Josef Sedivec escaped from his native Czechoslovakia amid the crises of the 1968 Russian Invasion, eventually arriving in the United States in 1969.  For eight prior years, he competed on the Czech National Whitewater Team, winning countless international races all over Europe in both whitewater slalom and downriver events.  He participated in several World Championships, where he won a gold medal and several silver medals.  Armed with this strong competitive background and a thorough knowledge of boat design he entered the growing American whitewater industry.  His first boats were designed and built in his garage during off hours when he was not earning his living as an electrical engineer.

    Sedivec designed boats quickly became the favorites of the U.S. Whitewater team, and shortly thereafter Seda Products moved out of Joe's garage.  In 1973, the American team, using a Seda Cobra C-2, won gold and bronze medals at the World Championships in Switzerland.  By 1979, Seda designs had become so advanced that the U.S. team, using Seda canoes and kayaks, won no fewer than 6 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals during the World Championship competitions.  For the first time, the U.S. had taken more medals than any other national team. 

    In the '70's and 80's Seda Products continued to grow through new products and services. Seda began using DuPont KEVLAR for canoes, kayaks and accessories almost immediately after its introduction in 1974.  A small retail shop, Adventure Boats, in Chula Vista, California served as the base for an international mail-order business for a diverse line of whitewater and sea kayaking equipment.  In addition, Seda was one of the first companies to offer rotomolded boats as the original distributor & importer for ACE canoes and Pyhrana.  Helmets, paddles, and lifevests rounded out the line, and are still found on rivers and in closets across the country.  The boom years of the 90's saw acquisitions overtake innovation for most of Seda's competitors in kayak market, while Joe began to contemplate retirement.

    Now in the new century, with 36 years of experience and perspective on the paddlesports industry, Seda Products concentrates on performance composite sea kayaks.  Joe continues to help design new kayaks while in retirement, but with new owners, new investment, and new energy, the Seda focus remains on delivering value to paddlers.

Strength - Speed - Spirit - SEDA!