Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
Best Uses: Sea kayaking, beginner ocean kayakers, touring, families, people with LOTS of gear, fishing, scuba diving
Brand: Sevylor
Available At:
- Amazon.com – Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
- West Marine – Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
Number of Paddlers: 1 – 3 people (or easily fits two adults and two small children)
Stats: Length 16’ 7”, Width 38″, Weight 45.5 lbs., Load Capacity 800 lbs.
Accessories Included: Two seats, two footrests, high pressure pump, sturdy carry bag
Optional Accessories: Sail kit, rudder, foot control
Kayak Material: Sevytex three-layer Polyester/PVC sandwich fabric
Pros: Self-bailing, comfortable, maneuvers well, quite stable, compact, easy to get in and out of, huge load capacity, lots of room for gear, tracking is decent
Cons: Speed could be better, seats can sometimes slide
More About the Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
This is an interesting inflatable kayak. I personally think it is one of the best Sevylor kayaks that they offer. It is specifically designed for ocean use and offers tons of room for two to three people or else for two adults and two small children. Consequently it is ideal for families, for heavier people who might want a little extra room or for someone paddling with a ton of gear.
The XK17 is stable and should be no problem if someone wanted to do some fishing or scuba diving. Also it is self bailing which is great if you happen to be in some heavier water. It is not the fastest boat on the market but the extra length that it provides makes it very appealing.
The Sevylor XK17 as compared to other Inflatable Kayaks
Sevylor is near the bottom of great manufacturers of inflatable kayaks. They have yet to gain a reputation for quality and extremely rugged inflatable kayaks like many other companies have.
Their boats are still made in China and I personally think the quality of many of their kayaks is questionable. That being said, I do believe that the XK17 is one of their better models and will offer stability and a lot of great features.
Another kayak to consider in this price range would be the Sea Eagle Explorer kayaks. Like this Sevylor inflatable kayak, the Sea Eagle kayaks are not going to be the fastest in the water. However in my opinion they will give you a much better product that can last a lifetime if it is cared for properly.
If however you are looking specifically for a sea kayak then another great product to look at would be the Aire Sea Tiger. This kayak will cost more money, but is much faster and comes with a phenomenal ten year warranty.
My point is that if you are willing to spend the $800 or $900 on this kayak, I would rather spend it on the Sea Eagle 380X (which actually may cost a little less). If you have a lot more to spend then you may want to look at the Aire kayaks or even the higher end Innova kayaks.
Final Thoughts on the Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
This is a decent inflatable kayak and there are lots of positives including the fact that it is very long. However, if length is not a big requirement I would personally spend my thousand dollars on a different kayak.
Pro Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
- Self-bailing
- Maneuvers well
- Quite stable
- Compact
- Easy to get in and out of
- Huge load capacity
- Lots of room for gear
- Tracking is decent – better with use of rudder
Against Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
- Speed could be better
- Seats can sometimes slide
The Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak is Available At:
- Amazon.com – Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
- West Marine – Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak
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If you own or have used the Sevylor XK17 Ocean Kayak please leave a comment and share your thoughts with others.
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It’s interesting to see that you favour Sea Eagle kayaks over Sevylors. I went for a Sevylor Colorado but I’m currently looking at other models in their range. The quality seems to be incredibly high, particularly when considering the price, although I must say that it was a bit sluggish when I took it out on the ocean in wind. The seats are very supportive however.
At a first glance the Sevylors appeal to me over the Sea Eagles which I always find a bit ‘toyish’ and unsubstantial. Still, perhaps I should reconsider.
Hi Richard,
Thank you for your comments, I found them quite interesting. I will be the first to admit that there are many other inflatable kayaks that are much more visually appealing than the Sea Eagle kayaks, but yes I absolutely do favor them over the Sevylors. I’m not sure the SE explorer kayaks would be that much speedier than your Colorado though, you may need to look at a slimmer model if you are looking to pick up speeds.
Good luck to you!
Cheers,
Allison
Richard,
SEA EAGLE ADVERTISES on the site.
There’s your simple answer.
Hi Bodi, The reviews are our own personal opinions and viewpoints. As of right now we have no paid advertising on this site.
Allison
Hi there. I must admit that I suspected the same as Bodi when I first saw your review Allison, but it’s good to hear that this isn’t the case. I’ve owned my Sevylor Colorado for a few months now and it’s put up with some punishment – scratches from contact with coral reefs etc. Very nice kayak. I wish that the bag which it comes in had shoulder straps however – but that’s my only complaint.
Thanks Richard, your comments on the Colorado will be very beneficial to others. It seems to be a very popular choice!
Have the xk17 Sevylor kayak. Boat gradually loses air. 200mb goes to 180mb in about 10 hours. Is this characteristic of this boat?
Hi Marc,
I don’t think it is characteristic of that kayak… I haven’t heard that before. If I were you I would definitely contact either the place you purchased the kayak or else the manufacturer directly and get their opinion. The last thing you want is to have to worry about losing air while out on a paddling trip. Good luck!
Allison
Contacted Coleman, owner of Sevylor. Took 3 replacement boats to get one that only self deflates a little bit in the right pontoon. I speculate that Colemans $450.00 dollar boats are defective models.
Thanks for your comment Marc, it will certainly be of help to others.
Found on the Sevylor website, the XK17 is on sale for $450. At that price, I could not pass it up. As of this posting, there are 21 left.
http://www.sevylor.com/Ocean-Kayak-XK17-P1829C41.aspx
Is the material rugged enough for a 60lb. dog?
It seems to be a good compromise for me. Convertible for one or two people. Longer, so hopefully it tracks tolerably. Inflatable so I can store it more easily. I gave up in a move my 17′ Dagger Apostle–rugged, good for rocky Michigan rivers, and 19.5ft Futura surfski.–fast for smaller lake crossing, and fun for Lake Michigan play.
With an inflatable I can store it more easily. Cut down on canoe rentals–paddle upstream for takeout point and then drift back. Have my dog ride along sometimes. Have a friend along.
I loved to eskimo roll to cool off. Would it be possible to roll the XK17 with knee braces–and proper technique?
I’m looking forward to getting back to water travel.
Thanks for a nice resource.
Hi Russ,
Thanks for your comment… sounds like you got a great deal! I wouldn’t hesitate to bring a 60 lb. dog into your XK17, the material should be absolutely fine. As far as doing an eskimo roll I don’t see why not if you know what you are doing but to be honest I am not entirely sure. I would think that it might be quite difficult simply because the XK17 is so long, but I am definitely not an expect on the subject of rolling. I would suggest contacting Sevylor and checking with them.
Enjoy!!
Cheers,
Allison
Hey Allison.
Thanks for the reply.
After looking at more pictures and such online, I think eskimo rolls would be quite a challenge due to the width of the boat as well as it being open–and my hulking frame. Length should not be a challenge for rolling. With knee braces, I could roll the Futura, but had to be more technical. The Dagger with a spray skirt I could roll all day. My record was 20 rolls in a row. I got a little dizzy after that. And that was 15 years ago.
But a stable boat should never need to be rolled.
I now just have to wait patiently until the kayak gets here. Thanks again for a great online resource.
20 rolls in a row is very impressive… and possibly a little nuts!! lol
Rolling has never been something I have been comfortable with. It is actually one of my goals this year to learn more about it and improve that skill. I don’t think I will be doing twenty rolls anytime soon but I will aspire to do at least two… without panicking.
My buddies and I took lessons and had a friendly competition. And we were a little nuts.
If you want to learn to roll, find a decent instruction. He made a world of difference. It all about the hip snap.
Not bad:
http://paddling.about.com/od/technique/ht/hip_snap.htm
Thanks Russ! I will definitely look into some good instruction.