I am intrigued by the idea of Seda doing a 17’ cutdown version of the Glider. It would be fast (faster than the already-quick Swift), reasonably stable and short enough to not require a rudder, thus preserving the stroke power of fixed footbraces. And with the Glider’s lines and Seda quality, I sense that it could find a market among intermediate and advanced paddlers.
The problem as I understand it is that altho Seda has considered it, they are reluctant to commit to the project because they question the market for the boat, noting that there are many other boats with similar dimensions.
So I’m interested in what others think of a cutdown Glider and/or any thoughts anyone has regarding the marketability of this boat if Seda builds it. Do you agree with me, or do you think Seda would be wasting their time?
TIA.
Impulse?
Why ad a 17’ Glider when they have the Impulse? Granted, it’s 18’ long, but should fit the bill. I’m not sure about the marketability, either.
Warning … Stepping out on a limb here
but I am betting there is more to this story between the OP and the Nice guys @ SEDA than meets the eye here.
What do you mean by "Cut down Glider" ? Are you going to modify one for yourself ? Pull the lines off it ( copy ) and create a shorter version ? Where is the two feet coming off ?
Pat
No secrets here Pat.
As I may have implied in my original post, I and others have spoken with Seda about doing a 17’ downscaled version of the Glider. They have considered it but question whether there’s enough of a market to green-light it, so my understanding is that they have taken it off the table at least for now. The idea is theirs, not mine - but I support it and would like to see it happen.
IMO, a 17’ downscaled version of the Glider with say a 21" beam would in fact be a quick boat - faster than the Ikkuma and the Solstice GTS - yet more manageable in winds than the Glider or Impulse (which Seda has discontinued, for those not up to speed on Seda) w/o requiring a rudder - IMO a big advantage because it would retain the power of fixed footbraces along with an efficient hull to support it.
So again, the question comes down to how much of a market could Seda expect for this boat? That is the reason for my post - to try to get some gauge, because I think they would do it, but only if they felt there is enough interest.