After receiving a grand opening sales brochure from Dick's Sporting Goods listing the 9-foot Swifty kayak, I thought I would just go and look at it after I read the reviews of the boat online. It is made of polyethylene and weighs 39 pounds and is actually 9' 5", but I loved the color.
My Puffin Pakboat is still assembled since one of the gunwales bent after trying to assemble it during the winter. I put two eyebolts on the front fenders of my Toyota Echo for tying the boat down, and use a tie-down strap across the middle and fastened to the the seatbelts on the inside of the car.
I can carry the Swifty the 7/10th of a mile on the converted golf bag cart down to the river launch, but it is not very easy to get it on the car roof and back off. I solved this problem by placing a piece of polar fleece fabric under the foam block carriers and sliding the boat up and off over the trunk at the back of the car. I also use a stripped-down kids' stroller. When using the Westy van, either boat fits inside with the bed open.
 On the Silver River |
| The day after I bought the Swifty, I tried it on the Silver River. My new Werner Kalliste bent-shaft paddle weighs 1-1/2 pounds - half the weight of my old paddle. The Swifty is very stable and much faster than I thought it would be after reading the reviews that said it was anything but "swift.". |
 Unloaded next to car |
 On carrying cart |
 Other carrier |
| The Spring Run at DeLeon Springs State Park was a great place to practice with the sail. With the addition of the WindPaddle, a self-launching, pop-up sail by Casiera Designs Inc., I am enjoying the rivers more than ever.
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 On the Silver River boat ramp |
 View of Lake Woodruff thru sail |
 WindPaddle Sail |