About Swift Canoe & Kayak

When the Swift Team conceptualized, developed and started to build canoes in 1984 and kayaks in 1995, we set out to build the ultimate recreational, light touring and tripping boats to suit paddler’s needs. We started by focusing on the need for functional, technically advanced canoes and kayaks that provide true performance benefits to the consumer. 

To achieve these goals, Swift sought out the most knowledgeable people in the industry. Each Swift canoe and kayak begins as a conceptual design with an internal code name. Our Research & Development Team meets to formulate the new design features and determine the performance characteristics the boat will need. Next, our boat designers produce a prototype for trial use based on the insight of the R&D Team. The prototype then gets paddled by our staff, and more importantly, the intended end consumer. Once we have determined the final boat shape, the project is then turned over to the Swift Manufacturing Team. Our Swift Engineers fine tune the integral parts and boat ergonomics and produce the necessary tooling to put the boat into production.