Plastic Gypsy

I have owned my 15-foot full Kevlar Seda Gypsy for about 10 years now. I absolutely love this boat. A certain amount of bias might present itself in this review due to the many places I have paddled and the memories that go with those locations, but I will try to exclude such factors and focus on the performance of the boat. Weight: 5/5 - For paddlers who own Kevlar boats, there's almost no turning back in my opinion. There are many spectacular fiberglass boats of course, but there is nothing like the lightweight feel of Kevlar. My estimate is the boat weighs about 40 pounds unloaded (give or take). It's super easy to lift and load onto any vehicle, and even loaded with basic day trip accessories I can still lift the boat without assistance from bank to waterline. The boat carries light over portage distances as well. Fully loaded however, the boat can get quite heavy due to the vast amount of storage area. Tracking: 4/5 - My boat is without rudder or skeg and tracks amazingly well for it's length, width and size, both loaded and unloaded. It still does a commendable job in wind and choppy conditions, but slightly less so thus earning only 4 out of 5 stars. Stability: 5/5 - Both primary and secondary stability are exceptional. I have never once capsized, and the boat performs very well when edging. Chances are compared to more high-performance kayaks, the Gypsy's secondary stability might warrant a 4/5 rating. But it has proved it's higher rating many times over in (sometimes very rough) Pacific Northwest waters. Storage: 5/5 - The front and rear hatches provide an abundance of storage for multi-day trips. So much in fact that the boat gets exceptionally heavy when fully loaded. The older model Gypsy I have does not have a day hatch, but I have never felt I have needed one as there is plenty of room behind the seat for quick access items, and plenty on room on deck for additional accessories as well. Maneuverability: 4/5 - Due to the lightweight nature of the Kevlar, I find this point can turn quite easily in both tight places and while edging. Much of a boat's maneuverability truly depends on the skill of the paddler in my opinion, but the Gypsy would allow even beginning paddlers to turn and change course quickly. It's not perfect though, as I have paddled with many other boats that can out maneuver it. Speed: 4/5 - Once again, the lightweight nature of the Kevlar makes this a super fast boat. Speed is also based on many factors including: boat + paddle + skill + conditions. I have paddled with many friends over the years, some with far better skill than myself, who have a hard time keeping up with my Gypsy. However, I have paddled in and with many other kayaks that can leave this boat in their wake, so 4 out of 5 seems a fair rating on speed. Robustness: 4.5/5 - Kevlar by it's nature is very strong, lightweight, and easily repairable. The boat has taken many hits in its day, but I have never had a puncture or any scuffing down to the Kevlar material. The Gypsy's wider hull makes it more vulnerable to scratches however. Additionally, the yellow color of the Kevlar makes scratches more visible and prominent than many other sea kayaks I have seen or paddled with. But for me every scratch is a memory of the places I have taken this boat. Seda no longer makes the Gypsy model, which I think is unfortunate. It truly is a fantastic boat for all skill levels of paddlers. If you are ever fortunate enough to find one made of Kevlar, don't hesitate to buy it if the price is right and it fits your overall needs. You won't be disappointed. Seda makes outstanding boats across their product line. I love my Gypsy so much that I recently purchased a Seda Swift with a Kevlar hull and fiberglass top. I anticipate an equally impressive performance from that boat as well.

We have two plastic gypsy's that we bought used. Very fast on flat water but because of the v hull it becomes unstable in windy or choppy water.
Does non trak well when pushed. Storage is great with two nice sized compartments.
Rudders would fix the tracking.

My girlfriend and I bought the kayak Gypsy 15' plastic and really didn't like it too much. We bought it for about $200 used.

Pros: The kayak is very fast.

Cons:
- The V bottom made the boat very "tippy" and wasn't very stable. While i did get used to it, it's still not as stable as many other kayaks.
- Doesn't track, my girlfriend has a heck of a time trying to keep it straight, like others have said, a rudder would definitely solve this part. I was able to track it but i found that if you're not paddling hard, it won't track at slower speeds.

Overall, we just didn't like it. Maybe for someone who is looking for a work out...

Have had a fiberglass Gypsy for 3 years. I like everything about the boat except it can be a little slow when paddling with the big boys. This is a minor drawback. Strong points are very high initial stability (good for kids and beginners), stable in rough water, plenty of storage for a 15' boat, comfortable seat, and a nice looking boat, especially in fiberglass.

I have done many 3 night camp outs on Puget Sound and a 6 day down Lake Chelan where we had 20-30 knots of wind. That was a little crazy but she never capsized in very rough 2-3 foot following seas. There is a lot of storage under and behind the seat which almost gives the day hatch advantage. All in all a great boat for the money. Seda is the best for low cost solid fiberglass kayaks. A great boat for anyone under about 175# that wants a stable, shorter, and easy to handle kayak. Mine has no rudder which takes a little practice, but is fine.

The plastic gypsy is a wonderful small boat made of cross-linked polyethylene, which makes it virtually indestructible. The one I use was purchased for my wife and we use it in the waters around San Diego on modest trips and for bird watching in the Bay. The boat is good and stable, and the cockpit is large enough to allow easy in and out movement. I added a rudder to the boat because directional stability is a bit sketchy for an inexperienced paddler. I don't use the rudder when I paddle the boat, but my wife has some small problems without it (technique). The weight it a bit higher than I like (it weighs a little more than my 17" Kevlar Seda Swift), but this is not a major problem if the two of us get together to lift it to the top of my VW bus. Because I sometimes have visitors who want to paddle here, I often use the Gypsy myself and let the guest have my Swift. I am sold on this 15-foot boat and would recommend it to anyone looking for a real, but diminutive, sea kayak.