KAYAK REVIEW 2005 Tyee by Seaward Kayaks eaward Kayaksʼ 2005 Tyee is designed to inspire confi dence in new paddlers as well as help Smore experienced paddlers refi ne their skills. The high initial stability is perfect for cruising, photography, fi shing or kayak camping, while a pronounced chine in the hull results in a kayak that can be comfortably edged as the paddler learns a leaned turn or brace. Using our ultra-stable Tyee hull as a starting point, the 2005 Tyee now has an upswept bow for better handling, recessed hatches and deck fi ttings for a smooth look, and all the safety features that set a Seaward kayak apart. The 2005 Tyee is available as a regular or high-volume model to fi t all but the smallest paddlers and is offered in fi berglass, Kevlar or a carbon-glass hybrid construction. Whether a paddler is looking for a quiet afternoonʼs escape or an extended expedition, the Tyeeʼs unique combination of stability, comfort and attention to detail make this a perfect kayak for paddlers and outfi tters alike. —The Seaward Design Team Length overall 16' 101⁄2" REVIEWERS Beam 24 " TE: 6' 1", 200-pound male. Day trips, winds to 20 knots, Volume 16.5 cu. ft. waves to 2 feet. No cargo. Cockpit size 16" x 32" GL: 5' 11", 165-pound male. Day trips, winds from 10-15 Cockpit coaming height knots, 1-foot chop. 55 pounds of cargo. Forward 14" JK: 5' 6", 140-pound male. Day trips, winds to 10 knots, Aft 11" Height of seat 1" waves to 1 foot. No cargo. Weight 543⁄4 lbs. THE REVIEW even for my bulkiest size-13 First Glance footwear. The sloped sides keep The 2005 Tyee appeared “solidly made with good at- out of the way while paddling. tention to detail” (JK). It has “clean glasswork and The high aft edge of the coaming smooth interior. The shallow V hull will dimple a little limits layback to about half the when pressed by hand, but the hull doesnʼt oilcan in full range of motion.” The seat is rough water. A replaceable plastic keel strip takes the a fabric-covered, contoured slab wear and tear of dragging the boat on the beach” (TE). of closed-cell foam. While GL The hull-to-deck seam is glassed inside and out. found it “very comfortable,” TE The Tyee is “well equipped with deck fi ttings. Most and JK thought “more thigh sup- are recessed, but some are surface mounted. There are port would have made it more bungees fore and aft of the cockpit for accessible stow- comfortable” (JK). “The lateral age, which are stout and easy to reach” (JK). The rudder bracing provided by the coaming deployment line and the bow painter serve as perimeter supports was just right and gave grab line, and in that capacity “stretched more than good contact with the boat” (TE). I prefer” (JK). “The straps and buckles for holding a The seat is detachable and can serve paddle-fl oat outrigger create a solid, easily adjusted con- as a paddle fl oat and a camp seat. nection to the boat, and the quick-release loops make The backrest is a broad band of retrieving the paddle exceptionally easy” (TE). plastic with a fabric-covered pad. “It The Tyeeʼs weight is “relatively light for a large cruis- pivots to provide some fl exibility and ing kayak, but the balance point of the boat falls at a measure of comfort, but itʼs higher the thigh-brace fl ange, making for an uncomfortable than I prefer and made contact with shoulder carry” (TE). my back where the torso rotation takes Fit place. It could be half as tall and still The cockpit opening was long enough for the review- provide good support and comfort” (TE). ers to get into seat fi rst. TE had “three or four inches of The thigh-brace fl anges are foam-pad- extra room beyond my knees when putting my legs in. ded and “while they donʼt have a lot of The high peaked foredeck offers tons of foot room hook, they felt secure and aided bracing 18 Sea Kayaker | June 2005 June 2005 | Sea Kayaker 19 and rolling” (JK). GL and TE suggested BEST FEATURES the addition of a wedge of foam to im- • Paddle-float outrigger system KAYAK REVIEW prove contact and grip. • Cargo capacity The foot braces “are the gas-pedal type, providing very solid bracing (with the TO IMPROVE rudder up or down), as well as rudder • Dedicated perimeter grab control. They were easy to adjust on or lines off the water” (JK). • Comfortable contact point for shoulder carry The rudder is deployed with a line that loops around the aft deck. It is “easy to The web-and-buckle paddle-float outrig- deploy, provided you remember which ger system makes for a solid connection side to pull” (JK). TE “had a tough time and is quick to release. getting the rudder to drop into the narrow centering bracket. If you donʼt hit the slot balance for wind, with no noticeable partment has good volume, and the within a few degrees, youʼve missed and weathercocking” (GL). “In a 12-knot hatch is long enough and deep enough to have to retract and try again.” breeze, it was well balanced—if any- slide in things like a large tripod. There is Stability and Maneuverability thing, it had a tendency to lee cock. In space behind the seat and in front of the The initial stability was rated “good” an 18-knot breeze, the balance was still foot braces” (GL). The neoprene hatch (TE), “just short of high” (GL) and “very good, although it had a slight tendency covers and fiberglass lids are tethered. good” (JK); the secondary stability was to weathercock” (TE). The hatches and glassed-in bulkheads are “exceptionally solid,” “high” and “excel- Roll and Rescue very nearly watertight with only “a drop lent,” respectively. The Tyeeʼs tracking is “The large cockpit opening makes exit- or two of water” (GL) getting through. “excellent” (GL). While it is “easy to put ing and entering easy. The Tyee is quite With 55 pounds of gear aboard, GL the Tyee up on edge to carve turns and is stable, making a cowboy/scramble reen- “hardly noticed the load. The kayak han- easy to maneuver, I wouldnʼt call this try very easy. The straps for a paddle- dled nicely, and cruising speed was still boat agile” (JK). float outrigger were easy to use and held very good.” Speed the paddle securely. The release system The Bottom Line It has “very good speed with moderate works well, even with cold hands” (JK). The Tyee “would be a good kayak for a to high effort” (GL). JK and TE respec- Using the seat as a paddle float, TE found beginner to intermediate paddler who tively clocked 3.7 and 4.5 knots for a “the foam doesnʼt provide a lot of sup- wants a combination of stability, speed touring pace, 4.7 and 5 at exercise pace port. With a feathered paddle, the float is and volume. Itʼs light enough for day and 5.9 and 6 knots in a sprint. “When I set at an angle and loses its form resis- paddles, large enough for camping and paddled into a 2-foot chop, the water tance through the water. Once in the stable enough for fishing or photogra- that came over the bow was quickly boat, I dropped into the seatless hull. phy. A nice first kayak that a paddler shed by the sloped foredeck. While surf- That may be an advantage in setting a could grow into” (JK). “For fishing, pho- ing, the bow stayed high and never had lower center of gravity, but then itʼs not tography and long passages, the Tyee is a a tendency to go under” (TE). easy to put the seat back.” “The high stable, well-balanced kayak that will The Tyee “had the speed to catch long back deck made laybacks a challenge, carry a big payload and still provide a lot rides through wave sets. If the bow was but C-to-C rolls worked well” (JK). of fun” (GL). “The Tyee provides a com- off line, it drifted slowly into a broach; Cruising fortable fit to large paddlers, and its vol- it was similarly slow to steer back down The Tyee has “plenty of stowage for a ume and straight tracking work well for the wave face” (TE). It had “very good two-week trip or longer. The bow com- cruisers traveling point to point” (TE). MANUFACTURERʼS RESPONSE Thanks again to Sea Kayaker for another thorough review. To address as a back-up to a conventional paddle float. We stress that all paddlers individual concerns, we constantly reevaluate our designs and look into should carry necessary safety gear, including a dedicated paddle float. As ways to make the deck rigging and perimeter lines more functional and one reviewer notes, using the seat bottom as a paddle float does have shoulder carrying more comfortable.Two testers mentioned that theyʼd some disadvantages, but in an emergency situation, we feel these disad- like to add support under the thighs, one mentioned adding foam to the vantages are more than outweighed by having one more chance to thigh braces and one mentioned the height of the seat back.At Seaward successfully reenter the kayak. Finally, in an effort to make rudder de- Kayaks, weʼve always believed that no one configuration can possibly fit ployment easier and more comfortable, we offer theTyee with our exclu- every paddler.