Our Core Paddler Values
What happened to kayak performance? It seemed the industry has maneuvered it’s offerings towards what was good for them: short, fat, low-performance kayaks that were easy and cheap to manufacture but cumbersome to actually paddle.
How many people even remembered the joyful glide of yesterday’s speedy, agile, athletic kayaks? It turns out there’s a lot. Swell Watercraft began as a grassroots response for a desire for the superior boats of the past.
We changed the game by delivering our patented Scupper Valve drainage system, which quickly turned a ‘blast from the past’ project into the state-of-the-art for kayaks.
The Scupper is appreciated by experts for it’s ability to handle various conditions. It glides through wind. Pounds through surf. Soars over waves. It’s also an amazing kayak for beginners. It provides an intuitive, natural stroke with advanced ergonomics.
As we add the Solo and Duo to our line-up for 2025, we continue to cling to our core values. Speed. Comfort. Stability. We balance these 3 elements in every kayak we make.
So that’s who we are: core kayakers who were bold enough to step up to the corporate companies and build boats in our way. Just for you-the paddlers. We’re 100% kayaker owned, kayaker controlled, kayaker inspired and kayak driven. And we plan to stay that way.
JIM MARSH
Jim received his intro to paddlesports canoeing Illinois’ rivers as a youth. He was lucky enough to paddle all kinds of crafts during his 10 years as Publisher of Canoe & Kayak magazine. In late 2016 he started Swell Watercraft in order to build the ambitious Scupper Valve drainage system, as well as the Scupper 14 kayak. He currently runs the day-to-day operations for Swell.
TED KEYES
Ted has spent his entire adult life working in paddlesports. He became a whitewater kayak instructor during his days at Colorado State University. He has spent over 20 years as a sales representative for brands such as Kokatat, Wilderness Systems, Native, Adidas Outdoor and Watershed Drybags. He recently received a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Boise State University.
THOMAS MARSH
It’s easy to have the absolute best roto molded plastic materials and advanced sealants when one of the owners is an obsessive chemical engineer. Thom received his degree from the University of Illinois and has spent his career consulting to factories as an expert on the chemical production process. He began paddling canoes with the Boy Scouts as a kid, eventually achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He’s also the older brother of Jim.