By Tom Schlichter

Newfoundlands rack up over two-dozen water rescues aboard Sea Eagle FastCat14™ Catamaran Inflatable Boat

When George Abraham and his wife, Kate, decided to add another dog to their family they had no idea how much their summer routines were about to change. Living in a lakeside home just outside of Mt. Pocono, Pa, the couple already owned three small but fun-loving mini-dachshunds but thought a bigger breed that could swim really well might be a fun addition to their troop.

“I started doing some online research and we ended up welcoming a potentially giant Newfoundland named ‘Oakley’ into our home,” explained George. “As I learned more about these magnificent dogs, I discovered they were originally bred in the early 1800’s to help on fishing and merchant vessels in ‘man overboard!’ situations.” Those findings struck a chord with the couple, and it didn’t take long for them to realize it might be possible to help others while allowing their new family member to do what he was meant to do.

Further research by the Abrahams uncovered a not-for-profit organization called the American Academy of K-9 Water Rescue in Wareham, MA, founded by Dr. Maria Gray, where George soon started attending training lessons. “Things morphed quickly from there,” he recalled. “Soon I was on my way to Milan, Italy, to train with the world renowned Italian School of Water Rescue Dogs (SICS) where I became an international instructor. We began training our own team of K-9 lifeguards and, after a couple years, I now run a fully volunteer program at Beltzville State Park in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). We have about a dozen volunteers, eight working dogs and several more being trained. We’ve been operational and on the water for two years and have already rescued over two-dozen people!”

Super Water Dogs

The dogs we use are amazing,” continued George. “We mostly select Newfoundlands, but we can train any dog to be part of our team if it is adept at swimming and loves being around the water. That includes golden retrievers, labradors, and even poodles – but the Newfoundlands absolutely excel at water rescues due to their large size, tremendous strength and superior swimming ability.”

According to George, water rescue dogs don’t require a lot of speed to complete their missions. What they really need is strength, and Newfoundlands are pound-for-pound the strongest towing dogs in the water. “They can tow 50 times their weight,” stated George. “Adults typically weigh 100 to 170 pounds, and each can pull 3,000 to 5,000-pound vessels or trucks in the water. Our Newfoundlands have towed plenty of boats, personal watercraft (PWC), and multiple people at once during their rescue missions. They can ride on a boat or a PWC. Some are even trained to jump out of helicopters during airborne water rescues.”

While Newfoundlands certainly are “Super Dogs,” their biggest value for water rescues is as a force multiplier. Rescue dogs are never sent out on their own to aid someone assures George. Instead, they are paired on shore, boat or PWC with a lifeguard who is also a trained rescue technician and dog handler. The boats also carry a driver, who may be a rescue dog handler accompanied by a dog as well. Because of their training, the dogs can work with either or both handlers based on the situation. In any scenario, a human-to-human interaction with anyone needing help always ensues before a dog is allowed to make contact with a person in distress.

Arriving on the scene, the rescue crew immediately makes contact with anyone in need of help and assesses the situation before handlers decide how to best deploy their dogs, explains George. “Usually that entails having one or more dogs tow the person or watercraft over to one of our two Sea Eagle FastCat14™ Catamaran Inflatable Boats. The Newfoundlands are incredible at that job, and they are also excellent family dogs. In fact, the American Kennel Club (AKC) nearly always ranks them as one of the top breeds in their yearly vote for most friendly family dog.”

Of course, the Abrahams are firm believers in deploying their dogs safely. Each is outfitted with personal protective equipment (PPE) like any other first responder. Their rescue jackets and goggles protect them while also serving as a functional aid in their jobs. Without their life jackets on, a typical dog can still swim and make a rescue, but when you have someone reaching for them and adding weight, it can push down on the dogs and make it harder for them to swim. Their life jackets also come with obvious color-coded handles for people to grab onto so they don’t end up grasping the dog improperly.

You’d Be Amazed

The American Academy of Canine Water Rescue classifies a “rescue” as helping somebody that is in the water at risk or in distress. “So, a person doesn’t need to be actively drowning to be considered a rescue,” clarified George. “If a boat or PWC breaks down and we have to tow it, that’s an assist, not a rescue. Still, you’d be surprised what actually falls under the rescue category. We see people fall off boats and paddleboards that can’t get back on. Boating accidents happen too, and there are a ton of PWC incidents. A lot of people rent them, run around the lake all morning, and consider themselves experts by mid-afternoon. Then they attempt to jump large wakes or do some tricks and end up in trouble. Many capsize, while other have accidents with boats or other PWC’s.”

In terms of active drowning situations, the Abrahams and their team members have responded to at least two incidents where a person in the water may have died within two to five minutes had rescuers not arrived quickly on the scene. “It’s in those situations where our Sea Eagle FastCat14™ rescue vessels really shine,” revealed George. “They allow us to react very quickly to incidents on our lake to prevent drownings that might happen without our help. Beltzville Lake covers nearly 1,000 acres. It’s seven miles long and 158 feet deep. No lifeguard on shore is swimming all the way out to an accident in the middle of that lake to rescue people. It’s just not going to happen. So, we feel we are providing an important and necessary service here.”

George said he usually keeps at least one FastCat14™ on the water and ready to go during the summer boating season, but when the lake is especially busy, he’ll position the organization’s two FastCats at opposite ends of the lake to reduce the travel time. The team also has a PWC to respond quickly if they need to go far and get there really fast. Their PWC carries one handler and one dog while the FastCats each accommodate multiple handlers and dogs.

FastCats To The Rescue

Prior to their FastCat14™ purchases, all of the organization’s training was accomplished on a large pontoon-style vessel. That boat had high gunnels, which are great for staying dry and having extra stability but it wasn’t good for getting people out of the water and into the vessel, admitted George. “We needed to be able to get someone from the size of a child to a 300-lb man onto our rescue boats with very little help. From that standpoint, our FastCats rule over any vessel on which I’ve ever trained. They sit low in the water while still being exceptionally maneuverable, relatively quick, very stable and easily accessible. Most importantly, they were designed for people to swim or snorkel from and easily get back on board. When you walk out on the front bow the docking platform eases right down to the waterline making the transition from water to boat intutive. Basically, you just slide up or down the platform to enter or exit the water.”

That accessibility is a huge advantage in the organization’s water rescues because there are typically only two people on the boat: a rescue swimmer/dog handler and the driver. That leaves only the driver of the boat left to get everyone on board if the handler and dog are in the water.

“In a standard pontoon- or v-style boat, that’s probably not going to happen efficiently – especially since the person being rescued may not be versed on how to get aboard,” continued  George. “By comparison, even if you’ve never been on a FastCat before, you’ll instinctively know to swim up to the bow and pull yourself up by the handles. Our dogs are trained to swim to the bow and put their paws up on the platform so they can be brought aboard with nothing more than a little tug. That’s a helpful situation.”

One Fantastic Outcome!

As for the American Academy of Canine Water Rescue’s most memorable response, George said it was their very first rescue attempt – one in which the Sea Eagle FastCat14™ absolutely excelled. A PWC had flipped over, throwing the driver and passenger into the water. The driver, young and strong, managed to swim back to the PWC and climb aboard, but his passenger was an exceptionally large man who didn’t know how to swim and was wearing a child’s life jacket that couldn’t even be buckled closed.

“I was taking on the rescue swimmer duties and my wife was driving,” recalled George of the effort. “We got on the scene quickly but there was already a good distance between the PWC and the passenger in the water. I went into the water with the dog ‘Kelby’ while my wife helped the PWC driver aboard our FastCat. I instructed the passenger to grab the dog’s handle and let the dog tow him to our boat. As he started off, it suddenly dawned on me that we were going to have a tough time getting this fellow aboard given that my wife weighs about 105 pounds and he weighed about 270 pounds. But Kate simply reached in and pulled him right up onto the bow in one smooth motion!”

Even today, Georg said it’s hard for him to describe the relief and exhilaration he and Kate felt that day. “We had made our first rescue, our dog performed wonderfully, and everything was a done deal in a matter of seconds. It really was rewarding to see just how far we had come – and we’ve been sold on our Sea Eagle FastCats ever since.”

* Photos courtesy of George Abraham.

By Tom Schlichter

Easy transport and plenty of room make Sea Eagle’s SE370 inflatable sport kayak a great value that’s ready to go anywhere, anytime.

Alyce Fulton-Baez is standing on the bank of her favorite mill pond assessing the wind. “I love days like this,” she says with a smile. “There’s just enough breeze to keep things cool and comfortable so I’m going to spend an hour or so right here on the water.” With that, the 57-year-old dental assistant and amateur photographer from Rocky Point, New York, pulls a duffel bag from the back seat of her car and lays it on the ground. Fifteen minutes later, she’s paddling away in a 12’ 6” Sea Eagle SE 370 inflatable kayak. It isn’t long before she’s snapping photos of local wildlife, aquatic flowers and scenic views as she heads around a bend and out of sight. She is, at least for the moment, the only one on the water.

Like many Sea Eagle fans, Alyce enjoys the ability to just get away from it all without the hassle of storing or transporting a hardshell kayak. “It’s all about the freedom to go anywhere, anytime, even at a moment’s notice,” she says. “If I think I might have 30 minutes to get out for a paddle, I just toss the duffel bag, two-piece paddles and foot pump in the back of my car and I’m ready to go.”

Years ago, when she was first getting into kayaking, Alyce rented hardshell ‘yaks and went out occasionally. After a while, though, she began to think to herself that there had to be a better way. “I wanted my own kayak, but I didn’t have a car big enough to throw one of those big old clunkers on top,” she explained. “Eventually, someone gave me a Sea Eagle SE330 as a gift and I said ‘Oh, an inflatable? This is awesome!’ I used that one constantly for about 10 years!’”

Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and Alyce had to move her elderly mother in with her and provide care for the next two years. Sadly, her mom passed away toward the end of the pandemic which, after some time, helped spur Alyce’s return to the water as part of the healing process. “That was a tough stretch to get through,” recalls Alyce, “but being back on the water really helped ease my mind.”

It took a while to get back in the swing of things of course, but Alyce eventually decided it was time for a new inflatable and began searching online for her next vessel. “There were just so many choices and I was overwhelmed,” she explained. “Then it dawned on me: I absolutely loved my Sea Eagle, so why would I start anywhere else?”

To be sure, the Sea Eagle SE370 is up to just about any challenge when it comes to getting out on the water. A foot-and-a-half longer than the SE330, it measures 12’ 6” long and boasts a three-person capacity while weighing only 32 lbs. That means there’s plenty of room in this hull, especially if you head out by yourself or with only one additional person. With a load capacity of 650-lbs. you can pack it full of all the provisions you’ll need to head off to a remote lakeside camping spot and still stretch out your legs in route. With surprising maneuverability, a pair of bottom skegs for better tracking and speed, plus port, starboard and floor chambers on the rugged sun and saltwater resistant hull, the SE370 is also suitable for up to Class III whitewater rafting.

“Simply put,” states Alyce, “the SE370 was the ideal choice for me. I love that I can take it anywhere and don’t have to worry about what car I’m driving because it will fit in the trunk. I also ordered the electric pump instead of the foot pump, which made it even quicker and easier to inflate the hull. I keep that, the duffel bag with the kayak, and the two-piece paddles in my trunk most of the time. That way, if I’m driving along and I see a spot that looks inviting, I simply pull over, inflate my kayak and start exploring. For me, at least, kayaking is all about the freedom to just go when and where you want – and the Sea Eagle 370 Sport Kayak lets me take advantage of any opportunities I can find.”

“I absolutely love my new Sea Eagle,” says Alyce. “I put my grandkids on it, so I have to trust it. It’s incredibly durable, takes only 15 minutes to inflate with the electric pump, and those raised seats can double as a floatation device in a pinch. Having all that room aboard is great, too. I can get my camera, throw it in a waterproof bag and head out for a photo shoot with swans, birds, turtles, water lilies – anything I come across. I can fit snacks on there, my radio, a cooler – whatever I want to bring out there’s definitely room. Even if I have another person in the kayak with me, there’s still space in front of my feet. When I’m done, I take it home, give everything a rinse and just pack it away after it’s had some time to dry.”

Although she lives on Long Island, which is surrounded by saltwater, Alyce mostly launches on rivers, lakes and ponds. “My Sea Eagle is fit for the briny, and tidal creeks, too,” she notes. “It’s really stable, so you can take it just about anywhere. It’s important for me to have such a steady platform since I do so much photography. I have several hundred shots on file. I love the tranquility of being out on the water, pushing around the next bend and finding hidden sights, wildlife or even interesting vegetation that others never see. I guess there’s a little explorer in my soul.”

Looking ahead, Alyce plans to keep investigating new waters and having fun as she explores. She’d like to stretch her horizons and do some more paddling out of state. “I’d love to photograph a moose, for example – I’d sit in my kayak all day long to make that happen,” she laughs. Alyce is also hoping to get a shot of a fish jumping out of the water, and some close-ups of frogs to add to her portfolio. She has already captured a shot of a bald eagle but feels she needs a better one – or maybe an owl perched near the bank.

“Whatever life offers on the water, I’m happy to take it. It all just brings me peace and calm. I enjoy it immensely. With my Sea Eagle SE370, I can share the water with a friends, family or simply go it alone. It’s all good, relatively affordable and always refreshing.”

* All photos courtesy of Alyce Fulton-Baez.

Stable, lightweight and easy to board or dismount, Sea Eagle’s PaddleSki™ 437ps is ideal for downsizing.

By Tom Schlichter

For senior boating fans looking to downsize their platforms, Sea Eagle’s PaddleSki™ 437ps offers a lifeline of more fun on the water. Stable, lightweight and easy to board or dismount, it is the world’s most accommodating and versatile inflatable watercraft.

“It certainly has been the perfect choice for us,” says Graeme Ireland, 73, of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. “We’ve been spending time on the water together for over 50 years, and we have no intention of giving that up as we grow older.” His wife, Jenny Ireland, 71, agrees, noting they are both  retired and fortunate to live in such a beautiful place. “There are so many lakes, rivers and ponds to explore that I don’t think you can see them all in a lifetime – but we hope to see as many as we can and our 437ps Paddleski™ will certainly help make that dream come true,” she says.

No strangers to boating, the couple had owned three boats prior to getting their PaddleSki™ 437ps. They purchased their first boat, a 14-foot runabout, in 1974. Their second boat was a 19-footer that was perfect for inshore action, and it was followed by a 32-foot vessel on which they did a lot of offshore fishing. As they progressed in age, however, both Jenny and Graeme found traditional boats growing progressively more difficult to handle. The couple decided the time to step down to something smaller and more manageable had arrived about a year ago after Jenny tripped and fell on the dock as they tied up for fuel.

“Physically, aging is tough,” allows Graeme. “Jenny has had a knee replacement, hip replacement and back surgery. I have bone cancer that has left me with steel in my back and right femur. It can’t be cured but it can be held in check. So, obviously then, we are both very compromised at this point, too much so to comfortably handle a big boat.”

Enter the Sea Eagle® PaddleSki™ 437ps. Stable, lightweight and easy to board or dismount, it is, quite simply, the world’s most versatile inflatable watercraft. A popular choice among inflatable boaters of all ages, it features the “all-in-one benefits” of a catamaran, motorboat, and extremely rugged portable boat. Easy to pack and transport, this two-person, self-bailing and comparatively speedy inflatable glides effortlessly across the water while affording the options to paddle, motor, fish and sail.

“We figured at this point in our lives we needed something lightweight that we could inflate and carry to the water,” continues Graeme. “We wanted an inflatable boat that could accommodate two people so we could continue to fish together and Sea Eagle’s PaddleSki™ has proved perfect for that. It takes only about 15 minutes to inflate, and it’s light enough for us to carry it easily to the water’s edge. We also love that it folds up into a surprisingly small package we can just stick in the back of our van or on top of the cage at the back of our motor home when heading to or from the water. Once there, we carry it to the shoreline (or use our optional EZ-Cart to wheel it down) and inflate it with the electric pump. The inflating and launching process, including positioning the swivel seats and optional electric motor, probably takes us about 20 minutes total.”

The Ireland’s first learned about Sea Eagle boats on outings with their fly-fishing club, the Island Waters Flyfishers.  “Several of our club members were already using older, single-person and two-person Sea Eagle models with the seat on the floor,” revealed Graeme. “We instantly liked the added convenience of the raised seats and room for two on the PaddleSki™.

While Jenny and Graeme enjoy some cruising and wildlife observation, fishing together is their primary focus while on the water. “We’ll try for anything,” reveals Jenny, “but mostly we target salmon and trout. I like to take a few home to eat but Graeme is really a catch-and-release guy these days. We are both predominantly fly-fisherman, although we also troll from time to time. Like most of our club members, we catch fish to about 20 inches in length on a regular basis on our local lakes. Anything bigger puts you in contention to win one of our tournaments.” 

No doubt Sea Eagle’s PaddleSki™ is feature-rich with it’s rigid, high-pressure inflatable drop stitch flooring, rapid self-bailing, and fuel-efficient, minimal draft, near-zero-drag catamaran hull design. It sports five separate independent air chambers for added safety, a removable transom for increased storability and portability, seven conveniently located high-strength carry/grab handles, a pair of Universal Scotty® Pads to attach a variety of optional Scotty® accessories, plus an EZ-Attach on/off seating system. It also sports non-slip EVA foam deck padding, an anti-splash protective rubbing strake bumper and a high-strength bow D-ring amongst other features and options.  It has a load capacity of two people or 885 lbs. yet deflated weighs just 58 pounds (68 lbs. with the transom included). As for portability, it breaks down into a stowable package measuring 36” x 21” x 12” – that’s small enough to fit into a car trunk or even a large backpack. Room for a cooler and plenty of fishing gear? You bet.

“It’s a great package at a fair price,” says Graeme. “It’s exceptionally stable, rugged and durable, easy to set up and easy to store away, but it’s the swivel seats that really stand out to us. With a dinghy or a kayak, getting on isn’t too bad, but getting off is nearly impossible for us. With the PaddleSki™ though, we simply turn the swivel seats to the side before we get on. Then we sit down on the pontoon with our backs to the seats, slide our bodies onto the chairs, and swing our feet around. To get off, we just reverse the process. It’s so simple.”

In addition to being great for cruising or paddling, notes Graeme, the PaddleSki’s raised swivel seats are also great for fishing and enjoying each other’s company. “You can swivel the seats to face forward, to the side, or even the back of the boat. They are so comfortable that when we first received our boat I was posing for a photo with a fish I had caught when it suddenly occurred to me that I actually had my feet over the side.  The positioning was so comfortable and natural that I hadn’t even noticed because there was no effect on the boat’s stability at all!”

Generally speaking, Jenny and Graeme prefer to paddle in shallow water and use their 40-lb. thrust optional electric motor to get where they need to go if distance is a consideration. Because of the PaddleSki™ 437ps’ unique hydro-dynamic design, they have been able to fish on some larger lakes which they visit by motor home for up to an entire week without having to recharge the battery.

Of course, living on Vancouver Island, the couple’s fishing season extends into the colder months, so they stress the importance of picking and choosing your days wisely when heading out over open water. When they were younger, they would battle the elements with their bigger boats but these days they are quite content to pick the safest and most comfortable weather windows.

“At our age,” there’s no fun in fishing when it’s freezing out or we might get blown off the water,” says Jenny with a laugh. “But as long as you keep an eye out for the best days weather-wise, you’ll squeeze in all the water time you’ll need.  That goes for the summer, too, of course, during which we have so enjoyed the added feature of the Sun Canopy we bought to give us some shade.  Even up in BC, our sun can be relentless!”

Ask the couple straight up if they would recommend the Sea Eagle PaddleSki™ to anyone looking for a simpler on-the-water lifestyle and their answer is an unwavering “Yes!”.

“That goes double for anyone with disabilities like a bad leg or bad back that make it hard or unsafe to lug around and operate a bigger vessel,” adds Graeme. “If you are compromised at all with your ability to bend down, pick up and carry anything heavy, the lightweight Sea Eagle® PaddlSki™ is the way to go. It’s already helping us to continue living our dream of sharing as much time as possible fishing and being together on the many beautiful waters of Vancouver Island.”

Florida couple hit the road with Sea Eagle’s 437ps Paddleski™.

Ask Marc Gelbke and Leslie Pedreira how they’re doing these days and they’ll tell you they are “living the life” – the RV life that is. The fun-loving yet focused couple sold their traditional style home in Clermont Florida nearly three years ago and went all-in on the RV lifestyle hoping it would better suit their thirst for adventure and love of exploring. By all appearances, it seems to have been a smart decision. Especially once they got their hands on a Sea Eagle 437ps Paddleski™ Inflatable Catamaran Boat.

“Going full-time RV (recreational vehicle) has been a great choice for us,” explains Leslie, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in her early 50’s. “We already owned a small Class C RV motorhome, and we went camping a lot, so we knew this was a way of life we would probably enjoy.”

“The RV world suits us just fine,” agrees Marc, 52, who works in Asset Management. “We found homeownership to be expensive and neither of us looked forward to weekends of non-stop yardwork. Now, any day we want can start our next adventure. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

Their first two years of full-time RVing were spent moving around every three weeks or so, checking out different campgrounds, resorts, parks, etc. Eventually, they came upon a place in Titusville, Florida, called The Great Outdoors (TGO). “It’s an RV resort where you own your site instead of renting it,” explains Marc. “We purchased a beautiful spot on a small lake that’s now our home base. When we don’t want to travel, this is where we stay put.”

As you might have guessed, central to Marc and Leslie’s idea of outdoor fun is being around the water. The couple, who have been together nearly 12 years, enjoy freshwater bass fishing, lazy river floats and checking out pristine springs. Most recently, they discovered the beauty, fish and wildlife of the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW) and its mix of brackish and saltwater environments only 30 minutes from their RV site. Luckily, a You-Tube video by Kayak Cliff turned them on to the Sea Eagle 437ps Paddleski™ Inflatable Catamaran Boat – the perfect venue for expanding their outdoors horizons even further.

“Although we both like to kayak, we had some specific points in mind when it came to buying a means to spend more time on the water,” continues Marc. “We wanted something versatile, rugged and easily portable that would fit in our RV for longer trips, or in our SUV for local adventures. It had to be big enough to accommodate the two of us and our gear. It also needed to be exceptionally stable. After watching that video, which also highlighted motor options, it wasn’t long before we were on board with the Sea Eagle Paddleski™. We pretty much ended up with the whole package, including a Suzuki 2.5 hp motor that can push us at up to 10 mph, a 54-lb. thrust Watersnake® trolling motor for when we want to fish, slow down or just poke around, an electric air pump to easily inflate our boat, and a Sun and Rain Canopy.”

The couple also grabbed a Sea Eagle® EZ-Cart™ to easily transport their vehicle to the water’s edge. “Yeah, we pretty much ended up with everything you can put on that boat in terms of equipment, but we use it in every way. It’s really been worth the investment in our case,” adds Leslie. “We love that we can enjoy it as an inflatable kayak, inflatable boat or even an inflatable paddle board – it’s just so versatile.”

Indeed, Marc and Leslie enjoy fishing for largemouth bass and their Sea Eagle Paddleski™ covers their sweetwater options quickly enough that they can hit unpressured waters far from the dock. It also has a shallow draft enabling them to reach areas that are out of bounds for larger, heavier craft. On larger waters, like the ICW, the stability and dry ride allows them to explore open water, push up on the flats and get in tight to mangrove patches, docks, bridges and additional structure where redfish, snook, sea trout, sheepshead and other hard-fighting, tasty treats await their lures and baits. With paddling and the trolling motor, the couple might cover five to eight miles in a day. With their gas-efficient 2.5 hp, they’ll sometimes roam twice that distance.

“I use the Paddleski™ pretty much every day I’m off,” reveals Marc, “mostly for fishing but for a lot of adventures, too. We enjoy simple kayaking and cruising as much as casting for trophies. I even bought an SUP paddle and now I paddleboard from it as well. We especially enjoy going out on Florida’s pristine freshwater springs, and we recently completed a 12-day trip to stunning Devils Fork State Park in South Carolina – our first out of state experience with the Paddleski™. Later this summer, we are headed for Silver Springs in Ocala, Florida, and that’s going to be a pure kayaking trip on the Withlacoochee and Rainbow rivers. We’ll paddle and use our electric trolling motor on that adventure. No fishing, just plenty of relaxing and exploring.”

The world’s most versatile inflatable watercraft, the Paddleski’s unique 4-in-1 hull design allows it to be used as a kayak, paddleboard, fishing boat or cruising platform. Supported by five chambers (two port, two starboard and floor), it’s 1000 Denier inflatable tubes and a drop-stitch 1000 Denier reinforced floor ensure it’s rugged as can be and stable enough to allow stand-up casting and paddling, a bump against the rocks or even a few pokes from tree branches. With a 14’ 4” length, 4’ beam and load capacity of two people or 855 lbs., there’s no need to leave any gear behind whether camping, fishing, touring or sailing. Using a Sea Eagle EZ-Cart makes rolling it to and from the water a simple task.

Weighing just 68 pounds, including the detachable transom, the Sea Eagle Paddleski™ folds into a neat 36” x 21” by 12” package that takes only ten minutes to inflate with an electric pump. Rig it to the nines with helpful options including Scotty® Fishing accessories, up to a 6-HP gas engine that can run at 16 mph, and a trolling motor (up to 70 lbs. thrust) to quietly slip into casting range without spooking the big ones. In addition to the optional Sun & Rain Canopy, there’s even a Sun/Rain Solar Canopy. Using a Sea Eagle EZ-Cart makes rolling Paddleski™ to and from the water a simple task.

That South Carolina trip was the first time Leslie and Marc stored their Paddleski™ in their RV storage space. “It fit perfectly,” noted Leslie. “we cleared out one compartment and packed everything inside – motor, boat, seats, transom and two-piece paddles. The boat was deflated, of course, and the transom detached, but it all went in and came out nice and easy. People with larger RVs that have slide out trays can easily fit a Paddleski™ without removing the transom. Normally, if we’re just heading to a nearby spot, we leave the transom on, roll the Paddleski™ up and put it in the back of our SUV.

In terms of performance, both Marc and Leslie agree their Sea Eagle Paddleski™, which they’ve named “Ducky,”  has exceeded expectations. “It’s tough, quick, smooth-riding and able to get us where we want to go at whatever pace we choose,” says Leslie. “We feel both comfortable and safe whenever we push off the shore.”

“I stand in it, fish in it, and control the trolling motor with foot pedals,” adds Marc. “We also love its self-bailing design. Who wouldn’t? Pull it out of the water and it’s dry as a bone. Just wipe it down, pack it up and head for home or, in our case, the RV.”

What lies ahead for Marc and Leslie in terms of the RV lifestyle and their love of being outdoors and on the water? “Well, we’ve been sharing our experiences on YouTube, hoping people will take a virtual ride with us as we go exploring, review new products, strive for adventure and discover great places to visit,” states Marc.

No doubt they’ll quickly add to their growing on-line following. You can catch their insights and adventures at roadnotesrv.com – along with several additional videos incorporating Sea Eagle® products on their Paddle Travel TV channel at Paddle Travel TV (roadnotesrv.com). All photos courtesy of Marc Gelbke and Leslie Pedreira.

From Wyoming’s Flaming Gorge to Florida’s Withlacoochee River, Sea Eagle’s inflatable TC16 helps outdoor fans make the most of every trip.

By Tom Schlichter

Ask Clif Edwards his ideas about being on the water and he’ll tell you that since 1988 he has considered himself a canoe kind of guy, paddling a variety of traditional canoes. In 2018, however, his dad convinced him to give the Sea Eagle TC16 a try after seeing it in a catalog.

Although skeptical of an inflatable canoe and its claims of great performance, versatility and durability, the thought of not needing to hoist it onto  a van-top roof rack – where it would suffer UV damage and reduce gas mileage during transport – certainly piqued his interest. The lack of storage issues when the canoe was not in use, along with eliminating the risk for back strain when loading the canoe, also helped sell him on the idea. It didn’t take long before his experiences with the TC16 made him a convert.

“The first time I paddled in Class III whitewater was in my TC16 on the Green River in Wyoming and it performed superbly, as it also did on a whitewater stretch of the Chattooga River in South Carolina. Another time, on a beautiful Father’s Day, Darlene and I were paddling the Flaming Gorge of Wyoming when a sudden wind event put us in dire straits. I was glad I had put the removable skeg on and we rode the wind event out without capsizing. The TC16 proved very seaworthy in the white-capped waves,” says the 67-year-old former Park Ranger who served in three marine wilderness parks.

As to the versatility of the TC16, Clif certainly has put it to the test. “I have no regrets,” he states. “I’ve solo canoe-camped out of it, camped out of it for multiple nights with my partner, Darlene Staudacher, and day paddled with three aboard. Personally, I like the inflatable seats over the web seats as they provide different seating positions,” he adds. “That’s a nice touch when you are paddling 19 miles over a 7-hour period.”

Indeed, paddling has been a family affair for Clif and 61-year-old Darlene, a retired law enforcement officer, daughter Tiffany Wright, 40, who recently retired from the Coast Guard, and granddaughter Skyler Wright, 14. Darlene and Tiffany are big fans, while Skyler is still learning the ropes. Just last year, the trio embarked on a three-generation, 15-mile paddle down Florida’s meandering Withlacoochee River and things couldn’t have gone better.

“It was just a lot of fun making memories with my granddaughter and daughter,” recalls Darlene. Tiffany agreed the trip turned out great, noting they spotted several alligators and other wildlife along the way. “It was just something we wanted to do together. I’m so glad the Sea Eagle helped make it happen,” she says enthusiastically.

“There really is plenty to like about this canoe,” says Clif. “Being an inflatable, the TC16 is lightweight at just 65 pounds. It fits easily in the trunk of a small car – or what we call the ‘garage area’ of our van. It is fast enough, too, allowing average sustained paddling speeds of 3-4 mph, and it’s easy to maneuver. We find inflating the hull and getting it ready takes about 15 minutes. That may be slightly more than with a traditional canoe, but you won’t injure your back by putting it on the roof, taking it off, or carrying it to the water’s edge and back. Overall, the Sea Eagle TC16 is both affordable and a great fit for our outdoor lifestyle. As for backing their product, I’ve been very impressed with the company. Any issues we’ve had along the way, Sea Eagle has made it right with 100% satisfaction.”

Available in both two- and three-person configurations, the fully inflated Sea Eagle Travel Canoe 16 measures 16’ long, 38” wide (at center), and 20” deep at its highest points. With a max load  capacity of 915 lbs., it’s spacious and packs down to a mere 40” x 24” x 16” rectangle that fits into its own bag for easy storage and transport.

Completely buoyant and unsinkable, the TC16 is also easy to upright and re-enter from the water, and 33% lighter than comparable canoes. Far more stable than traditional canoes (you can actually stand in it), it’s designed with a bow that slices through the water and a body that features a full-length flat-planing surface area for extra speed. A full-length double-chine system and removable rear skeg enhance tracking and increase stability while the 3-inch-thick high-pressure, patented All Drop Stitch Constructed gunwales and floor provide amazing stability. Three separate air chambers further ensure safety as reflected by The TC16’s Class IV whitewater rafting.

It’s hard to find more beautiful water than what you’ll see while paddling in Rainbow Springs State Park. Photo courtesy of Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon, FL.

“Skyler, Darlene and I can vouch for the TC16’s easy re-entry from the water,” states Clif. “When Skyler was 11, the three of us intentionally tipped over the canoe on Florida’s Rainbow River. I can tell you that self-rescue in that canoe is much easier than in a traditional rigid hull. We found it lighter, easier to flip back over, drain and climb back aboard than is the case with conventional canoes.”

On their most recent trip, Clif and Darlene took a paddle with another set of Sea Eagle fans. Putting in near White Springs at Steven Foster State Park, the couples worked their way to Suwannee River State Park. “When we first met,” explains Darlene, “we started to justify to them why we had an inflatable canoe, but they interrupted us to say they had a Sea Eagle kayak and loved it. Since then, we’ve been on three paddling trips together. I can’t wait to plan the next one.”

By Tom Schlichter

Regular readers of our Sea Eagle Blog know how good it makes us feel to see people having a great time in any of our inflatable kayaks. The only thing better, from our point of view, is when our products double as a way of improving the world in which we live. That’s exactly why we’re so intrigued by the work of Richard Storey and his use of the Sea Eagle 330, our lightest, most portable kayak. Weighing just 26 pounds, it’s rugged, holds two people or 500 lbs., and is easily carried and paddled by a single person.

“Those are the parameters that make it so valuable to my efforts on the lakes of Pokhara Valley, Nepal,” says Storey. “I’m a freshwater ecologist, and most of my work in the past had centered on the water quality and invertebrates (insects, snails, crustaceans, etc.) of streams and rivers. I’ve done studies on the basic ecology of these creatures, but also, more practically, on how people can use them along with other measures of water quality, and the surrounding physical habitat, to assess the health of specific streams and rivers.”

In recent years, Storey, 51, worked for a government research institute providing science mostly for water resource managers, but he’s also developed some tools for “citizen scientists” (farmers, school groups, environmental care groups) to monitor their own streams. Most of his effort took place in his native New Zealand, but his work and education have also taken him to faraway places.

“I did my graduate studies at University of Toronto in Canada, and after that worked for two years with a conservation group called A Rocha in Lebanon,” reveals Storey. “Now I’m working in Nepal, a country in South Asia nestled between China and India. It’s a beautiful place, lying along the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains. Catching the monsoon rains coming up from India, it has some amazing lakes.”

Arriving in Nepal about two-and-a-half years ago, his wife and two kids in tow, Storey had been invited to help start a new university, but his plans changed a bit with arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic and he ended up joining Kathmandu University as a postdoctoral fellow. “Things have worked out quite well, overall,” says Storey. “I live in a town called Pokhara, in a beautiful valley below the Annapurna mountain range, which has some peaks topping out at over 8,000 meters. There are nine lakes in the valley, the largest being 1,000-acre Phewa Lake, which is a big tourist attraction for Nepal, and also a source of fish for many local residents. An amazing number of flora and fauna make their home in and around these waters,” continues Storey, “including over 40 species of water birds, and possibly two species of otter. The high biodiversity and other natural values here are widely recognized, and protected under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.”

Although the lakes are highly valuable to their surrounding communities and are protected to a degree by the government, they are all slowly degrading due to silt washing down from the hillsides, excess nutrients coming from expanding urban areas, and various other human disturbances, explains the ecologist. Wise use and good management of the lakes really needs to start with monitoring of the water quality, he states, which provides baseline data from which resource managers can come to a better understanding of how healthy each lake is, and whether it’s getting better or worse.

“Unfortunately, water quality monitoring takes a lot of time and resources, which our local institutions don’t have,” points out Storey. “That makes it unlikely there will ever be a more traditional type of lake monitoring system administered here, which is why I’ve focused on developing a system that uses satellite images of the lakes to monitor their water quality. Once the software is up and running, it should be easy for water resource managers to check the water quality of any lake in our survey. But to start with, we need lots of water quality measurements from each lake to match up with the photos. The end goal is to be able to convert the information in satellite photos to estimates of water quality, based on field measurements we’ve matched to them, to get a better feel for the health of the waters being studied both now and in the future.”

To that end, Storey visits seven local lakes once every 10 – 15 days to collect water samples. The timing matches with when the Copernicus Sentinel 2 satellite passes over Nepal, which is once every five days. “We mainly measure water clarity, total suspended solids, water temperature and chlorophyll-a (a measure of how much algae are in the water.)” clarifies Storey. “These are things we can match directly with the satellite photos, and they relate to the main environmental pressures on the lakes such as silt from the hillsides turning the water brown, nutrients turning the lakes green with algae, and climate change raising the water temperature.”

Storey says he and his Masters student are halfway through the water sample collection at this point. They have samples from spring and monsoon season but still need to collect post-monsoon and winter samples. After that, they will match-up the corresponding satellite photos and build equations that can calculate suspended solids, temperature and chlorophyll from future satellite photos. “Sadly, the data we’ve gathered so far shows the lakes are becoming browner (more silt), greener (more algae), and warmer than they were a few years ago – but we expect to get more precise than that with our modelling.”

According to Storey, his Sea Eagle 330 has been a big help with this project. “It’s lightweight and small enough to fit into a backpack I can wear while I’m riding my scooter,” he said. “It’s also super-easy to inflate. From the time I arrive at a lake, I can be on the water in under 10 minutes – and it’s just as fast to pack up after I get back to shore. I have seven lakes to visit each day in the field, with a total travelling distance of over 50 km, and I can do that (just barely) using my scooter and Sea Eagle kayak. The only thing that slows me down is that every time I unpack it, local people gather around, ask lots of questions, and sometimes want to go for a paddle in my boat! It’s fun to chat, and occasionally I take kids for a ride, but I also have to keep moving.”

Storey adds that the Sea Eagle 330 sports a great design, noting the open floor features of the Sea Eagle’s inflatable I-beam construction and has plenty of space for his gear. He also appreciates that it is exceptionally stable on the water, so there’s no risk of losing any equipment overboard. Built for two, the 11’ 2” vessel has plenty of room for an assistant when needed. “So far it’s holding up well,” he concludes.

When this project is finished, Storey hopes to leave the people of Nepal with a tool that can be easily used to check water quality on the lakes surveyed to see if they are improving or getting worse over time. With that kind of reliable scientific knowledge, he believes, they should be able to make better decisions about how to care for the lakes. “Once we’ve developed this tool for the local lakes in Pokhara Valley, I hope we can extend it to monitor Nepal’s high-altitude lakes. Those are very sensitive to climate change, and they are also difficult to reach for traditional water monitoring. This tool could be especially useful for monitoring how they are coping with a fast-changing environment.”

With a lot of hard work, and a little luck, Storey thinks he can have all the loose ends wrapped-up within a few months. “I’d love to stay longer,” he reveals. “My family and I really enjoy it here, and our kids are picking up the language which makes it even more fun. That said, my daughter is nearly ready for high school, so we’d like to head back home by the end of 2023. By then, the lake monitoring system should be finished, but I may have to hand over some other projects.”

Currently, Storey is looking for corporate sponsors to help the water quality program continue to grow, and to start new projects such as using eDNA to see if otters still exist around the lakes. “With a small amount of funding we would be able to collect many more samples, involve local students who could develop these studies further, communicate our findings to government and local residents, and extend the program to other lakes in Nepal. For the people of the region, and its vibrant lakes, a little bit of backing for these projects could make a meaningful positive difference down the line.”

If you’d like to learn more about Storey’s water-quality monitoring program, or contribute to the cause, you can follow him and his team at https://aec.ku.edu.np/ or email [email protected].

All photos courtesy of Richard Storey ©.

By Tom Schlichter

It really doesn’t sound like much of an effort, to hear Bob Luce explain it, but the humble
76-year-old retired IT specialist is quietly making a big difference in his little corner of
the planet. Luce, you see, loves to paddle the freshwater rivers that roll through Tampa
Bay, FL, and he silently cleans up the waterways from his Sea Eagle 300x Explorer while
enjoying the sights and wildlife that abound along its flow.

“I’m not one to challenge whitewater rapids or crazy currents,” says Luce. “For me,
kayaking is a way to relax and get close to nature. I see all sorts of flora and fauna when I
head out on my Sea Eagles. There are many species of waterfowl and birds like egrets,
pelicans, black-bellied whistling ducks, wood stalks, roseate spoonbill and diving
anhinga. Plenty of other creatures cross my bow as well, including a variety of turtle
species, frogs and alligators – some topping eight feet in length.”

A photo buff at heart, Luce is always looking for his next great wildlife shot. The
problem, he says, is that he’s also framing a lot of garbage floating on the water and
littering the banks in some of the captures he takes. “There’s enough trash along my
favorite stretches of river that it seriously detracts from the experience,” he laments.
“Rather than complain about it, I just clean it up. That’s how I got into kayaking.”

Originally, Luce viewed most of his river corridor wildlife from shore. It was in 2011, he
says, that he started picking up litter along the shoreline of a small creek that ran behind
his Tampa Bay townhouse, and from the Hillsborough River around Temple Crest Park.
As he began removing more and more trash from the riverbanks, he soon realized he
needed a way to both haul the debris and gather more of it from areas he couldn’t access
by foot.

“I couldn’t believe how much trash was in the water in what could be beautiful places,”
he recalls. “I figured the city, county or state would clean it up at some point, but some of
that stuff was decades old. No one was taking responsibility for picking it up, so I
decided to do it myself.”

Investing in a pair of chest waders, litter grabbers and 18- and 42-gallon garbage bags
helped Luce reach and remove more junk but came with an assortment of pitfalls. “I
couldn’t carry everything I could gather, and there were drop-offs in the river where I
might flood my waders,” he explains. “Then there were the alligators. It’s not a good idea to be in the water with them, especially if Momma suspects you are intruding on her nest.”

Eventually, Luce added a 16-foot extendable pool pole to his clean-up arsenal, but it still
wasn’t long enough to reach all the litter he wanted to grab. That’s when he decided to
give kayaking a try. “I’ve had tremendous success with Sea Eagle inflatable kayaks,” he
says. “In fact, several different models have served me well over the years. Each was
chosen for its toughness, the amount of trash it could transport, and the degree of
maneuverability I needed during the time of its use. Being lightweight, easy to inflate and
relatively inexpensive were also big selling points, as was the ability to smoothly and
quietly approach wildlife on the rivers while creating as little disturbance as possible.”

Luce began his prospecting with a two-person, 11’ 2”, 500-pound capacity Sea Eagle
SE330. From there, he stepped up to the three-person, 12’ 6”, 635-pound capacity
FastTrack™ 385ft. Next came the Explorer 380x, a three-person inflatable with an
impressive maximum load capacity of 750 pounds. Recently, he stepped back down to a
one-person, 9’ 10” Explorer 300x with a 395-pound load capacity.

“I liked that Sea Eagle kayaks are built tough and feature three or four air chambers
depending on the model,” continues Luce. “Their stability, 1000 Denier reinforced
material, and the removeable high pressure drop-stitch floor on some models, also add to
their overall performance. For me, though, the toughness, multiple chambers and load
capacity have been key since I haul a lot of junk and frequently push up against
shorelines with broken branches, cypress knees and who knows what sharp-edge debris
might be lurking in the shallow water.”

Once, Luce stepped into his FastTrack 385ft without knowing a shard of glass was stuck
in the bottom of his boot. He punctured the floor on that vessel but was impressed that,
with three separate air chambers, he had no problem paddling back to the launch ramp
even with a heavy boatload of trash. “I patched that kayak and it was ready go again
almost immediately,” he says with a chuckle.

Overall, the ability of the 380x to carry a lot of gear and haul a load of trash made it
Luce’s favorite overall Sea Eagle inflatable choice, but as he became more enthralled
with photographing alligators, he decided to trade the extra load capacity for the
additional speed and extra maneuverability afforded by the 300x.

“I needed something that could back up and get me out of trouble quickly if I was going
to be taking more photos of the big reptiles,” he explains. “It’s important to keep a safe
buffer between you and the creatures but even then, you’ll sometimes want to get out of
Dodge should a ‘gator seem overly annoyed or aggressive. The 300x responds quickly to
your paddle strokes, turns on a dime, and still has ample load capacity. I pile on my litter
grabbers, extendable pool pole, tubs and bags for the junk I gather, and also carry a
cooler with water and something to eat, plus my camera gear. Sometimes, as I paddle
home, it’s hard to see over all the trash I pile onto that ‘yak.”

The types of trash Luce has gathered from Tampa Bay’s river systems over the years is
extensive. Most surprising, he reveals, was the loaded pistol he found and turned over to
the police. Other items include television sets, shopping carts, tires, discarded electronic
equipment and fire extinguishers. The most common articles include plastic water bottles,
plastic bags, beer cans, Styrofoam, and all kinds like paper plates, cups and packaging.
He’s never actually weighed a haul of trash removed from the rivers, but does suspect his
heaviest included several large trash bags of trash plus three car tires balanced on his
bow.

“People see me cleaning up the shoreline and sometimes offer to help, but I prefer to
work alone,” reveals Luce. “It gets two chatty to capture good wildlife photos when other
people join in. I do, however, encourage people anywhere to clean up their own waters if
they feel so inclined. I just like to keep my own efforts generally under the radar.”

Press him on the subject and Luce will admit Father Time is slowing him down a bit.
Still, as long as he can continue to get close to the wildlife on the rivers he loves, he plans
to keep heading out, cleaning up and taking photos.

“Some days, it’s like a religious experience that refreshes my soul, he states. “When it’s
nice and quiet, I can get some really great shots of birds in their nests, alligators, turtles,
frogs, dragonflies and more,” he adds with soft-spoken pride. “It is, after all, the wildlife –
not the junk – that draws me to the water.”

By Cecil Hoge – President, Sea Eagle® Boats, Inc.

I have been testing electric motors with solar panels on inflatable boats for over 15 years and while I have made steady improvements in using solar panels with electric motors and inflatable boats, I have not been able to reach, until recently, the Holy Grail of using solar power with electric motors. What is the Holy Grail of Solar Power with electric motors? It is simply to have the ability to motor without limits perpetually without ever having to recharge the battery with a plug-in battery charger.

The solar powered inflatable boat above recharges itself by converting sunlight into electrical current and charging the battery whenever there is some sunlight. That is accomplished by the 4 175-watt Renogy flexible solar panels shown on the custom canopy. With the Cruise 2 Torqeedo® electric motor the FastCat™ 14.4 can go perpetually, as long as there is sunlight, at 4 to 5 miles an hour without using any battery power. The top speed of this solar boat configuration at max throttle power is only 6 to 7 mph. So, in truth, there is not much difference between cruising strictly on sunlight and going at full throttle and using some battery power.

This FastCat™ 14.4 has been tied up to a dock at my house for the last five months and I have been testing this special Solar Powered Boat configuration literally four to six days a week. I am lucky in that I live on a tidal bay called Little Bay. It is appropriately named because it is little – only about 1/2 a mile across and 3/4 quarters of a mile long. Little Bay leads out to Setauket Harbor and that leads into Port Jefferson Harbor. If you go left when you come out of Setauket Harbor and follow that for about a mile, you can take another left into Conscience Bay. The point I want to make here is that I have direct access to four different bays and Long Island Sound beyond.

Now living on a tidal bay is often not understood by folks not familiar with the coming and going of tides. The actual fact is that my entire bay completely empties twice a day, which means that my boat is either floating in water or sitting on mud. I am fond of saying that I have 9 feet of water or 9 feet of mud. In truth, since the tide is always coming or going, the level of the water or the lack of water is always changing and depends completely on where the tide is. At my house the tide is generally out for 3 and half hours twice a day and in for 8 and a half hours twice a day. That allows plenty of time to go boating.

I have now gotten to test and use this boat configuration for over 5 months and I can say that the combination of 4 175-watt Renogy flexible solar panels, the Cruise 2 Torqeedo® Motor, a Torqeedo® Solar Controller, and FastCat™ 14.4 really works in what I would call a “Holy Grail” manner. That is, this boat can be powered perpetually as long as there is sunlight and that allows you to motor it wherever you wish without ever having to charge it yourself.

I consider this a lifetime dream of practical, perpetual solar power come true. And while I have tested numerous other configurations of solar panels, electric motors, and inflatable boats, this is the first solar boat configuration that delivers “perpetual solar power”.

Let me count the ways this is wonderful:

1. You never have to charge the battery because the solar panels do that for you. So this is a boat that literally powers itself.
2. An electric motor under power is far quieter than a gas motor. In my case, I carry on board a small bluetooth speaker to listen to music. Because the electric motor is incredibly quiet, you can really listen to the music as you and any family or friends cruise the different waterways.
3. There is no smell of gas or oil fumes and no pollution created by motoring with this solar boat configuration no matter how far you go.
4. You do not need to worry about filling up a gas tank or having gas and oil spills because electric motors do not use gas or oil. So not only is an electric motor far quieter and less odorous, it costs zero for gas and it is far less messy.
5. Starting an electric motor is far easier – turn the master switch on, push the power button on, turn and twist the throttle – away you go!
6. Because solar panels automatically charge the battery, there is no need to drag the battery to a 110-volt outlet to plug in an electronic charger. And for those of you who do not know, batteries tend to be heavy (the Torqeedo® lithium battery weighs 62 lbs.), so moving a battery involves strong arms, strong legs, and a strong back. Having the battery in the boat with solar panels automatically charging the battery eliminates the need to move the battery to a place to plug the electronic into an electrical outlet.
7. Of course, I have to admit this is only practical if you already live on a lake or bay where you can moor your boat or have it tied up to a dock. However, it is also practical to leave solar panels on a boat that you either trailer back and forth to the water or park outside on a lawn where there is sunlight.
8. Perhaps the most important benefit is the fact that you can, if you have to, go hundreds of miles for hours on end with no cost for fuel or electrical power.
9. If one compares the cost of a solar powered boat to a gas powered boat, generally the initial cost is far lower for a gas powered boat, but when one compares the long-term need to continually fill up a gas powered boat and the yearly upkeep to tune-up a gas motor and keep it in good repair, solar power does pay off within several years.

What Are The Limitations Of A Solar Powered Boat?

• Outfitting electric motors & batteries with solar panels generally works best with smaller electric motors and that generally restricts your maximum speed to under 10 miles per hour. I would expect that to change as solar panels, batteries and electric motors become more powerful and more efficient. In the future it will be more practical to recharge larger electric motors and that will deliver higher speeds.
• It is also true that mating solar panels with smaller electric motors will provide the best economic comparison to gas outboards in terms of overall cost.
• In outfitting a boat with solar panels, you have to have a convenient, out of the way place to put solar panels. That is why we made an aluminum frame canopy to hold the panels – the panels sit above the passengers, they do not get in the way of needed space and they provide a shelter from sun and rain. A true win, win. That is also why we offer solar panels that conveniently fit on our sun/rain canopies.
• A solar powered boat will provide unlimited power AS LONG AS THE SUN IS OUT at a slow speed, depending on the solar panels used. As mentioned earlier, the FastCat™ 14.4 will cruise just on sunlight at 4 or 5 miles per hour indefinitely as long as the sun is out.
• However, if it is cloudy or early in morning or late in the afternoon when the sun is at a low angle, solar power is greatly reduced. And that is even more true if it is raining for one or more days.
• In the times that the sun is not recharging the battery, you will be using up battery power when motoring, and that will naturally limit your range.
• So, while solar panels can provide perpetual power that can allow you to go really long distances if the sun is not shining, you will have to rely on power in the battery or you will have to recharge it using an electrical charger plugged into an electrical outlet.

With the present Custom Solar Configuration for FastCat™ 14.4 that I am showing in this blog story, there are inherent drawbacks. The Cruise 2 Torqeedo® electric motor only goes 7 mph at max speed, so if you have a need for speed, you are out of luck. I would note here that the Cruise 2 Torqeedo® has now been replaced with a newer model, the Cruise 3 Torqeedo®. The newer motor goes a little faster, about 8.5 mph with our FastCat™ 14.4, and the battery now has about 1/3 more power, so that also enhances the distances you go when your use exceeds the power of incoming sunlight. The new battery weighs 62 lbs. and the Cruise 3 motor weighs 38 lbs., so on a weight only basis it is about the same as a gas 9.9 outboard. Being under 100 lbs., both are reasonably easy for one person to manage, but having the motor and battery separate certainly makes it easier to put on and off of a boat.

However, cost-wise, electric motors are far more expensive to buy. The Cruise 3 motor (the new model that replaces the Cruise 2 we are using) costs $4299 for the motor and $2999 for the battery. We sell a far more powerful 9.9 Honda for $3,079. It will motor 3 people on the FastCat™ 14.4 at 14 miles per hour, so it is not only way cheaper to buy, it pushes that boat far faster. So, if you choose a Cruise 3 motor, you have to love the benefits of electric power because economically it is going to take a long time for your investment to pay off.

My own conclusion is that solar power does not presently make economic sense for higher power electric motors, especially when combined with the very reasonable costs of inflatable boats. That said, I must also say that the landscape for electric outboards is changing rapidly, There are presently only a few companies offering higher power electric motors, but Mercury and many other outboard brands are rushing electric motor models to the marketplace and no doubt, pricing, electric motor propulsion, battery efficiency and the efficiency of solar panels will all get better in the near future.

I can say that the custom model boat configuration that we have made up and described here is a totally practical use of solar power with electric motors. It is fairly expensive to do this with a 6 hp electric outboard. And if cost is the main consideration, the best immediately available benefit is with smaller electric trolling motors like the WaterSnake® Asp 24, Venom 34, Advance 70 and Minnkota® 30, and Minnkota® 55 motors that we sell. At the bottom of this story, you will find a link to the present solar boat packages we offer.

As a company, we presently sell all those models in Solar Boat Packages with PowerFilm 50 and 110 watt solar panels. The advantage of those packages is that they are still reasonable in price and you can hook up that Powerfilm Solar Panels to any 12 volt lead acid, AGM, Gel or Lithium battery (in the case of our Advance 70 WaterSnake® electric motor) on a “plug and play” basis. That is one solar panel with one electric motor with built-in solar controller and built-in fuse.

We are presently in the process of developing solar boat packages for Torqeedo® motors. The first motor we will have a solar boat package on with be the Torqeedo® 1103 Travel Motor. This is a somewhat smaller motor delivering the equivalent of 3 hp. Like other Torqeedo® motors, it is not cheap. Presently, that model costs $2,999. A nice feature of the 1103 is that it weighs a total of 39 lbs. with the built-in lithium battery that comes equipped with a built-in solar controller. We will shortly be offering that model with a 165 watt Solgo solar panel with a special Torqeedo® connector to ensure no problems. This will be a true “plug and play” solar boat package.

In the case of the Custom Solar Boat Package that we constructed for purposes of testing and achieving “My Solar Power Dream”, we are also putting together the same kind of “plug and play” solar boat package for that Cruise 3.

Now, people who wish to make their own solar boat packages can go ahead and recreate a solar boat packages with more solar panels similar to the package I created for this blog story. But they should only do that if they have electrical knowledge and are comfortable with matching up lithium batteries with multiple solar panels and a solar controller. If you decide to do that and you want to use Torqeedo® electric motors, you also should know that Torqeedo® will not warranty their products unless you use a Torqeedo® solar controller.

And then there is the cost to consider: For the purposes of this experiment, we used an old Cruise 2 Torqeedo® motor that we had bought 8 years ago and married that with a 4 year lithium battery.

For solar panels, we bought 4 Renogy 175 watt panels and connected them in a series. Because the Renogy panels were flexible and because they blocked out the sun, I got the bright idea to mount the panels side by side on a special square tube frame. That provided an out of the way place for the panels and a UV proof canopy at the same time.

Now, it must be said, that while this same configuration can be re-created by anyone buying one our Sea Eagle® FastCat™ 14.4s, recreating this particular solar boat package will require the following:

• A custom built canopy frame to hold the 4 solar panels – this would require some skills to build a custom canopy frame, as well as various nuts, bolts, and parts to attach the panel into a single frame. In the near future, that should not be much of a problem because we are planning to offer a larger canopy which can hold 4 solar panels. In the meantime, our wide Sun/Rain Canopy will hold 3 Renogy or similar size solar panels, so with our standard wide canopy, you could have 3 solar panel solution. That might not be as much solar power as the configuration, but surely, it will be more than enough solar power for regular use of a Cruise 3 Torqeedo®.
• The above solution would still leave you with the task of buying flexible, solar panels – you should figure $200 to $300 per solar panel and $1,300 for a Torqeedo® solar controller. As mentioned above, the solar controller is a must if you want Torqeedo to uphold its standard warranties. Torqeedo® does offer a fairly reasonable cost solar controller for the Cruise 3 motor, but that is limited to a single solar panel with an output of 8 amps or less. If you wish to have more solar panels, you have to go for the higher end solar controller which costs a hefty $1299. Strangely, that controller is only rated at IP 51, which means it is not truly waterproof. That means you have to have some way to keep the controller out of direct exposure to rain. My solution to that problem was simple: a $4 plastic wastepaper basket that fits neatly over the controller. That works, but it is not the most beautiful solution. Strangely, the cheaper solar controller for one solar panel / 8 amp max is IP67 rated, so that is completely waterproof.
• Next, you cannot forget the motor and the battery – a Torqeedo® Cruise 3 costs a cool $4299 for the motor only. Then there is the battery. That costs $2999 for the lithium battery. So, when you add all of the above costs, including the cost of our FastCat™ 14.4 you are really in for about $12,000. In short, you have to have a real love of electrical power to choose to create this particular solar boat package. Frankly, no matter how much gas you use on 10 or 20 hp gas motor and how many times you repair or tune-up a gas motor, it will take a long time to justify your purchase of this solar boat configuration just on economics.

In summary, you are probably not going to want to re-create this particular solar boat package. As mentioned in this bog story at the beginning, this was always an experimental solar boat package to give us a true understanding of what can be done with solar boat packages. As such, I believe this configuration has given me a true understanding of what is presently possible.

As mentioned above, we already offer 10 solar boat packages with our Sea Eagle® boats and WaterSnake® electric motors. And yes, because WaterSnake® motors do not draw a lot of electrical power, these solar boat packages do work well and are very reasonable in cost.

For those who wish to use larger electric motors, we will shortly be offering solar boat packages with the Torqeedo® 1103c Travel Motor (the equivalent of 3hp gas motor) and the Torqeedo® Cruise 3 motor (the equivalent of a 6 hp gas motor). Those packages will come with canopies to hold the solar panels and will offer what we think will be the most practical and economic configurations for solar boats.

For more information on solar panels, why to go solar, and how to choose the right one for your Sea Eagle, check out this video.

For those of you interested in the present solar boat pack packages, click here to see them.

By Tom Schlichter

Sea Eagle fans will tell you that having a high-quality inflatable kayak can really be a plus when it comes to transporting your kayak and gaining access to hard to reach or shallow stretches of fishy rivers, lakes and ponds. Still, Sea Eagle FastTrack™ 385fta owner Joe Furman has taken things to the extreme to really get the most out of his ‘yakking experiences. He transports his FastTrack™ to some really out of the way places in his 1986 Porsche 911 Targa.

“I used to have a plastic kayak that I tied on the roof of my Subaru,” reveals Furman, 60, from Huston, Texas. “It looked like I was one of the Clempetts from The Beverly Hillbillies as I drove down the road with that setup. These days, I like to go in style, so I pack my FastTrack™ into my seats and head off wherever I want at full speed without ever worrying about my kayak shifting on the roof as I travel.”

To be sure, even Furman was amazed that the 385fta fit in his Porsche. After all, this sporty model is as compact a car as you’ll ever see. “I love my car, but it has a tiny trunk and hardly any room in the back for someone to sit comfortably. Inflated, my 12’ 6” Sea Eagle is actually longer than the car. Still, when I was researching it, I thought the 385fta broke down so nicely that it just might fit if I put some components in the back seat and some in the front. When I first got it, I was thrilled to see that it actually did – and not just the duffel bag that contains the boat, but the collapsible paddles, seats, motor, battery – the whole dang thing. Awesome!”.

Furman is also impressed with the Fasttrack™ 385fta light weight, stability and tracking. At just 45 pounds deflated, it folds into a 36″ x 15″ x 20″ package, can seat three passengers, and handles any reasonable water you might want to sample. It’s also sleek and tough with quadruple overlapped seams, 1,000 Denier-reinforced material, a removeable high pressure drop stitch floor, and a curved touring shape with a state-of-the-art NeedleKnife Keel that ensures rigid, safe and stable kayak performance while maintaining all the benefits of an inflatable.

“This really is an impressive inflatable kayak,” continues Furman, who uses his FastTrack™ for fishing, touring and wildlife viewing. I love to fish in freshwater rivers, lakes and creeks, and I like to push back into the brush or fish in isolated waters others wouldn’t dare to test. I’ve even taken it in the ocean and on trips as far away as Iowa. I am conscious of not puncturing the hull, of course, but I’ve yet to have a problem. I’m not fragile, and neither is my 385fta. It’s a real boat, made for a real guy that isn’t afraid to push the limits, especially when fishing. I go where the bass boats can’t.”

One thing Furman really enjoys is attaching his Torqeedo T245 motor and powering upstream when river fishing. That way, he can drift all the way back to the launch sight casting away or simply taking in the scenery while only making small adjustments in course. “It’s such an incredible feeling,” he says, “In fact, that’s what I’m planning to do right after we wrap up this interview.”

As for the occasional comments and strange looks he gets while packing and unpacking his kayak in a Porsche, Furman takes it all in stride. “A lot of people think it’s hilarious,” he says with a chuckle, “but it takes me about the same time as it takes the bass boat crew to launch or haul their boats at the ramp. I can have this inflated or deflated in less than 15 minutes. A lot of serious boat anglers tell me they wish they had bought a kayak like mine rather than a bigger boat because there’s so few repairs, less maintenance, less stress and less investment.”

Furman usually agrees with a smile, and then drives off in his bright red sporty car – all the while planning his next Sea Eagle adventure.

By Tom Schlichter

We’ve seen some interesting ways to put Sea Eagle kayaks to good use, but this one from Jay Santos, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is truly unique. Santos uses his Sea Eagle 300x Explorer inflatable kayak to catch Dungeness crabs, which he then sells to co-workers and friends.

“I actually got started when a buddy told me he enjoyed catching crabs in tidal waters from his paddleboard” explains Santos. “One day we went out for a paddle and he showed me how it’s done. He offered to lend me one of his crab traps to give it a try and I pulled six shorts and two keepers on my first haul. I’ve been hooked on crabbing from my Explorer 300x ever since.”

At first, Santos worried that it might be too much work to lower and raise the hoop-style traps in the 50- to 80-foot depths where he’s had the most success. He was also concerned that sitting so low to the water might make the task even more difficult by taking away the leverage advantage of standing that his friend had on the paddle board. But things went smoothly right from the start said the 56-year-old store coordinator of medical supplies at Vancouver Hospital, who now has a regular route of acquaintances awaiting his deliveries. Interestingly, Santos isn’t a seafood lover himself, which, he says with a chuckle, makes it easy to part with his catch at day’s end.

“The combination of crabbing and paddling has really made a difference in my life,” reveals Santos. “It’s been a great way to get outdoors and have some fun, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. All the work and exercise has helped me melt away a few pounds, too. I don’t even realize the weight is coming off while I’m crabbing or covering water on my kayak, and the workouts make it easy for me to sleep at night. So, this has been more than a business venture, it’s really a life-style choice. When I called and placed my order with Sea Eagle, the salesperson told me: ‘You won’t regret this,’ and he was absolutely right. I’m definitely satisfied with my purchase.”

To be sure, Santos was interested in buying an inflatable kayak before he thought about crabbing, and he eventually took the plunge after doing considerable research online. He described his first purchase, from another manufacturer, as “boring” since it had been designed mostly for getting out on placid ponds. Eventually, he discovered Sea Eagle and was immediately intrigued by the 300x Explorer because it seemed rugged, stable and river ready. Additionally, it was rated for tackling up to class 4 rapids, and some reviews even mentioned using it for surfing. “I watched a ton of You-Tube videos on this model,” he stated, “and it just looked like a true multi-purpose kayak that could be a lot of fun.”

Santos does his crabbing along the Vancouver coast, spending time around Jericho Beach, Burrard Inlet and at Deep Cove in the Indian Arm waterway. “I love it,” he says, “but this is hard work. I use Promar Ambush, 32” diameter hoop style crab pots and they weigh about 5 pounds each. When you pull the rope, the sides rise up and the crabs tumble to the center of the pot. I check my traps every 30 or 40 minutes. We’re only allowed to use two crab traps at a time, and a license is required. While my traps soak, I head for the nearest beach or cove.”

That down time between pulls is what Santos calls his special time. “Exploring is what having a kayak is all about. I love looking at maps and deciding which new places to check out. We bring folding chairs, which is fine because the 300x has plenty of room for those, plus my pots and provisions. I put the pots in the bow where they receive good support from the deep pontoons. I never feel squeezed in this kayak because it has lots of leg room. It’s also exceptionally rigid and stable, and it tracks easily in the water thanks to its removeable skeg.”

Another plus for Santos is the Explorer’s toughness. He’s scraped it on barnacles, dragged it across rocks, and bumped it against docks and says it holds up remarkedly well in rugged conditions. It sports self-draining valves – which are key for running rapids or paddling on the ocean – and has D-rings for securing gear. “I attach my paddle leash to a D-ring so I can simply dump the paddle on the side of the kayak when I need to pull a trap,” he says.

Of course, like most who own Sea Eagle inflatables, Santos appreciates that the Sea Eagle 300x inflates in less than 10 minutes and can be left inflated for several days if necessary. They’ll fit easily in a closet or garage and can be placed in a car trunk or on a car roof for transport. In fact, Santos often leaves his kayak inflated for the ride back home so it dries before he gets  back. At that point, a good wipe-down is all it needs before being deflated and stored.

“There’s one other thing I really love about this ‘yak,” concludes Santos. “It’s great to loan to friends. Most are hesitant to try it at first but once they see its’ easy to get in and out, and has plenty of leg room, they hop aboard and head right off. It’s a great feeling to see them paddle out and start having fun.”