Sea Eagle 435ps Inflatable Boat Reviews

Vincenzo Agostino Verified Owner 1/6/2016 4.0 out of 5 stars.

Totally satisfied on all points you mentioned and would not hesitate to recommend Sea eagle which i have been doing anyway since I got mine (including the Sail Kit . The only thing I don't like about sailing my paddle si is the rudder oar that show full review ▼ comes with the Kit.

comes with the Kit.

If I may , I suggest you develop a real type rudder with an offset hand controled lever. This would facilitate manouverability for novices such as myself.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to express myself on your product.

Tom Howard Verified Owner 1/6/2016 5.0 out of 5 stars.

We have no boating experience so having something easy to use was necessary. This fit the bill. Easy to inflate and easy to use. The wife likes the fact she feels safe and took no time to learn. We have a pickup camper so storage was important. It sits vertically behind the drivers seat when deflated with a small foot print. Knowing what we know now we wouldn't hesitate to buy again.

Brian Graham-Moore Verified Owner 1/6/2016 4.0 out of 5 stars.

I have used the boat about seven times and wished I could use it more often. A later version is lighter and I wish I had that version since we carry this in our plane. My other wish is for a rowing platform for the Paddle Ski, but that was discontinued. Overall, the boat is as advertised, i.., easy to inflate, stable, and fun to operate.

Sea Eagle's reply:
Brian Graham-Moore's boat

Thank you so much for your review Brian. Don't count a rowing frame out quite yet. Our R&D department is always working on something and there may be a possibility of a new rowing kit in the future. Here it is: www.seaeagle.com/PaddleSkiKayaks/435ps#435PSK_QR

Jim Bergen Verified Owner 1/6/2016 5.0 out of 5 stars.

Love,love,love my PaddleSki!!

I would recommend the Paddle Ski to anyone....In fact, a friend bought one after seeing mine!

My 100lb Lab enjoys it as well. Her claws have yet to even leave a scratch on it. I was so nervous when I first got it. I was concerned that hidden sharp rocks under the water would cut it open. Those fears are long gone!

show full review ▼

I have got caught in shallow water with sharp rocks, and had to try and paddle my way through them...all the while hearing the rocks scratching the bottom of they kayak. By the time I got to shore, I was convinced there would be cuts! Nothing!!! It was in great condition with not a single mark on it!

Would love to get the sail attachment in the future.

Thanks for a great product!!!

Barbara Bergen

Kevin Sedely Verified Owner 1/6/2016 4.0 out of 5 stars.

Dear Sea Eagle,

I have had my paddleski for going on at least five years now. We use it often and have become progressively more bold with it as we go. It is very rugged and it materials and construction are first rate.

show full review ▼

I have never had a puncture despite going through some pretty scary places and encountering some pretty sharp and sizable fishing hooks. No worries.

I have yet to take it out and not have conversations with people about this craft.

I made a small, simple wheel kit that attaches cleanly to the skegs which are easily put on and taken off, that I keep in the boat if I ever need to portage.

I am going to make a self boyent, electric propulsion unit that will fit cleanly beneath craft, between the pontoons. You won't even be able to see it. Remote control off, on reverse control unit attaches to the paddle. Steering will be accomplished with the paddles.

Loads of fun, great boat, keeping it until it for life ...

Many Thanks,

Kevin S.

Mike Carter 7/29/2015 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I purchased the PaddleSki 435ps after much internet research. Having had hard shell sea kayaks for many years, I wanted something more portable. I was not disappointed. I purchased the pro carbon package, and then I added the sail kit.

show full review ▼

As a kayak the Paddle Ski performs exceptionally well . I added a 2.5 Suzuki outboard and it worked great. My wife and i used the sail option on our recent vacation. I must say, I have never sailed before, so it took some time to learn how to harness the wind. On a good day the sail option works very well. We were able to use the sail to navigate from one end of the lake to the other, then quickly switch to paddles to explore shallow hidden coves. I was very impresses.

The Sea Eagle PaddleSki exceeded my expectations. I look forward to taking it out again. I only gave it a 9 out of 10 due to the seat straps stitching coming undone, and the sea bag zipper breaking right off the bat. Both issues are minor fixes. Great product Sea Eagle!

ChuckB 6/30/2015 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I've had my PaddleSki for well over 10 years. This boat is incredibly durable, flexible and highly portable. I have never had a puncture despite many hours of paddling through shallows, scraping bottom on lake beds, streams and dragging onto shore. The ONLY puncture came from a mouse who decided to chew through the canvas cover and through the right pontoon and make a nest one year. This was quite a feat as the material used is just this side of impenetrable. Easily patched and back on the water in 24 hours after letting the patch cure.

show full review ▼

I have heavily modified my boat with the upgraded seats (highly recommended), sonar and transducer, anchor with pulley/trolly system, paddle clips, extra bungee lines, rod holders, etc. It is extremely stable and virtually will not tip. As others have said....though this boat paddles easily and is fast... a strong head or sidewind is not your friend - but it's doable. I find it not as fast as a kayak yet faster than canoes. I have had it on the ocean with 2 adults and it was a blast. Very fast and stable. My 9 year old son started fishing and paddling with me this last year and it is a great boat for two and a fabulous fishing platform.

We have (again) upgraded to a 45lb thrust trolling motor and those headwinds are now a thing of the past. I probably could have gone to a lesser thrust motor but the extra power is great.

SeaEagle is fabulous with support and help. I have called many times with "silly" and "serious" questions and have never felt I was given anything but dedication and concerned responses. For storage (at SeaEagles suggestion) I moved the boat from the garage to a large pool deck box. It's ok to be in freezing weather...just make sure you do not inflate a "frozen" boat. Let it warm up and adjust first.

I can't say enough about this boat and we intend to have it for many more years.

Fred 6/16/2014 4.5 out of 5 stars.

If you need a long term review, here it is. I have had my Sea Eagle Paddleski 435PS since 2002 (12 years and counting!) and I love it. I mostly just use it as a kayak, though I do on occasion break out the rowing seat. I take my son and our dog out on the water all the time (he's not quite old enough to be much help paddling yet, but getting close.) I have made my own fishing seat for the boat, and I am kicking around adding a trolling motor for windy days (happens a lot in Nebraska.)

show full review ▼

Pros:

Holds a fair amount of weight (I am 6'7" and 280 lbs) and is fairly fast for an inflatable. It is pretty dry unless you get crazy with the paddles, and very dry if you row. It can be used for a variety of things if you either invest in the various kits and attachments or spend some time modifying it yourself.

Cons:

Wind is an issue with this boat, as a headwind can slow you to a crawl and a side wind can make holding a course very difficult. The seats that came with it are not great, but they changed those a long time ago, so I don't know how the new ones are.

Overall I think it's a great boat, as I have had it for a long time and it has never had any leaks or punctures. Rowing is faster but, for me at least, not as fun as using the kayak paddles. Buy one with confidence, if you take care of it, it will last for a long time.

nategoulet 4/21/2013 4.0 out of 5 stars.

This past September I purchased the current 42 Lbs Paddleski barely used 2nd hand complete with older model SailRig, 28 Lbs trolling motor and many accessories. After purchasing a Sea Eagle 330SE and loving it a couple years ago, I was interested in getting one of their more expensive boats. Since I was a kid I wanted a Sunfish sailboat, but wasn't about to buy larger gas guzzling vehicle just so I had the ability to transport it.

show full review ▼

The Paddleski is the most flexible kayak on the market for a kayak that will fit in the trunk of a small car, offer a full sail rig (vs a small down wind only sail) and the ability to motor too. It's a jack of all trade. True it's a master of none, few boats if any can match it for all it does as a single boat.

Paddling with no wind alone or with a friend works well. With some wind, much easier with two paddling. If it's stronger wind, can always sail or motor. The original Sail Rig offers a larger more traditional sail than the current version, and it also folds small enough to fit in my trunk vs the current model. However, the rudder is very inefficient for turning sharp which is needed in narrow areas, solved on the current model. sailboatstogo.com offers a "pair" of steering oars that will likely solve this problem for me.

How cool is it that I can leave this boat concealed in the trunk of my fuel efficient car, and it's ready to paddle, sail or motor on Cape Cod, Newport and many other places I'll be taking it.

Sea Eagle support has been spectacular I'll mention. They recommended I wait for the sailing kit for the Fast Track or Explorer only came on the market in the past month or so. Can't complain with the deal I got though. Pros & Cons if I had gone that route. I like the option to motor, still not avail on those boats. Paddleski is more stable in rougher water, and I plan on using it on the ocean some of the time. I would like having an open cockpit vs sit on top. Some pros & cons to that too. inflatableboats4less.com swears by the Paddleski as their favorite kayak. They sell all Sea Eagle models. That kind of sold me. Will update my review after this summer...

tomfla 1/6/2012 5.0 out of 5 stars.

I have had my Paddleski for over two years. The reason I selected the Paddleski was I was having problems using my Sea Eagle FoldCat in the narrow, shallow, side channels of the NW Florida spring fed rivers I paddle in. The Paddleski is narrower and draws less water and is easier to pull over barely submerged logs I often encounter. There are also lots of weeds which often times reach the surface and the Paddleski skids over them much better than hard shelled boats. I also use the Paddleski on lakes and agree in high winds it can be a handful, especially with stuff in dry bags lashed to the deck.

There are tradeoff with all kayaks. The key is to select the one that best meets your needs. I wanted a boat I could carry a lot of gear on and deal with shallow weed infested log filled narrow water ways and the Paddleski fills that bill.