I’m considering one of these. Currently paddling a Nova Craft Fox 14. Have had sea kayaks in the past, and feel that I prefer the closeness of a kayak, but like the ease of entry/exit of a canoe due to the fact that I am 6’3" and not getting any younger. I’d appreciate input if any of you have ever owned, or demo paddled one. The boat I have is nice, it’s fiberglass and the Swift would be faster, and weigh half as much. Day tripper only. Thanks
I’d like to try that boat. I paddled the 16.8 last year at a demo day before the 14.8 was available. I didn’t fall in love with the 16.8 but I sure liked the construction quality, the comfort and the light weight.
Thanks.
not quite. I have had a Placid Boatworks RapidFire since 2006 and it gets a lot of use. It seems similar to the Cruiser 14.8. Not surprising as the same designer was involved in each model.
Quick boat. If you want to do extended trips you might want to move up a foot.
Thanks, day trips only for me.
Well, I pulled the trigger, and ordered the Cruiser 14.8. Now the hard part, waiting for it to be built, and delivered.
2 Likes
Congratulations. I’m jealous. Please share your impressions once you’ve spent some time in it.
Thank you. I’ll do that. Hopefully it won’t be terribly long.
Well, I talked to Bill Swift today. My delivery has been pushed back a third time. Initially, it was the early to mid July, then early August, now late August, maybe even September. I wanted to update so you didn’t think I was just out paddling, and too busy to post. 
1 Like
Well it’s mid September, and no, not out paddling yet. At least not in my Swift. Would not surprise me to surpass the four month mark waiting for my boat. Others who ordered after I did have received theirs, even though mine has been built for over a month. We’ll keep you posted.
1 Like
Well, today was the day. My Cruiser 14.8 arrived, and I got it wet within the hour, sooner than that if you count the 8% chance of rain that was falling as I tied it down. To those that wanted to know what it was like, in a word, awesome. I felt more comfortable in 4 minutes than I did after 40 days in my other dedicated solo. It’s fast, it tracks well, and turns decent when flat, but really shines when you heel it over. I was very confident in dealing with boat wake, in fact it was actually fun crashing through them, and I stayed dry in the boat. The seat was amazing. I usually cut paddling days short because my aft end (see what I did there) would begin to complain. Today, I paddled until I was exhausted, and realized I had a trip back to the launch yet. I used a kayak paddle, and I tried the bent shaft canoe paddle in the boat. I liked them both. I actually used the bent shaft all the way back after I realized it was time to go. Fit and finish was top notch. In short, it is an amazing boat.
1 Like
I’ve been eying swift for a while, awesome to hear a great experience.
How long did it take to come in?
Mine took 4 months, but it was built, and sitting in the warehouse for almost two. I live in Tennessee, and thew biggest issue was getting material to build enough boats to make the trip south worthwhile. Most folks that live north were getting theirs in about two months.
Additional comments below. Enjoy.
It’s nice to hear that you love your new boat. It does seem like an exceptional design. It’s always nice to see a good “fit” between paddler and boat.
Congratulations!
I just looked at that boat on the Swift website and I like the design. I may not ever get a chance to test paddle one, though, unless someone in central IL buys one.
There is a dealer in Ohio, and Rutabaga in Wisconsin. It would be worth a road trip.
1 Like
Well, it has been almost two years since I received my Swift. I made the mistake of letting my wife paddle it earlier this month. After a couple of outings she informed me that I needed a new boat. I told her that I liked the one I had. She then clarified it for me. My Swift was now her Swift. Oh, well that’s different. If I had it to do all over? I got on the phone with Bill Swift, and I should have my new Cruiser 16.8 by the end of July. Being what most people call “a big dude” Bill, and I agreed that the 16.8 would be just the thing. Well, here we go.
6 Likes
Hey, nothing like being told by SWMBO that you NEED a new boat.
1 Like
Awesome! I’ve had a 14.8 for a couple of months now and love it. I just got back from a little road trip that involved some paddling in different environments (a spring-fed river in North Florida, Lake Moultrie and a tidal salt marsh - both in South Carolina). I hope to write a review of this boat in the next couple of weeks.
1 Like