After much research, I've narrowed down my selection of kayaks to either the "Quest or "Asante" by Seaward Kayaks. I would like to know if anyone here had any experience kayaking with one of theses kayaks. I will be using this kayak for long trips, photography. I'm 6' tall, 185lb.

Thank you for any input,
Francis

I have demoed both of these boats. Keep looking.

I have read many good reviews about the "Quest". So what do you consider to be wrong with either of these kayaks?

Thanks,
Francis

I don't want to get into specifics on this forum, so all I'm going to say is you can do so much better in my humble opinion.

Very helpful, Magooch.

Francis asked for opinions. I don't think it is fair to rag on any manufacturer, so I thought it best to just advise him to keep on looking. Francis didn't tell us what he had already checked out, so I'll suggest that judging from the boats he picked from Seaward, he might take a look at what Valley, P&H, Tiderace, NC, Wilderness Systems, Necky, Impex and a few others have to offer.

Except for Necky, none of the other brands that you mention are available in my area. So my choice is limited to Necky, Current Design, Boreal Design and Seaward.

From all the reviews I've read on "paddling.net" and others, pretty much every one says about their kayak "it's the best boat I've ever owned"

Francis

I have been paddling a Asente for 9 years. It has been on both coats of Florida and off the North coast of California + numerous lakes around the south.I have done several 2 and 3 day trips in the boat and it handles very well loaded as well as unloaded. It is a fairly fast boat that responseds to leans and is easy to roll. I am about 6' 3" and about 170 lbs. Been paddling about 25 + years and have no complaints with the boat except the squirrels chew on the pad eyes.

Francis, you're so right; everyone thinks the boat they have chosen is the best and it might very well be the best for them. However, if you are limited in the types, models and brands that you are able to experience, then you will never know what you might have missed.

With regard to the Seaward boats that you mentioned, I have paddled them and I guess I'm not a rudder guy. Also, after hundreds of miles in lots of water conditions in my newest boat, I'm spoiled, so I'm admitting straight up that I cannot offer an objective opinion of comparative performance.

Although I don't claim to be any expert on boat construction, I do spend a lot of time looking at details and craftsmanship. Nothing catches my eye more than beautiful lines and well layed composites. That's about as far as I'm going to go in any critique of other boats.

I'll just repeat that if you haven't, or aren't able to lay eyes on some of the boats mentioned in the above posts ... well I wish you could. Oh, and I should ad an obvious contender to the list--NDK. Have you considered a kit boat--like Pygmy?

Magooch - now we're getting somewhere.

Personally, if I need help steering I'll prefer a rudder to a skeg. Generally speaking, I don't miss what I might have missed since I don't know what I missed. ;0)

But what is that boat which has spoiled you so much? Perhaps I could extend my research and see if it's available not too far south of the border of Montreal.

Francis

Francis,
I have a Seaward Quest. Perfect for long trips. Expedition quality.
Lots of volume for gear. At 19', it tracks like a train. But with that, takes a bit more effort to come about.
The boat is a bit tender. Especially unladen. Best to keep it moving and both hands on your paddle.
So for photography, it's not the boat I'd use.
I use my Quest for putting in the miles, crossings and camping. I'd look to a different boat when shooting.

Thanks Blakester.

I intend to use my kayak for long trips (2 to 3 weeks) or longer and photography. So on a day trip, I may go take pictures of whales, birds, sea mammals and coastal scenics on the St. Lawrence river, Bay of Fundy, the great Lakes and so on. But these pictures may also be made while on expeditions. I've read great reviews on Quest as how well it handles big waves, but if I can't sit motionless while taking pictures even with the kayak loaded then, that is certainly not good.

Francis

Francis, you aren't likely to find an NC Expedition in your area since they are only sold factory direct. You can go to their web site and have a look, though. nckayaks.com

The Expedition is fast, comfortable, light, needs no rudder, nor skeg and is amazingly stable. It loves rough water and surfs like a rocket. It is not the boat I would select for beach surfing, or knocking around in rock gardens.

Nice kayak and they do ship to Montreal.

Francis

Hello Francis. The Quest is very fast, but it is tippy. That is, its "initial stability" is low. Its "secondary stability," that is, when you have it "on edge" is much higher.
The initial stability quietens down when the boat is fully loaded, BUT, your hips will be constantly adjusting the boat.
The boat does not turn easily, even on edge, because of its long water line.
I would recommend the Quest highly for long trips by advanced paddlers because it holds a TON of gear and moves very quickly.
I would NOT recommend the boat to anyone wanting to take photos from it. It is simply not a stable platform.
I would reccommend a Seaward boat; perhaps one a little wider or with a "chined" hull (less tippy). They are extremely well built and built in Canada (just down the road from me as a matter of fact).
I would also recommend Atlantis boats. I have paddled their new Spartan (sold my Quest) and it is outstanding. It is very stable, holds a ton, is reasonably fast and turns on a dime.