A Canoe That Fits In Your Trunk!? | Sea Eagle Travel Canoe Review

One of the biggest challenges with canoes is transporting them and storing them. Sea Eagle has solved this problem with a full-size, 16-foot inflatable canoe that fits in the trunk of a car! The question is, how well does it actually work as a canoe, and is it worth the price?
How to buy the Sea Eagle Travel Canoe: bit.ly/43a7LqK
Use code 'PaddleTV15' to get 15% of your next purchase at Outdoorplay - bit.ly/41iqxMu
Gear I have tested and recommend:
Paddles:
Aqua Bound Manta Ray Carbon 2-piece (rec/touring) bit.ly/43KLWQb
Aqua Bound Manta Ray Hybrid 2-piece (Rec/Touring bit.ly/41VdlND
Aqua Bound Shred (whitewater) bit.ly/3L9h04E
PFDs:
NRS Chinook PFD (fishing) bit.ly/3AaGAzS
NRS Zen PFD (whitewater) bit.ly/3odrMxK
NRS Odyssey PFD (Touring and Rec) bit.ly/41yCpK0
Dry Gear / Layers:
NRS Flux Dry Top bit.ly/41EvCyC
NRS Riptide Splash Jacket bit.ly/3L9awmd
NRS Axiom Dry Suit bit.ly/3A6RdUj
Shirts:
NRS Silkweight Long-Sleeve Shirt - Mens bit.ly/3KOMegb
NRS Guide Short Sleeve Shirt bit.ly/41jskkf
Pants:
NRS Benny Board Shorts bit.ly/41fyAtm
Footwear:
NRS Boundary Boot: bit.ly/3Lb8Clo
NRS Kicker Wetshoe: bit.ly/3H6Sjna
NRS Paddle Wetshoe: bit.ly/3V3cYhx
Astral PFD Sandal bit.ly/41EiFVc
Sunglasses: Wiley X Outdoor Sun Glasses bit.ly/3NtJQKR
Other Paddling Gear:
NRS WRSI Current Helmet bit.ly/3L90rpz
NRS Drylander Shock Cord Sprayskirt bit.ly/41g8C9l
Surf Ears Ear Plugs bit.ly/3AbMl1y
GoPro Hero 11 Black amzn.to/3ZWVXHN
Rapid Pure Purifier amzn.to/3iuIo1C
Zoleo Satellite Communicator amzn.to/3kv0hOt
NOTE: These are affiliate links in which I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you, but it is a great way to show your support.
Special thanks to my Global Partners for supporting my mission of helping get people on the water and creating life-long outdoor participants.
Outdoorplay: www.outdoorplay.com/
NRS: www.nrs.com/
Wiley X: www.wileyx.com/
Check out our full Paddling Gear Guide here: in4adventure.com/paddling-buy...
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY and subscribe to our NEW Blog, in4adventure.com!
FOLLOW ME
Facebook: / gopaddle
Instagram: / paddle365
Twitter: / gopaddle
Blog: in4adventure.com
Produced By Heliconia Productions: www.heliconia.ca/
Become a partner: www.heliconia.ca/schedule-a-c...
Submit your gear for review: in4adventure.com/gear-review-...

[@thetenaciouslife]

I have one of these and love it. We’ve used it on lakes and rivers. The best part is that you can take it on a trip when you’re not sure if you’ll have an opportunity to get out on the water. It’s not the same commitment as strapping a boat to your roof, giving up gas mileage and worrying about theft.

[@DenKwonDo]

The drain holes are also for whitewater use, as Sea Eagle rates it up to class 4 Rapids.

[@petertamasboda511]

This is a dream boat! 👍👏

[@breakbystealth]

Very complete and helpful video. I have an AM memba and I'm looking to upgrade as the drying is a pain. Was thinking of the Ottawa but I'm 6.5 and have heard that they are not great for tall people.

[@mickhill7067]

Great videos, keep up the great work 👍

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks 👍

[@CampfireKodiak]

It would be nice to see how well this performs on rivers and how durable it is on rocks.

[@joeschmuckatelli3198]

Can you show us the video on deflation and storage?... Nothing ever goes back into the box the same so I would like to see how easy this is to deflate and pack back into a vehicle. Please.

[@thomasmaher6542]

I have the Aqua Marina Tomahawk Air-C, it’s identical to this with the non-slip floor which adds further protection. I have the one with the seats on the floor (instead of the new 2023 version which has raised plank seats), which I prefer due to the lower centre of gravity. I saw your review of the 2 man kayak version of the Aqua Marina before buying the 3-man canoe and was really impressed. Someone below said the Aqua Marina is a knock off of the Sea Eagle (not sure what facts that was based on) but from a bit of research - all these drop-stitch boats appear to be coming from the same manufacturer in China but with a different tag on it. The Aqua Marina isn’t cheap at £700+ excluding equipment, but compared to the sea eagle which is currently retailing at £2,295.00 in the UK; it’s a no-brainer to go with the Tomahawk, as it doesn’t appear when watching this review noting the identical handling and specs the Sea eagle is worth a further £1,600.00. Thank you for your reviews, they have really helped when it came down to finally buying my first inflatable boat 😃👍🏼

[@jeffpoirier2818]

Hi Ken, I'm curious to know if you ever try à Point 65 modularité Kayak? I find thé idea great but found not à lot of reviews. Thanks.

[@rene20]

Great video's but why has the in between music always have to be SO LOUD ?

[@leigarcia8856]

Ughh I have the older one with inflatable seat😢 wished I waited for the wooden one.. is it better? I'm waiting for my bixpy k1 motor for it too.. have u tried riding it with the bixpy?

[@lennylink8772]

Looks great. But a canoe that floats high after you flipped it will be blown away by the wind... quickly that's why most canoes float at the surface when flipped, so you still have your boat.

[@lennylink8772]

It's all a tradeoff though. Lots of benefits

[@WildEddieProductions]

I’ve got Aquamarina Tomahawk Air-C, a drop stitch inflatable canoe :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/gX3QiauXmdWHqrM kzbin.info/www/bejne/anrIYqulmbqHgck Pretty much similar specs to Sea Eagle Travel Canoe, except it has non-traditional seats with back rests. The back rests have cup holders and a pocket which are kind of nice. I also found ITIWIT by Decathlon has very similar drop stitch inflatable canoe with traditional style seats. Their replaceable skeg/fin situations are quite different. Sea Eagle has one in the stern, Aquamarina Tomahawk has two seems-to-be bigger skegs, and ITIWIT canoe has none. I think skegs play big on inflatable watercrafts. Aquamarina Tomahawk Air-C’s skeg box is compatible to their blue drive motor, and the canoe is significantly cheaper. So, it’s a portable motorizable canoe that is cheaper… I love being a big cheater lol. Still quite bulky to handle by oneself. It sure is a renaissance of portable watercraft tho!

[@waynebrissette9459]

Seems the only North American distributor is in Toronto. that kind of limits the NA market. :(

[@WildEddieProductions]

@@waynebrissette9459 maybe AliExpress??

[@michaelrobinson2650]

The Tomahawk is a Chinese knock off of the Sea Eagle 493rl tandem kayak, a totally different product than the canoe in this video.

[@thomasmaher6542]

@@michaelrobinson2650I’m with this main comment on this. Don’t knock the Tomahawk until you’ve seen/tried it. Plus all of these drop stitch kayak/canoes etc are made in Asia, dig a bit deeper and this canoe isn’t made in NY/Long Island it’s Asia as well. It’s practically the same boat and the new tomahawk has gone with the more traditional canoe seats, which I’ve avoided as I find them uncomfortable and reduces stability due to the centre of gravity. Sit lower down in comfort and enjoy a longer paddle ride👌🏼

[@mikewyd53]

Please do a review of Ally canoes from Bergans of Norway

[@lennylink8772]

Yes, and the paccanoe!

[@boutthere3374]

I have to admit it looks impressive. Watching you moving it around its looks very stiff and I'm sure the 10psi is the key there. If out on the water all day do you have to worry about pressure build up from the heat of the sun? Would love to see a solo re-entry. How easy would a air leak be to repair? I've had all sorts of critters chew holes in a lot of my gear over the years and I wonder if this would be an issue with the canoe. This may sound crazy but my first thought is pulling this boat up on shore and string a tarp over the boat and just sleep in it like a tent.....looks ideal. If the long term durability is proven then the price seems fair and it looks like a winner.

[@erichpryde5309]

Sea Eagle shipped mine to me with a repair kit. I've taken the boat out dozens of times and have yet to use it!

[@bluegreenworld333]

Still, how easy is it to fix?

[@prayfornathannatureshow]

Love this canoe! A friend had one at Palmer Rapids and what a blast it was paddling it. I would definetly consider it for whitewater as it has quite a few advantages. He even put his whole family of 4 in it and ran the lower section and they had a blast

[@PaddleTV]

That's awesome! It would definitely be a good boat for Palmer!

[@findood8491]

My inflatable kayak's valves look the same, I wonder if same one chinese factory is making all the different inflatable boatsfor 100's of different brands.

[@PaddleTV]

There are about 2 main types of valves for inflatables. Pretty much every kayak company uses one of the two. I love that there is consistency!

[@bennyblanko3]

Actually, there are several other inflatable canoes, and close in the price range. I think Aire (real wide and heavy, even has motor mount, all different seat mounts, etc) still makes one. Sotar's used to be popular here in Idaho, mostly for running class 3 whitewater, and they are super solid boats. But, they are all 3-5 psi. The thing that makes this canoe unique is the drop stitch floor and sides, combined with the plastic nose and tail. Just watching you paddle solo, it looks like you are paddling a sup. The same side to side until the rear fin catches up. A front fin, though strange, might be a decent idea on this boat. And, NRS sells the box, and glue, and fin (a small one and a big one). You could pop it in for a lake float where tracking is most important. And then take it out for a moving water with a little whitewater. I'm not current on Sea Eagle, but if they have a sail rig and way to do the rudder, that thing would be awesome as a sailing canoe, with a big drop down lee board. I have a bunch of canoes and duckies, but also have a sail rig folbot, which is amazing. If you can attach a sail to those skinny aluminum tubes, you could easily add one to the drop-stitch sides, and glue a little cup on the floor to hold the mast bottom (step). Sailing them is so cool, because you cover a lot of ground, and it is super lazy ... heh heh ... and quiet. You can get a sunburn doing it though, so be careful!!!

[@PaddleTV]

All great points! Sea Eagle does have a sail rig too. Hmmmm. :)

[@erichpryde5309]

Benny, I own this exact boat and regularly solo paddle without the keel from either mid or from the bow turned around. It doesn't need to paddle like a SUP. Great boat.

[@bennyblanko3]

@@erichpryde5309 I believe it is a great boat. I've never paddled one, but it looks real good. There was a used one for sale near me - but I have 3 other hard canoes, and a crap load of kayaks, including some inflatables - so no more boats for me ... well ... you know ... heh heh ...

[@erichpryde5309]

@bennyblanko3 no reason to add another boat when you have so many and you already have the transportation set up. In my case, I came from rigid boats but don't have any space to store such a thing now. This does great and meets my needs.

[@TheSummer750]

Wonder how challenging a self-rescue would be, the true test.

[@bluegreenworld333]

Yes indeed

[@lennylink8772]

I would guess extremely challenging... unless there is zero wind. The boat floats high and will be blown away.

[@blackoak4978]

Aside from the raised seat, how is this different from the Aqua marina tomahawk 3 seater?

[@blackoak4978]

Yeah, aside from the seat I'm struggling to see the difference between this and the AQUA MARINA TOMAHAWK HIGH PRESSURE KAYAK 3-PERSON, except that this one is 10lbs heavier, has different seats and charges $1800US where the Aquamarina is less than $1800CND(over 30% cheaper)

[@PaddleTV]

Yes, they are very similar. There are a couple of key differences... The AquaMarina has a max capacity of 570 lbs vs the Sea Eagles's 910 lbs. With two adults and all your canoe camping gear, many people will be very close to the AquaMarina capacity. The Sea Eagle has traditional canoe seats. Not only are they really nice, but they have the added benefit of allowing you to kneel in the canoe (like normal canoes), which gives you a LOT more control and stability. This is key for the Sea Eagle when conditions get choppy, but also because the Sea Eagle is rated to deal with whitewater up to Class 4, which the AquaMarina definitely isn't. This says something about the build quality too, which is reflected by Sea Eagle's 3-year warranty, vs Aqua Marina's 1 year warranty. Bottom line... very similar products, but there are real reasons for the increase in price for the Sea Eagle. The question is, are those reasons important to you?

[@Wings_of_foam]

Please fix the volume when it comes to the music. It's way too loud.

[@peterkitchener8787]

You don't really see this type of canoe in the UK. It mite be fun trying one out !!!

[@bluegreenworld333]

They are definitely more available but I'm watching cautiously because I have seen a dropstitch floor bust under pressure and don't think these will last in rapids etc, the future will tell

[@peterkitchener8787]

@@bluegreenworld333 The sea eagles can only be compared to red paddle boards in the UK. There not cheap but well made. I've never heard of a drop stitch floor failing yet. In the UK these canoes aren't that common and remember looking for one in the UK and didn't find this model for sale. Looks like they're being imported now. I feel for £2400 there better and cheaper options out there right now. Take a look at the Razorlite from sea eagel, its about £1000 less to buy and there not much difference between them. See Kens vid on it.

[@lorrainedawson1578]

Beauty

[@bluegreenworld333]

Hmm I'm not a fan because in 5 years I think these may possibly be found in landfill, I am being thoughtful here, I inherited a pvc tubed advanced elements tandem ae1004 kayak, it's about 18 years old and nearly perfect and pretty stable AND highly fixable. Just heavy ish at 28kg .So I bought a single Advanced Elements with a dropstitch floor second hand and am attempting to reseal it as the floor only (£180 uk) burst open and it looks unlikely to be possible to fix at 4psi. The kayak itself is fine with yoga mats. Sea Eagle have great reviews, but check back in 5 years for mother nature's sake.

[@Unnaturalfly]

Dam I was going to upgrade to a small inflatable boat but not I kinda want this canoe 😅

[@PaddleTV]

Ha! Sorry.

[@tonyg3091]

I am sorry but on portability: Swift Prospector is a 20lbs lighter than this boat and no, strapping it onto a vehicle is not difficult at all.

[@TPITEOTG]

I had three Sea Eagle inflatables. I used 385ft FastTrack about 15 times in 9 years and it started leaking at seams with no reason. After big research I found, that if anything starts leaking at seams, it is not repairable: glues deteriorate over time and lose quality. That's why you can buy shoes with 90%+ discount after 2-3 years of shelf life. So, I tried to open seams by hands... so true! It was very easy, I felt that there was no glue. BTW, Sea Eagle also suggested me to get rid of the hull, they told that "seams leaking are not repairable", but they didn't explain "why". They generously offered me to buy new hull (just a hull) with big discount. After learning that, I got rid of two other boats too, too risky. I bought feather-light 13kg Swift Prospector 14' canoe instead, 650Lb capacity, compare with FastTrack hull weighting 16kg! So... you may try to find old reviews at Amazon for FastTrack, one person saying that he kept his in a basement, dry and flat, and he had same issue. And yes, we didn't inflate it under sun on the hot concrete. If "inflatable" company resolves such issue by using different glue/technology, they should disclose it. Otherwise... all is done by the same manufactures in big country oversea, different brands coming from same factory. In theory, using electric pump, it will take 10 minutes to assemble; but in practice, it was taking more than an hour: attaching fin, properly adjusting seats(!!!), going back-and-forth to your car, and (I had catamaran with sail too! and motor-mount boat) - if you are "hungry" - even more time, and you will get really exhausted... I made mistake once and instantly tipped over in this indestructible FastTrack, because I was in a rush... mounted too much on it... For example, I had mounts for light motor for FastTrack. Compare with lightweight Carbon canoe... ten-fifteen minutes, and I am on the water with canoe, backpack, paddles, and even fishing rods mounted. I loved paddling more than electric motor. If I don't have space, and car is small, I'll definitely buy inflatable; just be aware, don't go far from shore. In fact, I started learning paddle-boarding last year, which is inflatable.

[@cameranmanner4701]

you are talking about the cheaper drop stitched or soft vinyl crafts. The more expensive models are heat welded where the 2 materials are fused together. I'm not sure where you got a hour to inflate this canoe. I'm suspect this can be inflated in 10 min as there are 3 independent chambers and it does take time to stop and move to the next valve. But while it's inflating you can prep other things like pack gear, put on life jacket, etc... An hour is way off in my mind. Since you have a paddleboard you can hand pump that in 8mins and faster with a good electric pump.

[@TPITEOTG]

​@@cameranmanner4701 - not, I am talking about their top product at the time of buying, and it is still on the market. 385ft FastTrack hull only was priced above USD $1000, and cheapest package (with aluminium paddles) is $1600. 385ft FastTrack uses the same "1100 Decitex Reinforced" as reviewed "Travel Canoe", and even better *Quadruple* Overlapped seams. (and I didn't notice anything "quadruple" after it broke!) Also, I didn't write "an hour to inflate" as you mention; this is what I wrote: "it will take 10 minutes to assemble; but in practice, it was taking more than an hour". Assembling it (attaching expensive $100-each "Tall Back" seats, and etc.) takes more than an hour even if you use electric pump. You don't want to get into water with seat sliding inconveniently. So, unpack stuff (10 minutes), inflate (5-10 minutes), attach seats (10 minutes), assemble wheels (if you have heavy fishing package... pack everything into canoe in advance), pack stuff back into car (and so on; BTW, seats of such kayaks are very inconvenient... so that I used fishing package, with aluminium pedestal and excellent swivel seat on it, it saved assembly time, but it is huge and your "walking" time increases; and it makes you feel not so stable (seat position is higher). So... "too heavy". But with 13kg carbon fusion 14" canoe it is easier, backpack + canoe + paddle + fishing rod and I don't need wheels nor swivel seat. 10 minutes after car stops, and I am ready to walk to the lake, and I don't need to return back to the car. Try to find some old reviews at Amazon for this model... using Google search; Amazon search won't show products which are not available. If seams leak... it means glue quality is not good / or storage area had chemical flumes which interacted with glues / or simply, glues have their "time-to-live" and SeaEagle had to let us know this in advance: *Discard the hull after 8 years even if you don't use it!* 385ft FastTrack: "SEAM Quadruple Overlapped MATERIAL 1100 Decitex Reinforced FLOOR Removable High Pressure Drop Stitch Floor WHITEWATER RATING Suitable up to Class II"

[@crewagnew3747]

​@@cameranmanner4701yeah, i have the TC 16, first set up took me awhile cause installing the seats was a little difficult, but now i can inflate them with a hand pump, install seats, and be in the water in about 15 min.

[@legendary548]

damn

[@tdaisy55]

Here's what it's like after 6 months of use - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWmboWeHg5V9rdk

[@jimkarban6489]

Do you really think that people want to get blasted with loud obnoxious music when they're trying to take in information?

[@amorimontagnus2042]

What a joke, if you don't get a proper canoe you don't deserve to paddle. How ridiculous and good luck folding that thing back up again. Get yourself a paddle boat.

[@PaddleTV]

Actually, the truth is that people with this type of elitist attitude don't deserve to paddle. Thank you for being a shining example of what we don't want our sport to look like.

[@amorimontagnus2042]

@@PaddleTV Oh wait... make sure you use that kayak paddle also. I'm not elitist, there is just the right equipment for the activity at hand.

[@PaddleTV]

Not sure what you mean about using that kayak paddle... I guess we can agree to disagree on all the above. I think this boat is awesome.

[@JariAalto]

You really have no clue about different storage requirements, ease of transport in cars or lending gear to relatives without much worry. There are more people interested in paddling and these inventions make the sport more accessible without a hard core commitment.

[@erichpryde5309]

Amortfiedantagonist2042, it's actually really easy to fold back up (I admit it took me a couple attempts to get the technique down). Once most of the air is out you start Folding It Up from the stern end with the air valves open after flattening it, applying your body's weight as you go. That gets the majority of the air back out and then you put the valve caps back in Loosely, unfold at once or twice, and then fold from the other side and put it in the bag. Once you get the technique down, 5 minutes and I'm done.