Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak : Review

Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak

The Sea Eagle 330 inflatable Kayak is an excellent boat for both general river running, lake paddling and fly fishing. The Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak is priced significantly less than the 340x/380x line of kayaks, is self-bailing, durable and rated to run Class III whitewater. This inflatable kayak is made of a tough polykrylar hull material that is highly resistent to both punctures and impact tears.

This page includes our review of the Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak as well as detailed technical information about it.

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Technical Information about the Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak

• Capacity : 2 Adults or 500 lbs.
• Dimensions (exterior) : 11' 2" x 2' 10"
• Dimensions (interior) : 9' 6" x 1' 1"
• Weight : 26 lbs.
• Set Up Time : 10-15 minutes with manual air pump.
• Fabric : 33 mil Polykrylar
• Operating Pressure : .75 PSI (non-rigid inflatable)
• Whitewater Rating : Class III
• Self Bailing? : Yes
• Options : Professional level paddles, fly fishermans high seat, and numerous other accessories are available
• Includes : Kayak, Air Pump, Carry Bag, Repair Kit & Instructions.
• Base Price : $299 (subject to change)

Review of the Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak

The Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak is an ideal entry level, quality inflatable kayak that works well for both fly fishing and general river floating and lake paddling. While it lacks the size and capacity of the Sea Eagle 340 and 380 - for basic day uses the Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak is an excellent choice - especially for anglers on a budget.

Portability

The Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak is even more portable than the 340/380 series of kayaks. Tipping the scales at a mere 26 lbs and fitting into a very small, shoulder carrying case, you can pretty much take this inflatable kayak anywhere - including on airplanes. It is also small and light enough to be backpacked into areas where you can't get to by a vehicle.

Paddling Characteristics & Stability

The Sea Eagle inflatable kayak, just like the Sea Eagle 340/380 series of kayaks, is extremely easy to paddle. And, for lake paddling, the SE 330 kayak has built in directional stabilizers allowing for straight tracking and very easy paddling across lakes and slack water.

The stability of the Sea Eagle 330 is also excellent. The flat bottom of the kayak makes it extremely difficult to tip, unlike a canoe or traditional hard shell kayak.

Click here to see a graphic that highlights the stability of a Sea Eagle Kayak

Whitewater

The Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable kayak, as it is self-bailing, is able to easily handle Class III whitewater. For those not familiar with river ratings, Class III whitewater means the river has many rapids with large, standing waves and some deep holes. No drops or waterfalls are found on Class III rapids. Due to the self-bailing nature of the SE 330, should you hit a wave wrong, the boat will not fill up with water and swamp.

The fabric of the Sea Eagle 330 kayak also is able to handle Class III whitewater hazards. While the SE 330 is not a rigid inflatable (inflated to a high pressure), this lack of rigidity literally allows this kayak to bounce off obstructions such as rocks and logs.

Durability

For a soft sided, non-rigid inflatable kayak, the Sea Eagle 330 is remarkably durable. This occurs for several reasons. First, all seams are specially sealed to prevent them from pulling apart - a very big difference between this kayak and cheap inflatable kayaks bought in your local department store. This is important, too, since seams are the most likely spot for holes and tears - and once a seam develops a hole, it is nearly impossible to adequately patch.

Secondly, the Polykrylar material of the Sea Eagle 330 is completely resistent to UV Rays, mold and mildew. As such, it will not begin to break apart due to extended use in warm, sunny weather - which is, of course, when you'll be using the kayak.

And, lastly, should a hole develop in the kayak, it is extremely easy to patch. Just take the supplied repair kit, slap a piece over the hole, wait 30 minutes, and you have a permanent repair. Duct tape, believe it or not, also works well for a quick and dirty emergency repair.

One important note. Since the Sea Eagle 330 is a non-rigid inflatable (you can push your thumb down about 3/4 of an inch into the side of the kayak when it is fully inflated), some care must be taken to prevent those small, pesky holes from developing in the bottom of the boat. Almost always, these small holes develop not from actually using the boat on the river, but instead, they develop because people drag the kayak over rocks and cement. Thus, to keep your Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak "hole free", the best thing to do is to always make sure you carry the kayak (remember, it only weighs 26 lbs!) over cement, blacktop and the rocks commonly found along a rivers edge. It is been my experience that you will NOT develop holes simply by hitting rocks while floating down the river.

Summary

Overall, the Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak is a quality, entry-level inflatable kayak/canoe that is at home on lakes and rivers. It functions equally well is a fly fishing platform and a boat for recreational paddling and river floating. And, while this is the entry-level inflatable kayak from Sea Eagle, there is nothing cheap about it. It is far above - quality wise - than what is found in other inexpensive inflatable kayaks. As such, with proper care (not dragging it across cement), this inflatable kayak can provide the angler and paddler many, many years of reliable service.

Additionally, like all Sea Eagle inflatable kayaks and rafts, the SE 330 has a 3 year warranty as well.

Buy the Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak direct from Sea Eagle

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