nine for now but it was tough not to call it a ten. Rating: 9 of 10 " ~ Submitted by: BATBEE

"Posted by Anonymous at http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=1020 09-03-2002 I just can't say enough about this kayak. The layup is perfect, the seat is comfortable, the cockpit easy to enter and exit, very stable, tracks like a dream. The exchange rate for Canadian/US dollars has brought the price down enough to make this an incredible deal. Rating: 10 of 10 " ~ Posted by Anonymous at http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=1020

"I have paddled for 20 years in several different rotomolded touring models of kayaks and was always happy wth them. This year took the "plunge" and ordered a fiberglass 17' Tyee and am I ever glad I did. The boat is fantastic, lightweight, fast, easy to paddle and looks great. It is a real pleasure to paddle and it looks like my other kayak won't get used by me." ~ Terry Graham

"The new Tyee was delivered to my office late this afternoon in flawless condition. Lynden took good care in transport and the wrapping was excellent. The boat is beautiful! I had one shot at getting the boat I will be required to be very happy with for at least the next ten years. And I had not previously even seen a Seaward Kayak. My first, face-to-face look at a Seaward Kayak was in the parking lot as I unwrapped my new boat this afternoon. I did a lot of research and everything I learned said Seaward made the best, quality built, sea kayaks available in North America. The Tyee specs and reviews seemed perfect for my size, physical condition and kayaking preferences. I literally put all my eggs in one basket Nick. And you kept me sold all the way, closing the deal with your great follow through and obvious passion for the company you represent. That really came through when I talked to you on the phone before I gave you my credit card last week. I went for a spin on a local lake this evening. This picture was taken just before 8. This boat screams craftsmanship down to every detail, the engineering is awesome, and what a piece of art! I could not be more pleased, (and relieved ;). I had real high hopes. Now I learn that my expectations were way too low. This boat responds effortlessly, paddles like a dream and takes comfort to a new level for me. You guys did me right, and I am a sold out reference for the Seaward name. Thank you for over-the-top service in every way possible. Blessings, Mike " ~ Michael Heath

"Here it is 2 years later, I am still as satisfied with with my Tyee, today as I was when I bought it. It has a white hull with a red fade to black deck. In these 2 years it has served me well, taking it out in varied conditions, I love paddling it. Southern Saskatchewan is certainly not a mecca of kayakers, but everywhere I go people ask me about the boat. It is fast, has a huge payload and is a very good looking boat, thanks Seaward for a terrific boat." ~ Terry J. Graham

"Here it is 2 years later, I am still as satisfied with with my Tyee, today as I was when I bought it. It has a white hull with a red fade to black deck. In these 2 years it has served me well, taking it out in varied conditions, I love paddling it. Southern Saskatchewan is certainly not a mecca of kayakers, but everywhere I go people ask me about the boat. It is fast, has a huge payload and is a very good looking boat, thanks Seaward for a terrific boat." ~ Terry J. Graham

"Here it is 2 years later, I am still as satisfied with with my Tyee, today as I was when I bought it. It has a white hull with a red fade to black deck. In these 2 years it has served me well, taking it out in varied conditions, I love paddling it. Southern Saskatchewan is certainly not a mecca of kayakers, but everywhere I go people ask me about the boat. It is fast, has a huge payload and is a very good looking boat, thanks Seaward for a terrific boat." ~ Terry Graham

"http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=1020" ~ Paddling.net

"Over the past few years, I have upgraded Butterfly Tours’ entire fleet of kayaks to Seaward Tyees. This remarkable craft is clearly designed and built without compromising quality or functionality. My tour guests and expedition participants appreciate the Tyee's adjustable seat and abundant cargo space, as well as its predictable and forgiving nature in challenging sea conditions. The kayak also provides a delightful responsiveness when handled by more experienced paddlers. This versatile boat performs extremely well both unloaded during day-trips and fully loaded on multi-week expeditions. Most of my fleet consists of regular volume Tyees, though I added two high volume Tyees which seem to comfortably fit most tall people. I recently spent a week paddling a HV Tyee and it fit me well too, though I’m of average height (5’10” or 178 cm). One of my favourite aspects of the Tyee is simply working with the people who own and run Seaward. Any boat will eventually require replacement parts. Seaward responds quickly and efficiently to parts requests. It’s great to be able to pick up the phone and immediately contact a friendly business owner who can swiftly arrange what is required. One definition of quality is “paying consistent attention to details.” Seaward’s commitment to high quality is evident in the Tyee, as well as throughout their refined way of doing business. Gord Pincock Kayak Haida Gwaii ~ Butterfly Tours www.seakayak.guru _________________________________ " ~ Butterfly Tours

"The New kayak is wonderful! I am taking her on her first overnight expo next week. Im glad Raven's Way uses the Tyee!" ~ Kate Bold

"https://warehouseguy.wordpress.com/a-review-of-seaward-kayaks/" ~ Prescott College

"I recently purchased a seaward tyee directly from their factory in Chemainus. After some research I discovered that it was the best deal for the buck. The owners were fantastic people to do business with, friendly and willing to go above and beyond to meet my needs. The kayak itself exceeded my expectations. it was lightweight, handles well, and great initial and secondary stability. Overall, an excellent crafted kayak built in Canada from a very reputable " ~ Jeff Jones

"Tyee XLC I purchased a Seaward Tyee XLC about 3 months ago. After about a year of looking at over 20 different kayaks, from multiple different companies, we decided on the Seaward Tyee’s. Our objectives for sea kayaking were to have a fun and stable boat not only for day tripping, but a boat that we could load up with a week or more of food and camping equipment and head out to explore on the Pacific coast. The Tyee fit the bill for having these capabilities. We choose Seaward to build our kayaks for several reasons. Firstly, I preferred a boat built in Canada. Additionally, I am planning to retire on Vancouver Island and should the boat need any repairs I could take it to the factory for these. After looking at multiple kayaks from various manufacturers I could see that Seaward build their kayaks to the highest standards. The staff at the factory was very helpful in helping us choose the correct boat and helped us outfit it. I choose the Tyee XLC because of the larger cockpit. I am 6’4” and over 200 lbs. My aging knees make it difficult to get into kayaks with smaller cockpits. The XLC is very easy for me to get in and out of. I also have bad memories of doing a wet exit from a river kayak many years ago when my legs got stuck and I had problems extracting myself from an overturned kayak. The Tyee XLC has proven to me to be very easy to wet exit. Having paddled about 15 days in the kayak now and having recently completed the Paddle Canada Level 1 course, I am please with how well the kayak handles. The kayak is very stable, edges very well and turns easily for a 17’ boat. The seat and cockpit are comfortable, the foot pedals and rudder are easy to use once you get the hang of them. The boat also tracks very well, as it really wants to go in a straight line. There are a few things that I have noticed that could improve the kayak. The kayak has a large cockpit without thigh braces, there is some padding added for your knees. This padding is very slippery and thus it is a bit harder to brace your knees in the kayak when edging or bracing. A rougher pad would improve this. The rear deck lines as the kayak as rigged go from the stern to the just behind the rear hatch. While practicing deep water re-entries I found that I needed to hang onto the rear hatch to re-enter the kayak. Extending the deck lines to behind the cockpit would make this easier and safer. Also it would give you a something other than the rudder lines to hang onto while in the water. Overall I would give the Tyee XLC an excellent rating, it is a great boat that I am sure will give me many years of great service and has the capability for me to grow into as my paddling skills and experience improve. " ~ Peter Haase

" I recently purchased a seaward tyee directly from their factory in Chemainus. After some research I discovered that it was the best deal for the buck. The owners were fantastic people to do business with, friendly and willing to go above and beyond to meet my needs. The kayak itself exceeded my expectations. it was lightweight, handles well, and great initial and secondary stability. Overall, an excellent crafted kayak built in Canada from a very reputable company. " ~ JJ

"I wanted to tell you what a happy Seaward kayak owner I am! I just got back from a 5 day Yellowstone backcountry paddle and my Tyee handled like a dream! It was the first long excursion and I was in heaven paddling through such a beautiful wilderness in such a fabulous kayak! Thank you so much for what you all do!" ~ Byron Harris