Keewaydin 15

As I mentioned in my first review [July 19, 2016], I was not happy with the cherry slider seat because it flexed too much. I took the boat to a canoe shop and had them remove the sliding rails and fabricate aluminum hangers and rivet them to the inwales. We hung the original seat a little higher and dropped the front edge and inch. Now the seat flexes very little, feels great and the canoe is a bit lighter.

On the down side, I have a new negative to report, though it is a lot easier to fix than the seat. I discovered by accident (I flipped in high wind and choppy waves) that the flotation tanks had taken on water! I didn't discover this until this morning when I went to use the boat again and heard some sloshing when I picked up the canoe. I removed the plugs and there were several ounces (probably a cup at least) in each flotation tank, a bit more in the rear one. The reason for this is poor sealing of the screw-in plugs. Swift apparently just drills a hole in the tank and threads the plug directly into the kevlar! But these plastic plugs are made to thread into a female part installed on the hull, not threaded straight into thin kevlar. This is really a very poorly finished detail in an otherwise amazingly well-made boat. Now that the kevlar on the edge of the holes got wet, it has become frayed and fuzzy, which may further damage the seal. The easiest way to fix it is to apply silicone sealant and screw the plugs back in. A permanent solution would be to install the female part, if I had it, or just close the hole with fiberglass. I understand that there is a concern that this kind of tank can separate from the hull by expanding air inside due to drastic temperature changes and that is why most canoes have breather holes, but this system with the threaded plug is very poor.

While I am admittedly blown away by the product, in this case my new Keewaydin 15 pack canoe, I really can't say enough good things about the people I encountered at Swift. The level of customer service and the individual attention and expert advice I was given throughout researching and buying this boat have been nothing short of fantastic. It's obvious that everyone at Swift has customer satisfaction and customer happiness as their number one priority. I wish I knew her name, but first there was the young woman at the Gravenhurst store whose knowledge and patience were greatly appreciated as she walked me through the options available to a kayaker who wanted to graduate to a solo pack canoe for interior camping. I then followed her advice to visit the Algonquin store for a demo paddle. Rarely have I happened upon a business whose staff are so professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and happy. On my first visit there, Brian expertly ran through my options and his recommendations, understanding that I was looking for a boat with the familiar stability and comfort of a kayak but the gear capacity and portaging ease of a canoe.

After wisely advising me to take a Keewaydin 15 for a spin, Brian then spent more time reviewing all the options and features available. It didn't take long for me to make a decision, and Brian drew up a quote that was exactly what we had discussed, and I placed my order. The boat was ready on the date specified on the order, and when I went to pick it up Brian, Skip and Chris all went above and beyond to make sure I was completely happy with my purchase. Knowing this was my first canoe, they patiently explained its features, offered useful tips and advice, and took time to show me things like how best to get it on and off my shoulders for carrying and how best to get in and out of the boat at a dock or beach.

After a couple of hours spent paddling my new boat on Oxtongue Lake, these three gentlemen then spent even more time with me, helping me load the boat on the roof of my vehicle and again offering tips and advice, this time around safely and efficiently loading and unloading the boat. Everyone at Swift was an absolute pleasure to deal with, and they all made it clear that their number one goal was making sure I was happy and excited and educated about my new purchase. My being happy seemed to be all they were concerned with, and it showed in their exceptional customer service.

As for the boat itself, I can't wait to take it on a backcountry camping trip, and to reap the benefits of a pack canoe over a sea kayak for gear hauling and portaging. But already, even just based on an inaugural test paddle, the boat has exceeded my expectations. It is incredibly easy to lift for car-top loading / unloading or for a portage carry. It is easy to enter and exit for someone more used to kayaks than canoes.

Its initial and secondary stability make it feel and paddle more like a kayak, responding nimbly and moving quickly under a double-bladed kayak paddle, even in a river current or a wind-driven chop. A couple of times I had to remind myself I was actually in a canoe and not a kayak. On returning to the car from my first outing, ready to load it up and take it home, the Swift staff asked me what I thought, to which I replied "I feel like I've been cheating on my wife, I love this boat so much."