Sevylor Ottawa 2023

The Sevylor Ottawa Kayak 2023 is the most recent addition to the fleet, and is widely recognised as the best inflatable kayak on the market. A more expensive choice, the Ottawa is an investment in return for unparalleled strength, performance and stability.

❓ Ottawa vs. Alameda

A common question we receive is ‘what’s the difference between the Ottawa and Alameda?’ Both models perform exceptionally well, are the same length and width, and carry the same number of paddlers.  The Ottawa is styled like a typical canoe because of the wall-shaped internal tubes, whereas the Alameda takes on the shape of a kayak.  But it goes beyond aesthetics - the Ottawa feels so solid you can’t quite believe it’s inflatable.  The Ottawa’s black protective Decitex® skin comes up higher, offering better protection against scrapes if you going through narrow canals, and the Ottawa’s skeg/fin has been modified to be extremely easy to attach/remove without needing to deflate the kayak.  

🛶 How does it paddle?

Our team have been extremely impressed by the Ottawa’s ability to glide over the water, tracking in a perfectly straight line, whilst remaining stable and balanced enough to carry families in all types of water conditions (coastal, open sea, rapids, inland rivers, lakes and canals). Taking a higher inflation pressure than other kayaks in the Sevylor range, this model performs how you would expect a fibreglass kayak to perform.  Sublime.

🏅 Award-winning seats

The most beneficial feature of the Sevylor Ottawa is the new seating design. The 3 seats are anchored onto the side tubes rather than resting on the floor, which has 4 enormous benefits that are worth learning about:

1.  Your weight is spread across the whole kayak rather than just the floor.  Taking weight off the floor removes any impressions in the hull caused by your body weight. This greatly reduces drag, allowing the kayak to effortlessly guide over the surface of the water after every stroke of the paddle.  A truly beautiful feeling.

2.  Where a typical kayak would have designated locations for the seats to dock in to (usually 1 for each seat), the Ottawa has 60! The anchorage points for the seats are roughly 1 inch apart from one another and they span the full length of the kayak.  This means that you can position all 3 seats anywhere along the Ottawa's length, which makes it possible to adjust the leg room of each paddler to inch-by-inch.   You can also remove any one of the seats if you are paddling as a pair, or solo. 

3.  Because the seats are suspended, you are seared slightly higher-up, which is good for a number of reasons; you won’t get a wet bum if the kayak takes on any water from splashes.  You’ll also find that sitting slightly higher up makes paddling much easier, not having reaching over the side chambers as much to get your paddle in the water.

4.  The backrests have built-in lumbar support pads, bringing comfort above and beyond that of a rigid kayak - say goodbye to backache and hello to longer, more enjoyable journeys in blissful comfort.  For any paddlers with lower back pain, we recommend this model because of the comfort and support you get from the suspended seating design.

🐊 Armoured skin

The underneath of the Ottawa is protected by Decitex®, a patented skin formed from nylon that has been meticulously woven through multiple layers of PVC. The result is a smooth and slippery surface with low-drag. Thanks to this iron-like skin, you can drag the Ottawa up shingle beaches, run aground over rocks, and graze against low-lying branches and roots.  Water will bead off the Decitex® skin, keeping your kayak bone-dry for when you’re ready to pack up.  Despite it’s incredible strength, the material is lightweight and couldn’t be easier to roll up.

💡 Practical innovation

- The Sevylor Ottawa can be used for solo, tandem, or family paddling with two adults and children. However many paddlers choose this model with the intention of paddling solo/tandem, removing the 3rd seat for extra legroom or space for camping/fishing gear.

- The Ottawa is extremely difficult (near impossible) to flip over, making it a safe option for families. It’s nimble enough to navigate tight rivers, but robust and stable enough to tackle white-water rapids. The raised bow and spray deck makes for good defence against any choppy waves that would otherwise leave you a little wet.

- The whole kayak rolls into a neat, watertight backpack – perfect for storing dry items in whilst paddling. The bag features comfortable padded shoulder straps so that you can walk off with the kayak on your back, and a drainage plug so that you can drip-dry the kayak whilst it’s inside the bag. At 20Kg this kayak is more than manageable for one person to carry and fits nicely inside a suitcase for adventures abroad.

- The Ottawa has handles at the mid-point, and at each end of the kayak, so it’s even easier to carry by yourself. The new paddle grips hold your paddles for you whilst you rest, removing the need to bring a wet paddle into the cockpit.

- The Sevylor Ottawa comes with an attachable skeg and built-in directional strake, which gives the boat incredible directional stability and tracking.

📝 What's included

Sevylor Ottawa Inflatable Kayak
Sevylor Ottawa backpack (also a sealable drybag)
Sevylor stabilising fin (skeg)
Sevy-Smart pressure gauge
Owner’s manual & quick-repair kit
Aqua-care Warranty (2 Years) + Sevylor Manufacturer Warranty

⚙️ Specifications:

Size: 383x92cm | Size boxed: 81x45x26cm | Weight: 20kg | Max. load: 225kg
Configure as: Solo, tandem or triple-seater
Inflate time: 3 minutes
Deflate time: Instant

✉️ Want more information?  Talk to our Sevylor expert:  sevylor@aquascene.co.uk