Sea Eagle SE 370 Inflatable Kayaks and Canoe Reviews

We got the Pro package and love the seats. Everything is top quality and I've had a lot of inquiries about these kayaks on the two days we were on the New River. We love how small everything pack down to and with everything in it's carry bag each one weights in at only 48 pounds. Not something you want to carry up a mountain but very manageable none the less.

There are advantages and disadvantages to these over a hard shell but given our space/hauling requirements we love these (hard to haul a 30ft travel trailer and 4 hard shell kayaks). I would (and have) recommended these to anyone.

I agree with others that it is easy to set up the kayak and seats. We purchased the SE370 Pro Package with the upgraded seats, paddles and foot pump as well as the storage bags. When you get all gear together with kayak inflated, is is heavier than the 32 lbs advertised - that's the boat alone. It is a bit more porting it all together. We decided that is was easier to take the seats out and throw them over the shoulder or carry in hand with the paddles. That way the boat is at it's lightest.

The kayak is easy to enter near the shore, but after several outings, it became evident that the more water and sediment we got off our feet before the feet entered the boat the better. One in the boat, the seats are comfortable and the boat feels secure. I am wide enough that with my seat in back the side tubes in the boat do not meet my wife's seat on the sides which makes her seat somewhat less stable, but my feet are usually against the seat anyway in some fashion. We could probably use about another foot in length, but there is plenty room as it is and we can both put our feet up on the sides to stretch out whenever we want.

The kayak is easy to steer and seems to track well, even in relatively choppy water. i would say the wind is a bigger factor in directing the boat than the chop in the water.

Storing is a breeze, but if you put all items (boat, seats, paddles and pump) in the bag, it's pretty heavy. The bag; however, does have a carry strap with a small shoulder pad that helps. I can carry it, but my wife would struggle greatly. If we need to carry it far deflated, we would separate some items into another bag (seats, pump and paddles) and both carry.

We do get stuck occasionally in low water (less than 12"), but usually it's as simple as pushing back and re-directing. The material (K-80 POLYKRYLAR) is very durable. The white color gets dirty easily, but it also cleans easily by simply wiping down with a damp cloth. I do use a small amount of liquid dish washing soap on the covers of the seats to get out dirt/sand as they will not come clean otherwise. I have noticed that at least for me, it's very difficult to stay dry when paddling. The sides are high (more like a canoe) and one has to paddle "high" dripping lots of water on the sides and often legs. I may get better as time goes on but I suspect I will never really stay dry in the 370.

All in all, for a leisure boat (we haven't done any whitewater), and for the price - I think it's awesome. I would recommend this to anyone for a first kayak, who wants a truly portable kayak, who has little storage space, or just wants an inexpensive way to get into kayaking! We are likely to buy a second one (330) so we can have our own when we want and also be able to tandem as we have been so far.

The total kit includes a storage bag, two four-piece paddles, two inflatable seats, a foot-operated air pump, a repair kit, two inflatable "doughnuts" to protect the skegs while packed, and two inflation gauges. The boat is very rugged with heavy fabric, a tow point on the bow and a drain plug at the stern. There are a total of five separate air chambers: the floor, each side tube, the bow and stern skirts (which are separate pieces and held in place with rigging). The inflation gauges help get the correct pressure on the side tubes, but you have to guess at the correct pressure for the floor. I don't know why the manufacturer couldn't have setup the flooring to also use the inflation gauge.

After a bit of practice I've been able to setup the boat in 20 minutes, about the same amount of time it takes me to setup my hard shell. Packing up is also quick as I merely deflate the boat and throw everything into my car, knowing I'm going to clean everything when I get home.

The Sea Eagle's buoyancy and center of gravity feels more like a canoe than a kayak as you sit higher up in the boat due to the inflatable seats and inflatable bottom. Because the seats are removable, you can set them for either two people or use only one seat for a single paddler, something not possible in hard shell tandem boats.

Stability is a bit touchy in high crosswinds, but easy enough to get used to. The length of this boat is roomy for two people and cargo. With one person you could easily pack all necessary equipment for several day's camping.

Paddling is also a bit different as the sides of the boat are a bit higher than a hard shell, which forces me to hold the paddles a little higher to avoid rubbing the sides of the boat. The paddles are covered with rubber tubing when they can rub the boat, which I think is a nice touch for protecting the boat's fabric. The skegs seem to help with tracking, but I do notice that winds blow this boat around more than a hard shell kayak, presumably because there is more exposed surface area. The boat will also "flex" in choppy water, which takes a bit getting used to.

The real advantage of this inflatable boat is it's ease of transport. As one other reviewer has noted, the boat is airline transportable. The entire kit packs into a large duffle bag which is a real storage advantage for a condo dweller or someone who only has a small car. For people who have rotator cuff (shoulder) problems, it is much easier to load this boat into a car instead of dragging it off the top roof rack. It's also easier to pack this boat along on a long trip, instead of tying a kayak onto the car roof.

One caution is that the boat has to be absolutely dry before storing it to prevent mold from growing on the fabric. I learned this the hard way and now I have a very unsightly three-inch diameter black stain up at the bow, around the area where the skirt and side tube meet.

Overall, this is a great boat. It's easy to store, easy to pack for a trip, and will get you out on the water for a great day of paddling.