Well, sea eagle is rating that ducky/IK for up to class IV whitewater. Pretty apparent from the pictures and the marketing on the sea eagle website that the tips or ends of this “everything” boat are “rockered” (up out of the water). This means the boat can turn easily (necessary for whitewater) but it is harder to paddle straight . That is not to say you couldn’t learn. Technique required. Paddling solo I would definitely use a two bladed paddle. Tandem you could even use a combination, a kayak paddle and a canoe style paddle.
This type of IK/ducky will be a chore to paddle without current (wide boat with minimal glide with each stroke).
The boat will be easier to paddle straight if the seats are moved away from the ends of the boat and more toward the center but it will limit your leg room. Also make sure that your strokes are fairly vertical and parallel to to center of the boat. I own a very similar “ducky” to gnandanpai’s 380x, a saturn tandem that is now being marketed as an “expedition” boat as well.
Check the hull to see if the “keels” are deformed. You might also be over inflating one of the air chambers/bladders making the kayak twist to one side. My first kayak was a AE Advanced Frame and it would pull to one side if the bladder wasn’t well distributed in the hull, very infuriating issue.
The fin might help. I have a Sea Eagle 473rl tandem that I use with my kids. Usually I don’t use the fin because it makes it hard to turn a tandem by myself sitting on the back, but it does help with tracking. Just remember about the fin when paddling shallow water.
Have you tried contacting Sea Eagle?
My inflatable problem is weight distribution. When I get in the weight is to concentrated . The bow and stern rise up and I have a turning machine been with the skeg.
Yet the wife can get in the boat with the big dog and with the distribution the boat paddles well … well enough with the same weight.
The OP has some ethical as well as performance objections to the Sea Eagle and I think their decision to return it to the dealer is justifiable. With an interest in more natural materials and better performance, as well as needing a tandem that can be stored in an apartment, I‘ve offered some links to used older Klepper and Folbot folders, with the wood frames and canvas skins.
It’s a pool toy IMHO
Thanks @willowleaf for understanding and the detailed recommendations! I will definitely look into it!
You might try searching “modular kayaks”. There are a lot of choices including tandems and some are listed as touring models, although many are rec or fishing kayaks… These can be easily broken down into three or more parts for storage. The main tradeoff is weight as they are heavier than a one piece kayak. One company put together a 100 person kayak for the fun of it.
I have seen a couple of three piece fiberglass sit-in and SOT touring kayaks, but I don’t know who the manufacturer was. Other than that, no personal experience.
There are other companies that make folding kayaks now such as Oru and others. Again I have no experience with these.
The OP has stated a desire to get away from plastics. There are natural options in water craft.
If using any inflatable in calm waters, you need the skeg for proper tracking.
Don’t worry about the odor it soon goes away and the CA rules are just plain ridiculous. They label everything from Tiffany lamps to coffee as causing cancer.
The 300x is a tough kayak and has been used on white water for decades.
NOT a pool toy…One just has to know how to paddle it properly, and not expect exceptional flat water touring performance from what is, a whitewater inflatable kayak.
I used one from 2007 to 2013. Ran dozens of rocky Class 4 rivers with it…And having owned or used four other IKs, I can honestly say, I prefer PVC when it comes to such boats. California regs be damned.
–Here are some shots of the Sea Eagle 380x in action]()
Reply from Sea Eagle to me when I asked about materials used. Note that it is not just the lead, PVC itself is harmful to health.
Our inflatables are made of PVC, so there is some amount of lead in all of our boats, kayaks and SUPs as well as most accessories. As a requirement of California’s Prop 65 regulation, any product that has any amount of lead in it needs to have a warning label. All products made of plastic have some amount of lead in them. We have been making and selling inflatables since 1968 and have never had anyone report any ill effects from our products.
Are you using the skeg? This will assist in tracking. For kayaks of ours with improved tracking you may want to look at our FastTrack Series which features a rigid inflatable keel.
Doubt he’s running rapids.
I’m sure they’re not.
PVC is not recyclable. And it wouldn’t personally be my first choice in hull materials, we’re it not for the fact it has saved my bacon countless times (and the SE 380 x remained PUNCTURE FREE all the time I owned it.) When I gave the boat away to a friend who mistakenly left it rolled up and outdoors over the course of a couple harsh NE seasons, it resulted in its premature demise:Result: Boat came apart at welded seams. (But the PVC itself remained intact…I advised him to cut up what was left and re-purpose as roof patch.)
PS - I never used the SE 380’s skeg when rec paddling. To compensate for the wide beam flat hull and “yaw,” the drill is the same as for a canoe: Learn proper strokes to compensate and propel forward. Will one keep up with touring yaks/canoes? No.
Can you still paddle it reasonably and have fun on flat water? Yes.
Note to OP: Build a CLC boat. Mostly wood.
…wood, fiberglass and epoxy. However many are modular and store in smaller spaces. Except the OP doesn’t have a car either. Needs
To be equiped like Dubside. https://paddlingmag.com/stories/going-commando-kayaking-s-man-in-black/
