Kayak Review - April 1999

The Endeavor by Seaward Kayaks

Endeavor Design Statement:

Endeavor Review:

The Endeavor by Seaward Kayaks has "sleek lines" (TE) and a "beautiful profile" (GL). "The glasswork in the interior is smooth and the gel coat is without flaws" (TE). The seam is glassed inside and out. At 571/2 pounds, the Endeavor felt "heavier than an average fiberglass boat, but it balances well" for a solo carry (SN). The carry toggles, attached to the very ends of the boat, "have an ergonomic shape that is easy on the hands" (GL)

The Endeavor has "lots of bungies placed well for holding gear and charts. The compass is well placed and easy to read" (SN). The paddle-float self-rescue system uses webbing and buckles that "hold the paddle solidly and are quick to release" (TE). Under the foredeck there is a mesh bag for storing small items in the cockpit.

The cockpit opening was not long enough for our reviewers to get into seat first then feet. There was room enough in the cockpit for SN's and GL's feet, but for TE's size 12 shoes it was a snug fit under the deck above the rudder pedals.
The seat, a fabric-covered wedge of ethafoam, was comfortable for GL, but for TE there wasn't "enough contour to spread the pressure away from the butt bones, nor enough height forward to support my thighs." The seat cover has a Velcro™ closure, making it easy to modify the foam pad, and a pocket and strap to affix the seat to a paddle blade for use as a paddle float. Using the seat for a paddle float would put you back in the cockpit sitting on the unpadded bottom of the boat, but with increased stability. For SN, the seat back was "one of the best that I have ever used. It provided great support and a wraparound fit." GL also thought the backrest was very comfortable but, for TE, the largest of these reviewers, the 133/4- inch span between the sides of the backrest "provided excellent lateral stability, though it was a bit snug."

The thigh bracing, consisting of foam padding glued to the underside of the coaming and foredeck, "worked great. Easy control with the knees" (GL). The Keepers foot braces are "very solid and easily adjusted with my feet" (SN).
The optional aluminum skeg blade was very stiff to pivot and caused the control cable to bend, rather than slide. The skeg control knob was in the area swept by TE's hands while paddling, and he occasionally scraped his thumb across it.
With the skeg retracted, "steering was easy and predictable, and carving turns was fun" (SN). TE, 40 pounds heavier, thought the Endeavor had "a good stability profile for edged turns, but was slow to respond to an edged turn." GL thought the Endeavor responded well to leaned turns in calm conditions, but he "never felt solidly supported while doing leaned turns in wind waves."

"Even without the skeg the Endeavor tracks very well. It had no trouble holding a course in any direction in waves" (TE). For the lighter paddlers, holding a course without the skeg required some corrective strokes, while "tracking was excellent with a properly deployed skeg" (GL).

SN did not notice any weathercocking in the Endeavor. GL noted "with a 15- to 20-knot wind the boat weathercocked slightly, but you could trim it away with the skeg." TE found no weathercocking in light winds and only a slight weathercocking when holding courses off the wind, which he corrected with the skeg.
SN described the initial stability as "on the low side" and remarked that the secondary stability "did not have a high spot."

GL thought both aspects of stability were moderate and, TE, the largest of the three, found the initial stability comfortable and the secondary stability "very good. I could comfortably hold the boat well up on edge."

The Endeavor provides a dry ride: "Waves coming over the deck stayed low. Nothing threw water up at my face" (TE).
"The boat is easily driven at a fast cruising clip. It also has sprint speed for catching waves and holding rides down the wave face. I made good progress in the wind and caught some long rides on waves" (TE). SN thought the Endeavor's speed was "better than average." GL thought it had "good cruising speed," although he deployed the skeg to hold a course while sprinting to keep the kayak on a straight track.

On wind waves TE "got some good rides and had good control once I got up to speed. I could get a long ride if I had the right angle." GL had trouble holding a line down the wave without the skeg, so he deployed the skeg to maintain a downwind course.

The Endeavor is "easy to roll. The feet and thigh braces hold you in and give plenty of support" (GL). "One of the easiest sea kayaks I have ever rolled. Not much hip snap required" (SN). A self rescue is facilitated by the straps aft of the cockpit holding the paddle outrigger solidly against the deck.

The tethered main hatches have neoprene covers and molded fiberglass lids secured with bungies. The day compartment hatch has an untethered rubber cover. Only GL reported slight leakage in the compartments. The fiberglass bulkheads are glassed in place. The Endeavor has "plenty of space for a weekend trip and adequate space for a week" (SN). GL would have preferred forgoing the day hatch and third bulkhead sothat the deepest and widest part of the hull would be available for bulky items through the larger stern hatch.

Carrying 65 pounds of cargo, GL noted that the extra weight "largely eliminated weathercocking. The kayak tracked well with a load. The kayak [then] had little tendency to broach with or without the skeg."

"A good tracking and cruising kayak for the intermediate paddler who wants the trim control offered by the skeg, a smaller cockpit and three-hatch system. Good for multi-day trips or day use" (GL). "The strong tracking makes the Endeavor a good boat for holding courses on long hauls. It is not a nimble turner, but it can be maneuvered if you apply a strong technique. It was comfortable in rough water and has the potential to be a good cruising boat for a strong intermediate to an advanced paddler" (TE). "An excellent ocean touring boat. The skeg offers excellent tuning for the desired tracking or turning. The comfortable seat, good speed and ample storage space make it a great cruiser" (SN).

I would like to thank the test paddlers for their positive input regarding the newest kayak in the Seaward lineup. I'm pleased to report that we have completed modifications to facilitate deploying the skeg. We designed the Endeavour to offer functional features as well as solid construction. The few extra pounds of our Expedition lay-up is a good compromise when you are facing the rigours of a demanding sea.
We rely on feedback from guides and outfitters as we approach the final design of our components. Our kayaks include proven features such as fiberglass bulkheads for strength and safety, a compass for navigation, an under-deck bag to prevent clutter, a comprehensive deck and hatch bungie system which is expedition tested and easy to use even in cold weather, a self-rescue seat as a safety backup, and a fiberglass outside seam for strength and a clean finish.
The Endeavour was designed for paddling both along ocean coastlines and on calm lakes, so your only concern is to skeg or not to skeg. I agree that the Endeavour tracks very well without the skeg, and have found that a paddler's size and paddling style play a large role in a kayak's maneuverability. We intend to offer a rudder as an option for paddlers who want to increase maneuverability and maximize storage in the aft compartment. We value the testers' comments and have responded to the review by tethering the VCP hatch and making the skeg control smaller to avoid knuckle scrapes.
In closing, I have to say I admire the quality and the attention to detail of the Sea Kayaker reviews. We appreciate the opportunity to submit designs that are a result of our vision to create kayaks that will provide people with years of pleasure.

Steve Ree