Sea Eagle Inflatable Sport Kayaks 330/370

If only my Mom knew the Sea Eagle 330 kayak existed when I was a kid. If she had, she would have saved lots of money by avoiding the need to buy a new inflatable kayak each year. You see, while growing up, I lived in the water and used an inflatable kayak almost daily. Unfortunately, the cheap Sevylor kayak I used constantly punctured and, almost like clockwork, started to rip along the seams towards summer’s end. Since seam rips are almost impossible to repair, the kayak ended up at the inflatable graveyard. The result was the purchase of a new kayak the following year.

Sea Eagle 370 is the perfect blend of features for a very affordable price. See more info at Sea Eagle.Com

The Sea Eagle Sport inflatable kayaks (models SE 330 & SE 370), happily, avoid this problem. Unlike other inexpensive inflatable kayaks, the Sea Eagle sport kayaks are durable. And tough. These kayaks provide many benefits (read about them in detail below). Or skip below to read the Recommendation & Conclusion.

However, for those who hate to read, let me quickly summarize what you need to know. If you have a limited budget, are searching for a 1-2 person boat that is suitable for both lake paddling and river paddling on waters rated Class III or less—and the boat won’t be used in below freezing temperatures or used for multi-night float trips—then the Sea Eagle 330 or the larger 370 is an excellent choice.

Benefits of the Sea Eagle Sport Inflatable Kayaks

If you need an affordable boat to handle a wide variety of uses, the Sea Eagle Sport Kayaks are an excellent choice. Here’s some reasons why:

Affordable

These kayaks are remarkably affordable. Package prices usually cost less than $400 or $500, depending on model chosen, and that is before whatever sale Sea Eagle happens to be running. The package price also includes everything you need. There is nothing extra to buy.

Durability

The Sea Eagle Sport kayaks are a “soft sided” inflatable boat. This means you can press your finger into a fully inflated boat by ¾ of an inch, on average. In short, the kayak isn’t inflated to the high air pressures found in guide quality inflatable rafts or in the higher-end expedition level inflatable kayaks offered by Sea Eagle (such as the 380x and the 420x) and other kayak manufacturers.

The lower air pressure, however, doesn’t mean that the kayak is less durable. Instead, it means the kayak is prone to differing types of damage than a high pressure inflatable boat is. In general, high pressure inflatable boats are most prone to getting holes/punctures due to hard impacts with immovable objects, such as rocks and logs. By contrast, soft sided boats (like this kayak) are most prone to punctures when they are dragged across sharp surfaces, such as rocks along the river shoreline or across a cement parking lot. By lifting the boat and not dragging it across rocks or cement, you’ll prevent 90% of all potential punctures.

One limitation that buyers of the Sea Eagle Sport Kayaks should know is the kayak can’t be used in sub-freezing temperatures. While an un-inflated kayak will store just fine in sub-freezing weather, inflating the boat in cold weather risks damaging the kayaks fabric. This inability to use the kayak in cold weather is one big difference between the Sport Kayaks and Sea Eagle’s upper end expedition level inflatable kayaks (such as the 380x and 420x), which are designed for use in all weather conditions.

Portability

Sea Eagle has many types of inflatable boats available, all of which are quite portable. None, however, compare to the Sport series inflatable kayaks. Weighing less than 25 pounds, these kayaks roll into their own small carrying case and pack away in the tightest of spaces. While it still wouldn’t be pleasant to pack this boat deep into the mountains, for all other purposes the kayak is incredibly easy to move and takes little space to store in your car.

Quick Inflation Time

Sea Eagle is a bit “generous”, in my opinion, about the time needed to inflate their boats. I’ve found it takes about 10-15 minutes from the time you roll the kayak out to the time it is fully inflated when using the manual Bellows Pump. Cut that time in half if you use the automatic air pump, though.

All-Around Versatility

The Sea Eagle 330/370 inflatable kayaks are incredibly versatile. It is a breeze to paddle around on flat water (lakes/ponds), while still working great for recreational river floating. Rated to handle Class III whitewater, the Sea Eagle 330/370 inflatable kayaks can safely handle most rivers that recreational floaters use.

Moreover, unlike virtually any other recreational level inflatable kayak, the Sea Eagle Sport series kayaks are self-bailing. These kayaks have drain valves that drains water from the boat in the event you hit a wave wrong and the kayak fills with water. Just remember to open the drain valves when running whitewater.

Solid Fishing Platform

I’ve fished in inflatable kayaks more often than any other boat. In general, inflatable kayaks are solid boats but not spectacular when used for a fishing platform. For spin fishing, these boats work just as well as most other types of boats do (although it is hard to beat a Bass Boat). For fly fishing, because you sit rather low inside the kayak, it can take time to adjust your cast due to your lower elevation above the water. Still, this adjustment is quickly made and most anglers will find this kayak far easier to cast from than a float tube.

Comparing the Sea Eagle 370 to the Sea Eagle 330

The Sea Eagle 330 and 370 sport kayaks are identical in their construction. Where they differ is in their weight, length and weight capacity.

In general, two paddlers will almost always want to go with the 370 since the larger size and weight capacity makes the kayak far more versatile (and comfortable for two paddlers).

Solo paddlers will also often want to go with the 370. This is especially true if you’ll be taking overnight float trips and need the space/weight capacity to haul gear.

Here’s a chart showing the differences between these two kayaks:

	Sea Eagle 330	Sea Eagle 370
Weight	26lbs	32lbs
Length	11’2″	12’6″
Capacity	500lbs	650lbs
Packed Size	24″16″7″	31″19″8″

Recommendation & Conclusion

Most likely, if you are reading this, you are probably wondering if you should get one of these Sport Kayaks or the more expensive, and more versatile expedition level inflatable kayaks that Sea Eagle offers – the 380x and the 420x.

There is a significant cost difference between the Sea Eagle 330/370 and their higher end kayaks. This extra cost is due to the type of fabrics used on the high pressure line of kayaks.

So that said, here’s my recommendations.

If you need a kayak for multi-day float trips, get the 380x or the 420x. Period. The extra durability and capacity these kayaks provide is well worth the extra cost. On a multi-day trip, the last problem you want is to have inflation problems. With the upper end of Sea Eagle Kayaks, you won’t have this worry. With the 330/370, while you do have to work at it to destroy it, it can be done.

Likewise, you will also want to get the 380x or 420x if you plan on kayaking in weather that is below freezing or if you plan on frequently floating rivers that have Class III or Class IV whitewater (due to the tougher fabric of these kayaks).

Finally, you’ll want a higher end kayak if you need to pack lots and lots of gear inside the boat. The Sea Eagle 330/370 both have large capacities. However, for long trips (such as in the Boundary Waters or week long floats) that require lots of gear, the larger capacities of the 380x and 420x prevent overloading and accidental tipping of the kayak.

However, if your kayaking needs don’t fall into those categories (Class IV whitewater, use in below freezing weather, and use the boat on multi-day float trips with lots of gear), the Sea Eagle 330 or 370 makes a great choice. It works just as well as the other kayaks on Class III rivers and when paddling on lakes, without the added cost.

In conclusion, the Sea Eagle line of sport kayaks make for a great “day use” kayak on lakes/ponds/and rivers that don’t have pounding whitewater. If your needs match what the Sea Eagle 330/370 is designed for, then this kayak is an excellent boat to get.

Latest prices & packages available for the Sea Eagle 370 kayak at SeaEagle.Com