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Product Review For: Sea Eagle 395ps PaddleSki

Boat/Product Manufacturer:

Sea Eagle

Boat/Product Model:

395ps PaddleSki

Manufacturer's
Overview:

The Sea Eagle 395 Paddle Ski is a totally new kind of paddling kayak, an inflatable catamaran with a kayak shaped bow. This sleek and fast water craft tracks straighter and paddles faster than our Sea Eagle 330, 340x or 380x.

Because there is far less surface area (only the pontoons are in the water), the drag is greatly reduced and the kayak goes faster. Another outstanding characteristic of this design is that the rear pontoons point downward, creating a keel-like effect which makes this model track far straighter. This model holds one or two passengers and gear. This model is great for wilderness paddling or sea kayaking. The two pontoons literally glide over the water and make paddling for hours almost effortless.

And even though the paddler sits up higher, this boat is more stable because of the wide catamaran stance on the water. The aluminum yokes hold the catamaran tubes straight and steady when inflated and roll up with the kayak when deflated.

Product Description:

Exterior:	12' 11" x 3' 3"
Interior:	11' 6" x 1' 4"
Deflated:	38" x 19" x 10"
Capacity:	2 Adults or 500 lbs.
Chambers:	Two (one in each side)
Tube Diameter	12.5"
Material:	1000 Denier Reinforced
Seam:	Quadruple Overlap
Air Valves:	Halkey-Roberts One-Way Valves
Engine Capacity:	85 lb. thrust electric
Inflation time:	5 -10 min.
Weight:	49 lbs.

Standard Features:

NMMA Certified
Two skegs for directional stability
6 D-Rings to secure seats for one or two person use
Three aluminum yokes for a rigid structure
Four side carry handles & bow handle
Front Spray Skirt
Sturdy Aluminum yokes support hull.
Wide beam hull design for stability

Review Date:

April 30, 2003

Sea Eagle 395ps PaddleSki - Product Review Criteria, Comments, Pictures & Score
Criteria	Comments	Pictures	Score (out of 10)
Initial Packaging & Shipping	Good secure shipping boxes and packaging, good anti-chafe pieces. 2 separate boxes 1 for boat, 1 for paddles & pump. They were shipped from across North America and arrived intact, still closed and undamaged!		10
Documentation and Instructions	Instructions for setting up boat were included although some instructions cover several models which could be confusing for inexperienced or new boaters. Warranty, return forms all included. Model brochures too. Instructions are also online as PDF files - a nice touch.		8
Assembly Readiness	Literally unfold, pump up, attach the seats and go! Very little assembly required. What there was, it was very easy.		10
Ease of assembly	Inflate two pontoons, 2 seats, install seats, assemble paddles and you're ready to go kayaking. Easy assembly.		10
Design	Unique catamaran design. Two air chambers 12 1/2" tube diameter that form a tunnel hull. Seating is up high so it leaves less "dry inside space" for gear storage, etc. Good design technically though. Optional storage bags help out with gear storage. Wide beams offers good stability. Can be a little wet in rough water. (Mouse-over the picture for a close-up of the hull shape)		8
Construction Quality	Cold gluing process used - not "thermobonded" like Zodiac and some other brands. Quadruple overlap seams are good for air retention assurance. 1000 denier thick PVC fabric. Common "Halkey Roberts" valves. An inspection found few if any unglued areas or delaminations. Overall constructions appears well done.		8
Features	Four carry handles, surprisingly comfortable seats considering their small size and how they attach to the kayak. All equipment, foot pump, repair kit, 2 kayak paddles. All necessary features of a kayak. Extra D-rings available to use as tie-down points for cargo. Be nice to get a storage bag in the base package.		9
Portability	Easily carried by two adults (or 1 adult and 2 kids). Has four side handles, fits in vehicle trunk un-inflated, or on roof racks or car or in truck inflated. May be awkward to carry it alone though, without dragging it.		9
Use Applicability	Good uses as per brochure, especially because of it's relatively light weight and portability. Exploring, fishing, sailing, casual paddling. Fishing might be a little uncomfortable due to the high up sitting position but certainly possible. Definitely a "fun exploring" recreational boat more than a "fishing" boat.		8
Performance	Good performance considering its "manually" powered. Good hydro dynamics and low friction because of less area touching water - due to the catamaran hull design. Allows it to be easily paddled by 1 or 2 people. Not as fast or sleek as fiberglass kayaks.		8
Stability	Very stable for a kayak considering its high center of gravity. Lots of buoyancy with these large diameter tubes. Wide beams offers added stability, especially over conventional kayaks. 2 air chambers give it added safety in case of puncture. I felt very safe on the ocean with a child onboard.		9
Maneuverability	Raised bow helps. Skegs at stern help too. Easily steered with paddles.		8
Durability	1000 Denier fabric makes it durable and strong. I dragged it over sand, rocky beach with no problems. Comes with repair kit just in case. Good large strong paddles. Seat fabric looked strong, good looking hardware and accessories. Generally appeared and acted pretty durable.		9
Accessories Usage	Seats are amazingly comfortable and supportive to the back. 4 carry handles for easy carrying. Aft 2 carry handles are in the way a little when paddling, could be moved back 8" - 12". Paddles connect in 2 different positions and quickly assemble. Several innovative options available - motor mount, sail rig. (neither were evaluated)		8
Options & Accessories	Several accessories, options and other needed equipment to make the boating experience fun, safe and user-friendly. (See their website for more info on these)		10
Price	Starts at $849 and goes up for other packages that include more options. Price is fair for a good inflatable kayak. Not the most or least expensive.		8
Warranty	30 Day On-Water Trial (full return if not satisfied after using) 3 Year Warranty Against Manufacturer's Defects (repair or no-charge replacement). 3 years is less than the normal 5 years of most manufacturers but they have a great "satisfaction" policy.		7
Subtotal Score (out of a possible 170 points):			147

Website	Great website with lots of product information and excellent special affects graphics to explain boats, components, and uses. Full product descriptions, features lists, etc. Purchase online - fully e-commerce secure.	10
Dealer/Service Network	Dealer/Service network established but small. But any inflatable dealer will repair any brand these days so maybe not such a big deal? Easy to buy online.	5
Customer Service	Toll free number, online service and support. Easy to contact, responsive and helpful. Free catalogue and material swatch mail-out service.	8
Subtotal Score (out of a possible 30 points):		23

Overall Conclusion	Very impressed by its ease of assembly, overall design, ease of paddling (solo or 2 people) and nice overall appearance. Is a fun kayak for easy paddling or rougher water too. (Note: I didn't test it in whitewater or in big surf) Wouldn't be great for fishing but would work. Comfortable to use and paddle, easy to carry/portage. Several innovative options to add for different applications. Good price, overall warranty and service from organization. (Mouse-over the picture for a close-up)
Buy Recommendation?	YES, I would buy this kayak.
Grand Total Score (out of a possible 200 points):		170