Epic Whitewater Kayaking on the Nantahala in the Sea Eagle Explorer

Kayaks in this video:
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[@rodbrown8306]

Great place for Sea Eagle to test their future Kayaks or modification upgrades to various models, that 380X seemed to handle the rapids really well with 2 persons. The smaller boat struggled a little handling water over the bow, whereas the 380 looked impressive in every sense.

[@KayakCliff]

You are absolutely right, Rod! That explorer is rocksolid in those rapids! Even with two people in the 380x! Kayaks in this video! - Best Inflatable Kayaks & Boats kayakcliff.com/favorite-inflatables

[@rodbrown8306]

@@KayakCliff Maybe a little riser to the hull under the bow and a little more upward angle to the bow as well, it's a great boat otherwise, but that 380 was scootin' away!...was an enjoyable video.

[@KayakCliff]

@rodbrown8306 Thanks 🙏

[@Yibambe.]

Glad you reconsidered the helmet - that was the smart way to go.

[@JeffreyKnox]

Correct! I am SO glad Kayak Cliff landed on "Flip, hit your head on a rock, and you're done." YES! I survived a blunt force trauma to my head in 2007 that left me comatose, with a 90% chance of dying every minute of every hour of every day for THIRTY-FIVE DAYS! (so on the order of roughly 50,000 minutes) Ever since I woke up (slowly), I've had double-vision, so I choose not to get my driver's license back, and I woke up with very few memories-- of ANYTHING. I didn't recognize my parents at first! And I lost my college education, so I lost my job as a computer programmer. CHANGED. MY. LIFE. Luckily, I had great insurance, so I sure didn’t have to pay my $800,000+ hospital bill, and I’ve never had a break in my income. To sum up, TBIs suck, insurance rules! (p.s. this had nothing to do with watersports; a drunk driver hit me when I was on foot, but a head injury is a head injury) (well actually, a head injury underwater seems like it would have a higher chance of a fatal outcome)

[@KayakCliff]

@JeffreyKnox Thanks Jeffrey for sharing your story, hope you are doing well and hope you continue to recover. Gods blessings to you!

[@rtilley6479]

Gives me great encouragement Cliff to step out of our flat water comfort zone & get more adventurous at 67 years & my wife at 59. May need to do some arm strengthening gym time first though. We are from western Texas & dont see rivers like that unless the rain comes through. Great video!

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Have fun out there, wherever you paddle, because it’s all great! Stay safe!

[@Joe-xq1nt]

Superb video! I really appreciate the additional info you give for the entire place, not just the float itself. Well done sir!

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting Joe! Take care and safe adventuring out there this summer!

[@mikeshuck2760]

Wife dog and I floated/ran The Klamath River above Happy Camp on our 380X. Great times!

[@KayakCliff]

That’s awesome! You can do a lot of things in those boats!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thats what Im talking about! And look! Min 19:02 shows my buddy Tony Eyl! @SouthernYak

[@KayakCliff]

Hey Pete! Thanks for watching and the comments! Glad I captured one of your friends, Lol! I look forward to meeting up with you sometime for a paddle. Safe adventuring out there River Kings!

[@davidjennings127]

That looks like soooo much fun.

[@KayakCliff]

Absolutely, I’m going to do more white water as the opportunities arise!

[@Deltro61]

You handled that run like a real pro! What a blast!

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks Troy!

[@Deltro61]

You are most welcome Cliff. Thanks so much for sharing your adventures. So fun to watch!

[@bennyblanko3]

If you come to Idaho and run class 3, and are a newbe - wear a helmet, have friends close by, and prepare to swim. Those ik's are pretty stable. Our class 3's are a lot longer, and can bounce you out of the boat before you know what happened. Also, get knee straps. They help a ton in whitewater.

[@KayakCliff]

Hey 👋 thank you for the tips! Hopefully one day I can get out to Idaho. I’m going to North Carolina again this summer and plan to do more white water rivers. With an outfitter and good instruction, of course!

[@allabouttires1941]

Thank you for a great video. Wife and I just started last year Kayaking on still water lol. We are looking for and inflatable Kayak that we can store in our camper.

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 there! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! You can’t go wrong with Sea Eagle inflatables. I used to have all hard shells, but the pakayak that breaks down or inflatables suit my lifestyle so much better. Plus, they store easier and are easy enough to take wherever I go, even if it’s flying there. Here’s all the Sea Eagle products that I use: Kayaks in this video! - Best Inflatable Kayaks & Boats kayakcliff.com/favorite-inflatables

[@bertsadventures9974]

Nice run, Cliff! I'll be down there later this summer. Can't wait!

[@KayakCliff]

Hey Bert! I hope all is well! When, or before, you are at the NOC, check in with Will Norris, he is a super sharp guy and would love to meet with you and be interviewed if you want or need any of that footage. Will’s email is [e-mail] 828-488-7288

[@hawaiiandan2764]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much Hawaiian Dan! Safe adventuring this summer!

[@TerryW5379]

That was fun!!

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks Terry!

[@Puddlefarts]

Going to Nantahala this weekend this was super informative thanks!!

[@KayakCliff]

Hey,👋 have a great time!

[@bradhoward3119]

Great job Cliff!

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks Brad! Thank you for watching and commenting. Safe adventuring out there!

[@jbnati2711]

Awesome video! I have both a 300x and a 380x and WNC is one of my favorite destinations. Definitely have to check out the NOC!! Thanks for the video and God Bless!!

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks for watching and commenting! God’s Blessings to you and your family as well!

[@LJ-jq8og]

Awesome video ❤️🙏 Totally agree with you on the helmet issue after seeing that last Class 3 part.

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting LJ!

[@brandonsunadventure]

Sweet kayaking vid! Absolutely leaning a few things from your content and thanks for sharing from your new friend 👍👍

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 BrandonSUN Adventure! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Safe adventuring out there!

[@aaronely4121]

Great video, The Nantahala is a fun River. Next time you will have to do some flat water on Lake Fontana and mountain bike the trails at Tsali. Glad to see you enjoyed the Nanty.

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks for watching and commenting Aaron! I just got back into mountain biking! I just filmed a review of my bike and I plan to start filming MTB adventure videos! Take care and safe adventuring out there!

[@reginaldwalton]

Great video, this confirms that the 300X is the one I want. I'm a beginner and won't be doing anything wild and crazy - mostly calm waters (hopefully). Will be ordering real soon.

[@KayakCliff]

That’s great Reginald! The Explorer line bit.ly/3phWOTp is literally the “do everything line of kayaks!” Below are two links for other adventure videos that I have done with the explorer. i’m getting ready to release another one sometime this week. Explorer Kayak - River & Whitewater: bit.ly/3phWOTp Adventure videos in the Explorer: Nantahala Epic Whitewater Paddle: kzbin.info/www/bejne/anTWfWxsp9FlsMk Texas Kayaking Brazos River: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooaWqZ-unZhooKs

[@gjv2008]

Just discovered your channel yesterday Cliff when I found your review of the FastTrack to be very helpful. Saw your new upload today and I'm hooked - really great video - and it's so helpful of you to include all those useful links!

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks for watching and commenting gjv2008! That FastTrack is a really nice boat. I did the review on it, but still need to pump out some adventure videos on the FastTrack. I have done a bunch of adventure related videos on the RazorLite 393RL, have you seen those? Here they are in case you are interested. . . 393RL Razorlite Kayak - Slow rivers & flat / open water, high performance: Sea Eagle website RazorLite page - bit.ly/3Enpq1z My review of the RazorLite - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXTTq2ydocRrhMU Adventure videos in the RazorLite: Earth Day Caddo Lake - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZayeKWMoLSssLc Weedon Island Mangrove Trails - kzbin.info/www/bejne/b52xpKdpbtWNqc0 Ft Worth Nature Center - kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWHMkp6Dhq2el6s Trinity River Elm Fork - kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWevk3ihe5yJqMU Silver Springs Florida - kzbin.info/www/bejne/immwi52got2Ab7s How to fold the RazorLite - kzbin.info/www/bejne/epfFoZKiopidfbs Safe adventuring out there this Summer!!!

[@gjv2008]

@@KayakCliff Thanks for the info Cliff! I have a Razorlite 393RL - got it last year but I'm looking for a 2 person alternative now so I can go out with my wife - I'm undecided between another kayak like the fasttrack or whether to hop on to the Paddleski 437ps instead as it looks amazing and would like to upgrade to an outboard rig like you had sometime in the future. I just have to make sure I make a decision before the summer is over!

[@KayakCliff]

If I can answer any other questions, please let me know! That paddle ski is a really nice boat, it is important though, to get what fits you and your wife best for your lifestyle and the type of boating and paddling that you want to do.

[@Obliticus]

Wow, some great times! The Sea Eagle Explorer's look like nice boats, however I wonder why on earth they put the air valves up front by your feet and the retainer loops sticking out? I'd be interested in the logic behind that decision :) Keep your paddle wet!

[@KayakCliff]

Hey 👋 - thank you so much for watching and commenting! I have not noticed any problems with the air valves upfront. I never gave them a second thought. If you are running white water without the fin, you could always turn the boat around 180°, since I think the boat would be pretty ambidextrous.

[@mattmx414]

My parents live a few miles down the road from where you put in. I’ve been along the river a ton. I need to rent a kayak now and run it next time I am up there.

[@KayakCliff]

You’ll have a blast mattmx414! What a great part of the country to visit! Safe adventuring out there!

[@LeeLee-wy2oi]

Great Video! This really helps as I am searching for my first all "terrain" inflatable kayak and actually seeing it on some Class 1, 2 and 3 is so much better than just talking about it. BTW, what is the music? Kick A** tunes!

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting Lee! All of the music that I get is copyright free and I get it from a subscription service called - www.artlist.io Safe adventuring out there!

[@gilfolsom5980]

Thanks for another great video! Any idea how the Fastrack 385 or 465 might have handled this river? Would love to see the Razorlite, Fastrack, and Explorer series in a direct comparison all in one video sometime!

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks for watching and commenting Gil! I think they classify the fast track up to category two. I would be concerned however with banging that inflatable keel upfront into a bunch of boulders if it is a shallow river. Performance wise, I think it would’ve held up on the class one and two, however that class three at the end might’ve done it in. The fast track has much smaller side pontoons, so the buoyancy and ability to withstand larger rapids is diminished. Hope yourself, safe adventuring out there!

[@elorarapids4221]

Great video. Quick questions for you. Did you use a tracking fin while on the river? If so, did you feel that it often bottomed out on the rocks causing issues? If not, did the 300x and 380x track well enough during the calmer flat water sections? Cheers.

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 Elora Rapids - When I’m paddling the 380x in calm, deeper water, I always use the skeg as it helps it track the best. That being said, If I’m paddling on rivers, creeks where it often gets very shallow, I remove the skeg. It’s ok if it scrapes every once and a while, but if it is quite often, I would remove it. Now, without the skeg, the 380X (or the 300X) will not track well at all. If you develop a consistent paddling stroke, it is totally possible to paddle straight, but it takes a little practice developing a very consistent cadence as you paddle consistently on each side. The extreme responsiveness of the Explorer when paddling without a skeg is what you need for paddling white water as you have the ability to maneuver your kayak in any direction quickly as you navigate obstacles in the river, all white water kayaks are like this. I don’t mind the extreme maneuverability when paddling shallow without the skeg, I just have to concentrate more on my stroke when doing this. Once the water is deep, I try to stop to put the skeg back in, if I will be in deep water for quite a while. Here’s a video of me paddling shallow water with no skeg on a calm river: Texas Kayaking Brazos River: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooaWqZ-unZhooKs

[@brianricketts1021]

Love your videos. I live in FL so I have watched most of your videos on the springs. What shoes are you wearing in this video? They look comfortable.

[@KayakCliff]

Hi BRIAN, thank you so much for watching and commenting! The shoes are Keen Uneek water shoes, yes, they are comfortable and they have held up for a very long time. I'm probably now in my fifth or sixth season with them. Footwear kayakcliff.com/footwear

[@brianricketts1021]

@@KayakCliff awesome! Thanks.

[@simply_the_dev7588]

Ugh so hot here in Austin TX, we have had like 100 or more everyday now. North Carolina looking good for outdoors. Here I can't breathe in the furnace outside.

[@KayakCliff]

I definitely hear you! I’ve lived up in Dallas for the last 30 years. This looks like it’s going to shape up to be one of the worst summers I’ve had since living here. Seems like the last 8 to 10 years it’s been milder over the summer.

[@simply_the_dev7588]

@@KayakCliff yea worse than 2011

[@classicarcadeamusementpark4242]

Looks like fun. I'll probably eventually try a basic level of white water. I'll make sure I either have a Sea Eagle Explorer or rent a kayak when I'm ready to try that. I wouldn't trust my 7 inflatables I currently have for white water, but they are great for the uses I bought them for. Do you know if REI or any other major chain stores stock white water helmets you can try for fitting? Seems like the kind of thing you need to know exactly your size, rather than something to purchase online. I've never been a store yet that stocks them since I've been into kayaking. We have an REI, Bass Pro and a few other stores in the general area that seem like they could carry them.

[@KayakCliff]

Hi Nate, great to hear from you! I would just measure the circumference of my head and order it online. A lot easier that way! Stay safe and have fun out there!

[@mariannekiss2991]

I've got the 300x. So far, I've only taken it on lakes, but that looks like fun! And, it is within driving distance from my home. I am 54, and pretty new to this- would you recommend giving it a try?

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 Marianne! Well, last time I did something like that was when I was about 12 years old. I am 56 now and was able to do it with no problem. If you have a decent paddle stroke, it’s no problem at all. They list it as a river for all paddling levels. You can always bypass the class three rapid at the very end if you’re not comfortable. Good luck, give it a try, you’ll love it!

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

Welcome to the Hills .. Hope you get to run lots of Rivers

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting Stephen!

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

@@KayakCliff I live in Radford Virginia by the New River .. some real spectacular class 1&2 runs .. it’s quite the contrary river .. millions of years and still flowing north .. But thanks for sharing this run of the Nantahala …Austinsville Va is the birthplace of Stephen F Austin .. it’s right down the road .. Happy Kayaking

[@KayakCliff]

Boy that sounds like a great place where you live. I did a video on the headwaters of the new river in North Carolina, I would like to paddle it in your area of the country and also into West Virginia. Safe adventuring out there! Interesting, and cool to know that one of the fathers of my state, Texas, was born up your area!

[@bobrich1950]

Anyone ever tell you you could be Al Linder's brother. Uncanny resemblence. lol

[@KayakCliff]

That’s too funny! Did not know of him. I googled him and I guess I see some resemblance… Lol. Thanks for sharing and have a great week!

[@wmiller6505]

I have the 300X. Did you have your removable skeg on for this run? I'm wondering how easy it would be to damage it in a shallow draft situation or hitting a rock, etc..

[@KayakCliff]

Hi @wmiller6505 - I was not using the rear skeg. For whitewater, you need the maximum amount of maneuverability when getting around rocks and finding the right path. So, therefore the skeg is not needed. Using it for tracking on flatwater is best. Safe adventuring out there!

[@riz1a1]

Awesome Video ! Is there a link to the water shoes that your wearing ? Brand or style ?

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 There! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Here is the link for the KEEN water sandals that I use. Absolutely love these shoes! amzn.to/3FGlVHv

[@riz1a1]

@@KayakCliff Thank you 👍

[@theoutdoordad7395]

nice video, were you running the river with the fins installed?

[@KayakCliff]

No, with this boat, running whitewater is best without the fins. You have the ability to maneuver much better and respond to quick course changes without the fins. Hope this helps, safe adventuring out there!

[@theoutdoordad7395]

@@KayakCliff thought so, thanks!

[@kdogg7882]

The walk back to the car must be a long one

[@KayakCliff]

No, I parked the car at the end point and took their shuttle bus to the beginning point. When we finished paddling our car was right there. Really cool experience!

[@Taematoe]

My 300x always has standing water in it. All the drain plugs open and the caps tucked. At least 1 inch above the floor. I've done 6 hours on the water with it so far up to class 3. I'm 230 so I'm under the recommended weight. All pumped up to spec and the floor is in the correct position. My two friends I paddle with both ride Aire boats and don't have that problem. I even had my buddy that is 40lbs less try it and it was the same. Wish I had a way to fix it. It makes it hard to maneuver through technical rapids. How has your boat held up?

[@KayakCliff]

Hi there! I don’t know that I have anything to compare it to. I have only done major white water in my explorer once. I plan to do much more in the future! When I was paddling with all of the drain plugs open, there was always water in the bottom. However, most of it bailed out. I was in the 300 X. I had a couple in the 380x with me and they had the same experiences. You will never get all of the water out, that has been my experience. But, I did not notice it affecting the performance of the boat at all.

[@sqeakgeek]

Surprised not to see a BETTER spray guard on the front of the the boat I have the cheapest Sea eagle & mine has one that does not let in any water except pushing through 3 ft waves :(

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 Terry - The design that you have on your kayak does block water intrusion, however it raises the bow & side heights of the boat significantly and becomes a much bigger problem in windy conditions. Sea Eagle opted to keep it low profile and high-performance, with the ability to quickly and efficiently drain water out through the 12 or 16 integrated drain plugs. Unbelievable boat in my opinion!

[@sqeakgeek]

works well in waves at Ft. Cronkite 6 to 8 ft with wetsuit then no seat kneeling surf super fun!!!

[@contactusece7769]

How do these guys get back up river to their cars🤷‍♂️

[@KayakCliff]

The Nantahala Outdoor Center will shuttle you up to the beginning at the put in and then you float down to where your car is at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. I covered this in the video and more information is in the description box as well.

[@davidn.331]

If you were in a closed cockpit with sprayskirt you would definitely want a helmet.

[@KayakCliff]

Totally agree! I’ve watched those guys, they’re always rolling etc, it’s part of the experience. Many more chances to bump your head! Kayaks in this video! - Best Inflatable Kayaks & Boats kayakcliff.com/favorite-inflatables