Sea Eagle 435ps Inflatable Boat Reviews

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.

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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.
robz82001 1/4/2012 4.0 out of 5 stars.

I primarily use my Sea Eagle 435ps as a fishing platform. I have the fishing seats and motor mount (both electric and gas). I modified the seats to hold 2 fishing rods each, and I have a milk crate that adds another 3 rods. So far, I have taken the boat fishing a dozen or so times, mostly in the NE Florida area (intracoastal waterway). Both electric (27 ft/lbs thrust) and gas (3.5 hp Mercury) motors work great with the boat. A throttle extension is required.

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The boat holds a ton of gear (well 600 lbs worth) and it takes other boats' wakes pretty well. The boat is stable while sitting, but you cannot stand on it to fish or cast. The boat material is fairly rugged. I have run aground on oyster beds 3 times so far and have left some marks on the hull (but no hull penetration). I once stupidly brought a sting ray on board and quickly received 2 pin sized holes in the pontoon (which was later easily sealed).

The boat came with a couple of square feet of additional hull material that I have cut and used to reinforce the front bottom 2 pontoons. It gives me some piece of mind as the area I fish most are flats with frequent oyster beds. The best features of this boat is its portability. I throw it on top of my FJ Cruiser and go.

The downsides:

1) it does take 2 people about 30-35 minutes to get fully set-up and rigged (that's with a motor), 2) the hull material could be thicker, 3) cannot stand in it to fish.

The upsides:

1) portability & lightweight, 2) ability to carry a lot of gear, 3) reasonably rugged.

I purchased the sail kit with the boat and can say it was not worth the $ nor effort. You need to add skegs and put mast together...takes a bit of time...and sailing experience is adequate at best. This is with the older style sail kit (I understand Sea Eagle now offers an updated version of this kit which looks more user friendly)
Wayne A 9/17/2009 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I purchased the 435 last year. It was a 2001 model but had never been taken out of the sealed box (the seller had several). We have used it on lakes and rivers and always enjoy it. It is easy to paddle although with the deluxe upgrade paddles and high-back seats it is much easier. We are both retired. I wanted something that would be stable ... especially the entry and exit for my wife. It fills the bill better than expected. I am sure it is not tops in performance but who wants to carry a bulky hardshell or store it for most of the year.

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I added a trolling motor with a DIY mounting bracket. Works great. Only problem is in Texas you have to register the boat with Texas Parks and Wildlife as a "motorcraft", get it inspected by a game warden, and from then on pay a fee to keep it legal. Not a lot of $, but it is a hassle.

Next I made a DIY 42 Sq. Ft. Latine sail with 1 1/8 inch aluminum mast and one inch aluminum spars. Total cost aprox. $39.00. Admittedly I already had the dagger boards and the rudders(first set of paddles). I also spent some time at a local thrift store acquiring the sail material and poles.

Performance: I have never felt like it was going to turn over. I couldn't be more pleased with the performance.