Kayak Reviews:
Seda Amigo
Ray paddling the Amigo solo
Description Specifications
Seda's Website
Our Review
Other Comments
The Amigo is a convertible sea kayak. It is a solo kayak which has been
modified so that it can also be used as a tandem by smaller paddlers. This
design is ideal for parents who want a stable boat they can paddle solo with a
small child, or dog owners who don't want to leave their friend at home. The
front hatch functions either as a dry storage area, or by inserting it's foam
seat (included), the front hatch becomes a front cockpit. The main cockpit has a
sliding seat, which can be positioned forward when paddling solo, or further
back to trim the boat with a passenger. The boat comes equipped with a rudder.
The Amigo is available in both a fiberglass and a lightweight Kevlar
construction. Seda offers a wide selection of colors, which are best seen on
their website.
Specifications *
Length: 17'11" 18'6" including rudder
Beam: 25.5"
Weight: 54 lbs Kevlar **
Main Cockpit:
Length 38" inside
41" outside
Width 16.5" inside
19.25" outside
Depth Front 12.25" inside
14" outside
Depth Rear 9.75" inside
11" outside
Front Cockpit/ Hatch:
Length 28.5" inside
31" outside
Width 14.5" inside
17" outside
Depth Front 11.5" inside
12.75" outside
Depth Rear 11" inside
12" outside
Rear Hatch:
Length 15.75" inside
18.75" outside
Width 11.25" inside
13.75" outside
Depth 9" inside
10" outside (both front and rear)
Bulkhead Placement:
There are three bulkheads in the Amigo. The front bulkhead sits
in front of the bow cockpit/ hatch. There is no storage in front of this
bulkhead. It's function is to offer structural support and floatation. The
middle bulkhead is between the front cockpit/ hatch and the main cockpit. It is
curved to maximize dry storage and legroom. The rear bulkhead separates the rear
hatch from the main cockpit. All bulkheads are Kevlar.
Front 38" from bow
Middle 90" from bow
Rear 67" from rear
Seat Width:
The main seat is very narrow, only 16" at it's widest point, 14"
near the backband. The foam seat in the front is slightly wider, however the
hatch opening for the front is a narrow 14.5"
http://www.sedakayak.com/sea_kayaks/amigo/amigo.html
Seda's website provides some more detailed photos of the Amigo. Their website
uses frames, and the above link only goes to the Amigo frame. To view the site
properly visit www.sedakayak.com and
follow the links through Kayaks and then Amigo.
Construction
This review is based on a Kevlar Amigo. Other constructions may vary from the
one shown.
 Seda kayaks are designed to last for many years. They use tried and true
methods, only changing their boats when they know the improvement will be
durable and long lasting. Their construction reflects the value of durability
over aesthetic value. Parts of the boat can best be described as industrial.
Function definitely comes before form.
Our test
boat is in their ultra-light Kevlar construction. We ordered the boat with a
pigmented resin instead of their standard clear construction. This gives the
boat some color, while keeping the weight lower than gel-coated boats. The weave
of the cloth is apparent throughout the deck and hull.
The finish is very smooth, and the weave pattern is consistent. The seam is
fiberglassed both inside and out, creating a very strong bond. The outer seam
has been finished with black gel, and it looks crisp and smooth. Seda's seam is
the best in the industry.
The hatches use a neoprene cover protected by a fiberglass shell. The
neoprene cover fits snugly around a coaming. The fiberglass cover protects the
neoprene from implosion, UV, and general wear and tear. The fiberglass fits over
the neoprene, and is held in place by bungee straps. The rear straps are secured
with an extra buckle to prevent the hatch from accidental opening. The system is
generally waterproof, however small leaks are possible if the hatch is submerged
for extended periods of time.
 
Front hatch with neoprene, then fiberglass covers
Outfitting
Deck rigging is basic, with nylon pad eyes holding nylon bungee. There is a
crisscrossed bungee pattern in front of the main cockpit, and a paddlefloat
rescue pattern behind the cockpit. Nylon grab lines are located near the bow and
stern. Suitcase style handles are located near the ends to make for a very
comfortable tandem carry.
Hatches:
There are two hatches in addition to the main cockpit. The front hatch is
large, and can be converted into a second cockpit for smaller paddlers. A
removable foam seat fits inside the front hatch, providing some support.
Front Cockpit/ Hatch with and without seat
Seat:
The main cockpit has a sliding seat, which can be adjusted 12" and locked
into place with 4 bolts. The seat sits on a fiberglass shelf which is bonded to
the hull of the kayak. There are three factory settings, all the way forward, in
the middle, and all the way back. It is possible to drill new settings for
custom preferences, however the factory settings work well. The seat is shown in
the middle setting, where the seat and thighbraces feel like a typical kayak.
When paddling tandem, the seat can be moved back to help trim the kayak. When
paddling forward the seat can be moved forward to help trim the kayak. Due to
the large size of the cockpit, a custom sprayskirt is required.
Rudder:
The boat is equipped with a Feathercraft rudder that stores cleanly on the deck.
The rudder up/ down controls are an effective rope with knots. The control
cables are stainless steel inside nylon tubes. The foot pedals are Aluminum
Yakima on extended runners. There is a nylon adjustment cord connecting the foot
pedals to the steel control cables, so that the pedals can be adjusted along
with the seat.
There are three bulkheads in the kayak. All bulkheads are Kevlar. A front
bulkhead provides supplemental floatation as well as structural support. There
is no storage in front of the front bulkhead. A middle bulkhead separates the
front hatch from the main cockpit. This bulkhead is curved both to maximize dry
storage, and to allow clearance for the foot pedals. The rear bulkhead separates
the main cockpit from the rear storage area.
Thighbraces are molded into the main cockpit coaming, and padded with .25"
foam rubber. There are no thighbraces for the front hatch/ cockpit. The front
hatch/ cockpit also lacks a backband.
 Performance
Speed:
Max 7.5 mph (Eric)
6.2 mph (Ray)
Comfortable 5.2 mph (Eric)
4.5 mph (Ray)
All Day 4.5 mph (Eric)
4.0 (Ray)
*note: these speeds are for solo paddling, using 60 lbs of lead
ballast in the bow. Our All Day pace is our average speed over two hours of
paddling.
Tandem:
Initially we tried to paddle the Amigo as a tandem. We quickly learned that
two full sized adults were simply too much for the boat. The bow paddler needs
to be light, preferably under 100 lbs, to get the best performance out of the
kayak. With Eric in the rear (seat all the way back) and Ray in front, the boat
was still too bow heavy for comfort. The cockpits were also very close together,
requiring both paddlers to be synchronized or else they would hit blades. In the
windy conditions we tested the boat in, we managed to soak each other with
paddlespray.
Solo:
Even with the seat all the way forward, the Amigo was too bow light for a
comfortable solo. Also having the seat all the way forward created other
problems. Eric was unable to use the foot pedals because his feet were against
the bulkhead (36" inseam). Ray found that the thighbraces were too close to his
torso, and that his knees were resting against the deck.
Ray paddling solo without ballast. Notice how the bow sticks
out of the water.
 Hybrid:
This is a hybrid kayak, designed to be used with gear or a smaller paddler
in the front. To test the boat for the conditions it was designed for, we placed
60 lbs of lead weight in the bow hatch. The lead ballast simulates a child, dog,
or camping gear. With the 60 lbs of lead, and the seat in the far forward
position, we paddled the Amigo for several hours in a light wind and small
waves.
If we could only use one word to describe the Amigo in the hybrid
configuration it would be solid. The boat was like a rock. We could comfortably
lean and move around without fear of capsize. It would be a very safe boat for
children or pets, both of whom are inclined to move around and wiggle.
The Amigo is not a fast boat, but we were able to maintain good speeds
considering that we had an extra 60 lbs worth of ballast. While not the fastest
boat we have paddled loaded, it was very comfortable under such a load. The high
volume was affected by the wind, where our speed would average 4.5 mph into the
wind, and 5.5 or greater going away from the wind.
Maneuverability was average. The boat has raised ends, but no true rocker. It
did turn faster when leaned on its edge, and it did perform a slow lean turn.
Ray found the boat to weathercock slightly, with an inclination to turn into
the wind. He did not try paddling with the seat in the middle position, with the
60 lbs of lead. That would probably have balanced the boat better. Eric did not
notice a tendency to weathercock, but he is also heavier and sat the boat down
more.
Ray found the rudder to be very useful in controlling the boat. Eric, with
longer legs was unable to use the rudder because his feet were against the
bulkhead. The rudder adjustment straps have the adjustment buckle on the wrong
end. The buckle should be located next to the foot pedal where it is easy to
reach. Instead they were located behind the seat. This is not a problem if the
pedals will not be adjusted often, but for testing purposes it was inconvenient.
The seat is a very tight fit, being only 16" wide at it's widest point. Ray
found it fairly comfortable, and did not need hip pads. Eric found it
uncomfortably tight, and his legs started to fall asleep after 30 minutes of
paddling.
From our tests, we conclude that this is a good kayak for smaller paddlers
who want a solo/ tandem hybrid. It is not a comfortable kayak for paddlers over
6' tall (Eric is 6'5"), nor would it be comfortable for two full sized adults.
The boat does exactly what it was designed to do, but it does make many
compromises. There are much better solo kayaks, and more comfortable tandems,
but in the hybrid market the Amigo is in a class of it's own.
We hope to get a parent/ child combination to properly test this kayak, and
we will post their feedback here as soon as possible. We feel that the boat was
designed as a parent/ child kayak, and will excel in that role.
* Notes on Specifications:
Specifications are for our test boat. The specifications of our test boat did vary from the catalog specs. Here is
more information on those differences. Most of the catalog specifications are
close to what we measured on the actual boat.
Length: List length is 18'. We measured 17'11" from the bow to the
stern, not including the rudder overhang.
Beam: List beam is 25". We measured a beam of 25.5" at the front
of the main cockpit.
**Weight: List weight is 50 lbs for Kevlar. We weighed
our boat
in it's stock configuration with the front seat installed. Our test boat was
built using pigmented resin, yellow pigment was used on the deck, white pigment
on the hull. Pigment adds weight, with yellow being the heaviest pigment. If the
boat was built in clear Kevlar, and the front seat removed, we believe the boat
would weigh 50 lbs, which is it's list weight in Kevlar.
Review by Eric Nyre
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Canoe Colorado