Sea Eagle SE 330 Inflatable Kayaks and Canoe Reviews

I liked my 330 very well - I could get it inflated in about 10 minutes & it was very stable - I ran it thru class 2 rapids regularly & class 3 the Lower Saluda (Mill Race Rapid) on occasion - however trying mill race at 9000 cfs killed it graveyard dead (didn't do me much good either) - I especially would recommend it for those seeking a minimum entry level boat - for not so much $$ you can find out if the sport is your cup - I never had problems with punctures (except for that last run) but had to repair seams several times due to over inflation from sun heat.

I ordered this kayak at the end of june. Friendly online customer services, shipping is extremely fast even to Canada. Loaded with bonus - got a free baseball cap, jacket, already built-in twin skegs, and 39USD worth of accessories of your choosing. I went for the basic package, on hindsight - I should have got the deluxe package with the 8ft paddles. The 7ft one is a little too short for a boat this wide. And it comes with 30 days on water trial, 3 yrs warranty - can't go wrong with that.nnGot the first chance to try it this week. Thanks to the extra large footpump - inflating the whole boat was under 10mins; which is probably faster, and definitely easier than to untie and unload my fiberglass boat off the top of my car. A note on inflation, it has an inflation guage on the boat - I feel like over inflating just a little bit. Reason being after inflating on hot dry ground, and paddling is cool water, the boat tended to "soften" a bit.nnFirst try was in Lake Simcoe (Ontario Canada) - calm, flat water... It didn't track too well. But after a short while of getting use to, it's easy to compensate. I went solo, so I wonder if the added weight of the 2nd person would make the boat more stable?! That I will find out another time. The inflatable seat was ok, not exactly comfortable. However, I recommend to keep it fully inflated - when water comes in, it will keep your pants dry.nnSecond try was also Lake Simcoe but right before a rain storm - so the water was considerably rougher. I found that it tracked better. It had a "softer ride" in the wavey water than rigids. But it's still very easy to manuveur. By the way, I tried to tip over the boat - which was not as easy to do as the rigid boats. Which might be a good thing if you have little kids or young paddlers onboard.nnDeflating the boat was just as easy: just unscrew the three main valves and the boat flaten in a minute or two. The drain valve at the back came very useful to drain off the water in the boat, especially after the second day's stormy water ride. It's a little tricky to put away since the skegs are glued on. I keep the come with foam protectors on so it won't get bent. The factory's carrying bag is big enough to carry the boat, paddles, pump and everything else in there. If the bag comes with handles and straps would be even better.nnOriginally I intended to bring this to camping. Though it rates to carry 500lbs, it doesn't have that much room for 2 people plus gear. Unless you go very light on the gears, and bring a small kid. For single person however, you should have ample of room. This boat is low as a kayak but open like a canoe, you should use waterproof bags to keep your belongings dry.

I tried the 330 because it offered a lot for the price, and the company has a very fair return poilcy (full refund except for shipping) which they honored. Unfortunately the 330 did not perform well in the bay where I live; I was tired after 50 yards of paddling in 1 -2 foot swells. The boat did track well, but I found it unstable and cramped for a large framed individual. I would recommend it highly as a fun boat for calm waters if you are not in any hurry. It also inflates and sets up very quickly and easily.

I am just about to deep-six my old Sea Eagle 330 after about 15 years of regular use, and I'll sorely miss it. I used it mostly for paddling around quiet salt creeks and marshes with my two Labs. Only once in all that time did they manage to rock the boat enough to dump me out! The big pluses: lightweight, extremely stable, easy to transport & store, inflates by footpump in a few minutes. Also relatively inexpensive, especially back when I bought mine. The few minuses: susceptible to blowing in the wind, not very roomy, usually wet (always wet with two large, wet dogs in it), very wet and crowded with two adults and two large dogs in it, and puncturable. An old repaired puncture that just won't stay repaired is the cause of my canoe's demise.