Inflatable Kayak Blog

The folks at Sea Eagle claim to make some tough products and they back up their bravado with their testing procedures and video results. If you haven’t yet seen the video of one of their employees banging the claw end of a hammer into the 1000 denier material they use on the Explorer and Fast Track inflatable kayaks, as well as their Sport Runabout inflatable boats and FoldCat (structural) and 285fpb (frameless) pontoon boats, take a look at this …..

The latest “testing’ video I spotted shows how much abuse can be administered to the skeg that fits on the Fast Track 385ft inflatable kayak. The same skeg is used on the larger 465ft Fast Track as well. This is pretty impressive ….

It’s hard to argue with the video evidence that Sea Eagle has a really tough product. I guess that’s why they can back up everything they make with a 3 year warranty.

At PortableKayaks.com we have always tried to make it easy for customers to compare the specs of all of the boats we sell … inflatable kayaks, fishing boats, pontoons, float tubes and folding kayaks. Our Product Comparison Charts break down the width, length, carrying weight, weight capacity, material specifications, assembly time and other important specs that you can use to decide which craft is right for you. Each of the model numbers link to the appropriate product page for the complete product descriptions, which also makes it easy to review the kayaks or boats on your wish list.

Recently, our inflatable boat review page has been completely re-designed. We’ve updated the charts with additional information and changed the layout of the comparison charts to make them much easier to read and navigate.

If you’re in the process of reviewing inflatable kayaks, folding kayaks, portable fishing boats, pontoons or float tubes, check out the Product Comparison Charts at PortableKayaks.com.

Space – Today for many of us space is in short supply. Our “Space” is what will fit in the garage and what we can make room for in the car.

I currently live in a one bedroom apartment with very little storage space. My boat lives in my parents garage, a fact that my mother has been known to remind me of with annoying regularity. I dread that certain tone that comes into her voice when she decides to raise the topic of how much room I have taken up in her garage with my boat. It would be wonderful to be able to enjoy my boat here in California and give my parents back their space, but with a wooden boat that will not happen.

It’s Springtime. The weather is warm, the fish are swimming, and I’m longing to get out on the lake with my rod and reel. Fishing is a call to the water, the wind, the sun, and even the rain. But as you recall, my tried and true companion is back in New Jersey in my mom’s garage.

After lamenting to my best friend about my situation, he asked if I’d ever considered an inflatable boat. “Inflatable boat? Isn’t that designation reserved for life rafts?” I asked. My part adventurer, part professor pal proceeded to educate me on the features and benefits of Inflatable boats.

Inflatable Boats offer their owners:
- Easier transportation ( They do not require a trailer)
- During the off season there is no need for a boat cover
- Inflatable fishing boats save space (In the garage, storage unit, car)
- Smaller boats can easily be carried by a single person before (and often, after) inflation
- Inflation time and weight varies from boat to boat
- Inflatable boats can carry several adults, work well with fairly large gas outboard motors, and some can be used for up to class three white water

For me the biggest issues with my current boat are Transportation and Space. Transportation because my boat is currently residing in New Jersey while I live clear across the country in California. Space, because the available storage in my apartment is minimal both inside and out.

My vacations no longer involved traveling with my boat. They require traveling thousands of miles TO my boat. In my move across the country, finances made involving a boat trailer impossible.

After talking to my best bud, it seemed like I’d found my spring fever reliever. Inflatables offer benefits that make them, in my opinion, a perfect fit for our modern lives. An inflatable fishing boat meets all of the needs of the owner with none of the downsides you can have with their wooden or metal) counterparts. I could get back to the luxury of a boat that I can enjoy with less expense, greater ease, and fits conveniently in apartment storage.

Inquiring minds wants to know… is YOUR boat a good fit for your modern lifestyle?

In the previous blog I posted about the compatibility of inflatable boats and recreational vehicles , RV’s. I found this video on YouTube that demonstrates how a compact, inflatable boat can be transformed into a sturdy craft for two. The boat shown is the Sea Eagle PaddleSki catamaran style kayak. It weighs only 49 pounds and packs down to a 20 inch by 10 inch by 36 inch area. You can currently find the Sea Eagle PaddleSki kayak for as low as $799 for a package that includes pump, paddles and kayak at PortableKayaks.com.

Just wanted to drop in a quick reminder that PortableKayaks.com has added the complete line of Sea Eagle Sport Runabouts to their line of inflatable boats.

The Sea Eagle Sport Runabouts come in 10 and a half, 12 and a half and 14 foot lengths and feature an unique rigid inflatable keel that provides excellent tracking and speed. Their fiberglass reinforced transom has the strength and durability that plywood transoms just can’t match. And the extra large air chambers for incredible buoyancy and stability are made with Sea Eagle’s super strong 1000 denier material that you can hit with the claw end of hammer and not destroy.

By adding the Sport Runabouts to our line, we’ve expanded beyond the small fishing crafts into boats that can handle powerful gas motors enabling you to go boating on rivers, lakes, bays or oceans. You could even pull water skiers with these boats.

Check out the Sea Eagle Sport Runabouts at PortableKayaks.com.