When searching for a one man fishing boat I was thrilled to discover the Sea Eagle 285. The boat offers a solution to anyone who does not have the space or convenience to purchase and store a large fishing boat. The Sea Eagle 285 along with its accessories and my fishing gear all fit in my small compact sedan. The boat is compact, lightweight and very easy to handle. Set up takes a little longer than advertised (it takes me about 15 minutes) but does get easier the more you do it. I purchased a 55 pound thrust trolling motor and would recommend this addition if you plan on fishing larger lakes. That being said, the boat is easily rowed. Once you get your item placement dialed in, the Sea Eagle 285 offers ample space for comfortable fishing. The product feels very durable and safe. The boat can handle wind and choppy waters just fine, however comfort and maneuverability are much better on calmer waters. Overall, if you are searching for a one man boat that travels and stores easily, I highly recommend SE285.

Have now spent six hours on the water in the boat. My observations:1. Setup gets easier every time. Floor board goes into place easier now.2. The oars are too long. Getting the paddles out of the water on the return stroke requires your legs straight...no knee bend.3. The pump supplied broke after four uses.4. Deflate,dismantle and fold up is a breeze.5. Boat seems well built and draws a lot of positive feedback.

6. Would have preferred the option to pick a cupholder in place of one of the rod holders.(old men need their coffee)All being said, I am happy with my boat.

I recently purchased the Sea Eagle 285 one man pontoon. I added a Minn Kota Endure C2 30 lb thrust trolling motor and a VMax CT1050 charge tank battery pack. This set up is amazing. The battery is half the size of a standard deep cell and is perfect for this small boat. I also purchased the 12 volt Smart battery charger from VMax. The fishing seat is incredibly comfortable and makes it easy to spend hours on the water. I went with the upgraded fishing seat versus the inflatable one. The trolling motor pushes the boat fast enough to make a wake. On the slowest speed, the trolling motor still pushes the boat a bit too fast for bass fishing. I found myself drifting as much as I ran the motor. The battery seems to last forever before needing a charge. The boat is easy to set up. I could not be happier with the overall package. I bought it to carry in our RV as we travel across the country. From the Lakes of the Ozarks in Arkansas, to Canada this summer, I am looking forward to fishing more in my Sea Eagle!

After one season of fishing I find this inflatable boat fun to use both on large and small lakes. other than having to make several trips from vehicle to waters edge with boat ,seat, floor, oars, trolling motor, battery, pump, and fishing gear, its easy too inflate and set up. The material the boat is made out of appears to be very sturdy. The motor mount is positioned directly inline with the swivel seat which places your arm in an uncomfortable position to operate trolling motor or my small outboard. Due to the narrow floor area a person cannot turn the seat sideways to more easily operate the motor for their is no place for your feet except on top of the pontoon which is very uncomfortable, and I am short. I can't imagine what it would be like for a tall person. Maybe if the seat stand was taller a person would be able to put their feet on the pontoon while operating the motor without being all curled up, or widen the boat a little. The boat is great for getting into places other boats can't.

Ive had the boat for a couple of years now and can say that it's the best little inflatable boat on the market , I upgraded with a few more mounts to accommodate my anchor system , fish finder and go pro camera ... It's been a lot of fun fishing in .....

i have just used my boat for one summer. i am well pleased with everything. wish i had one yerars ago. thank you.

I love my sea eagle 285 I call it my crappie machine!! Love it

My review is mainly to customer service. I hate to admit that in the year and a half that I have had the boat I have only had it in the water one time. I am very happy with that experience.My displeasure comes from the fact that when I ordered the boat I also ordered a floor board. The operator informed me that they had a used one so I ordered it. A few days later they showed on the site that they had a used boat. I would have bought it and saved the hundred dollars had I known. My other issue is that I have no plans to use the inflatable seat and have never opened it. I would like to return it and get some credit toward a motor mount but have been told it can't be done.

I like my 285 very much.I have used it several times already.The trolling motor is great for my personal needs.If I had any real complaint about the boat is that you do not have a lot of space on the boat.I would like to see the boat 2 feet wider with the inner board for the pedestal 14 inches longer.This is a great boat for anyone.

I got to test my 285 in the winter in Indiana and then used it during a Christmas vacation in Florida. I need to get an electric motor and an anchor, as fly fishing in wind or a current was tricky.I was able to fish about 4 times in Florida and caught two fish. The best day and the best cast was the 4 pound bass shown in the attached photo, caught in the Rainbow River, a spring fed river with 50 feet clarity about 2 miles from my summer home. The bass hit a # 2 muddler minnow and was my first bass on a new 8 weight fly rod.

I am looking forward to using my 285 in small lakes and ponds that aren't readily fished with trailered boats. My home in central Florida is near many premier bass lakes and also about 40 min from the Gulf. I want to use my 285 in salt water, but will need to be careful about oysters.I fished a lot as a kid and then worked for 30 years as a professor who studies lake food chains. Now that I am 68, in a few years I will be retiring and doing more fishing.

Bill DeMott