Sea Eagle TC16 Inflatable Canoe and our Roadtrek

We finally solved the Van/Canoe conundrum. The older Roadtreks can't support a roof rack and the height makes it impractical anyway. We hate traveling without our canoe or kayaks! The Sea Eagle TC16 inflatable canoe solves the issue with a few downsides. I've also changed up the annoying pin and ring seat hardware with a hack from a sailboat rigging catalog.
Instagram: OldManofNewEngland

[@loin897]

great showcase of the tc16. I have the older generation with blow up seats. I do enjoy them as I like the stability... totally hear you about the tear down/clean up required... the packability is the # 1 reason for me..was 3 yrs ago and still true now...

[@karenpeterson1028]

Love this! Feel like I'm out on the water with you!

[@karilentz5000]

How suitable would this be for portaging through some lakes in a place like the Minnesota Boundary Waters?

[@OldManofNewEngland]

Hi Kari - it’s 65 lbs which is no heavier than a typical all sound “prospector” style plastic or fiberglass canoe. However, most boundary water outfitters rent super lightweight boats like the Wenonah Minnesota II. A short portage with a partner plus gear wouldn’t be too bad. If the TC16 is your only option, it’s certainly doable.

[@davidsherwin5672]

Can you please provide more information about your sailboat rigging hack?

[@OldManofNewEngland]

David, check out this video I did where I go into it in detail. There's also a link to the pins in the description of the below video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWmboWeHg5V9rdk

[@lizdc1]

Do you have a link for the changed out pins? I did go ahead and order a canoe to use with my Winnebago Solis PX. Thanks for the great info on the boat.

[@OldManofNewEngland]

Hi Lizdc1 - here’s where you can find them. www.e-rigging.com/5-16-Stainless-Steel-Spring-Loaded-Quick-Release-Pin

[@IMP3TIGO]

@@OldManofNewEnglandthanks for the link! do you need 4 per seat? 5/16" size?

[@MatthieuLoriol]

Hi! Can you please share the dimension of the replacement pins you used? Thanks!

[@OldManofNewEngland]

Hi Matthew - the dimensions may be at this link: e-rigging.com/products/stainless-spring-loaded-quick-release-pins?variant=39964253651017

[@n8goulet]

Which lake was that? While the TC16 canoe looks decent, it looks way more tipsy than my Sea Eagle Paddleski in your video. I would think sitting up higher in those traditional canoe seats would make the center of gravity even more tipsy than sitting lower if a large boat wake or ocean wave were to hit. No back support either. Those seats don't look real comfortable to me. Is sitting up higher better for paddling performance? I think the TC16 offers even more room than the Paddleski but it still has plenty of room for 2 people and gear and I've had 3 adults on mine (a bit crowded). Maybe the extra room is desired by some for fishing gear? I'm wondering what the paddling performance difference might be? I never thought of canoes as fast vs kayaks, though Paddleski is a hybrid boat and not real fast vs a hard shell kayak but paddles fine in calm water. The TC16 can handle decent white water. That's something my boat can't past level II, but I doubt I'd ever exceed that. After 425+ trips, I haven't tried any kind of white what yet, but some love it. The TC16 was considerably more expensive than the Paddleski, current prices start at $1850. The Paddleski sold for about $1199 but has been off the market for a year. It will return in 2021 with a slight re-design as I was give a photo of the prototype. Rumor has it July or Oct release. I'm unsure if the price will be higher than it used to be. When you consider the Paddleski can take a decent gasoline or equivalent motor, full sail rig, is more stable and costs less money, what is the attraction to the TC16 over it? I'm assuming, the little bit of extra room? Better white water ability? Is paddling performance better (I'm very unsure on this one)?. Maybe the biggest attraction as some people are just used to using a canoe vs a kayak with canoe paddles? It just seems to me you give up a lot of options, have less stability, and pay more money for the TC16. The Paddleski is also less complicated to pack up, and don't require the more expensive 2 stage electric pump (for those of us using electric pumps). I'm curious if anyone has tried both of these two Sea Eagle boats and compared them against each other, noting reasons why one would prefer one model over the other? I have a giant 1960s or 50s aluminum Grumm canoe we're had since the late 70s. It's a tank. Hasn't been used in decades. No interest in it when I have my Sea Eagle that does so much more and is a sinch to transport.

[@OldManofNewEngland]

Seating position is similar to a traditional canoe. It’s just right for my style of canoeing. The initial stability seems to be low, but secondary stability is high due to the flat bottom. I own and use kayaks as well (not inflatable) for the ocean. My personal preference, though, is the canoe. I’ve spent years learning the various strokes and have simply grown to love canoeing. We were paddling Pontanipo Pond in Brookline, NH.

[@n8goulet]

@@OldManofNewEngland So perhaps the greatest attraction for some is in the actual paddling of a canoe vs paddling a kayak. And as you said, that would be personal preference. I grew up with John boats, so it was rowing backwards as a kid. When I was around 11, we got a Grumman canoe (heaviest one you would imagine!). I got pretty good at paddling it, and when I was in the boy scouts, our canoe was so far ahead in the race, we decided to sink it just before the finish line so we'd loose. LOL. In the past decade, I got into kayak. Of the 3 methods of paddling, I by far prefer using a kayak paddle. My preference. Rowing was fine, but I hated sitting backwards! Using the canoe paddle was fine, but I like the idea of one paddle that evenly goes back and fourth on my side of the boat. A canoe would probably be too heavy or wide to do that. The Paddleski offers this in an inflatable to me, is even more stable than the world's most stable canoe I've seen, plus it can take a gasoline motor or my equivalent Torqeedo lithium, and a full sail sail rig. And it costs significantly less tha the TC16 too. Or did when last offered. We'll see when the new model Paddleski comes out soon if the price has gone up or not.