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SEDA named this boat GLIDER buy maybe they should have just named it CHAMPION. The GLIDER has won almost every major paddling race that it has been paddled in.
Chicago to New York - 1,500 miles, 37 day race. First sea kayak to finish. San Diego Bay to Bay: 20 miles - Has won every race since its introduction and the GLIDER still holds the course record. Long Beach Regatta - 10 miles. San Francisco - 15 mile Alcatraz Island race. Great Cross Puget Sound Race – Seattle.
With results like these, it is not surprising that competitive paddlers love the GLIDER. Besides being a great racer, seasoned ocean kayakers claim the GLIDER to be the best expedition sea kayak presently available for long distance voyaging. If you like speed when you are exercising or cruising the GLIDER is the boat for you.
All of the foregoing is not surprising. The GLIDER was two years in development and represents the state of the art in modern sea kayaking design. SEDA has incorporated features favored by both professional guides and competitive paddlers. The GLIDER has a traditional touring-type deck placed on a modern low-friction-coefficient hull design. Longitudinal lines are smoothly curved to achieve reduced wetted surface and greater efficiency. When vigorously paddled, the GLIDER stays high on the surface without a stern squat so that hull speed is quickly reached and easily maintained. Even with a strong forward stroke, tracking remains excellent.
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Construction
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Weight
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Standard Fiberglass
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58 lbs
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Deluxe Fiberglass
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49 lbs
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Kevlar Lightweight
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453 lbs
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GLIDER is a 19-foot boat with a 22 inch beam. The narrow beam allows for more efficient paddling strokes and less disturbance in short irregular seas. Because of its length GLIDER is still a surprisingly stable kayak.
With a low deck profile, especially in the stern, the GLIDER has low windage and less shakiness caused by passing waves. In following seas, the upswept bow has enough forward buoyancy to reduce pearling (or pearl diving, a surfing term that describes what happens when a craft moving across the surface buries its’ bow in a wave.) The higher bow and the lower stern balance each other in a crosswind and reduce weather cocking. In short, GLIDER is simply a fantastic boat to paddle.
Standard features in all three construction lay-ups include a molded seat with comfortable, adjustable backrest, and adjustable foot rests; bow and stern bulkheads and hatches including a12 X 16" oval-shaped stern hatch with neoprene and overlaying fiberglass cover. Other welcome features are the bow and deck lashing kits with countersunk eye-straps and toggle portage carrying handles. An optional rudder system is also available for the GLIDER and while not absolutely necessary, is advisable on any kayak of this length, especially if you expect to encounter rough conditions.
Deck Colors: White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Red, Purple, Teal
Hull Colors: White (Natural Kevlar for Lightweight Models Only) |
