When smoke from a nearby forest fire became too much to bear, Anna and Scott Corbin headed for the mountains and the cool, clear waters of the Green Mountain Lakes of Wyoming with their Sea Eagle FastTrack.

Dear Sea Eagle,

On June 30th, 2012 we desperately needed to escape breathing the intense smoke from the Fontenelle Forest Fire, so we loaded up our kayak and drove north about 40 miles. In these pictures we are kayaking at the lower Green River Lakes…the headwaters of the Green River near our home in Wyoming. What a view of Square Top Mountain and the Wind River Mountain Range! We are really enjoying our 385 FastTrack here in Wyoming. We now get to visit beautiful remote areas on our local lakes! It’s very stable, maneuvers well, and glides easily through our high-altitude lakes! 

Sincerely, Scott & Anna Corwin

God’s country turns hellish

Scott and Anna Corwin live in one of the most scenic parts of America, in Wyoming, just down the road from Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. But when the Fontenelle forest fire roared through 150 acres of nearby woodland, their town was blanketed with heavy, acrid smoke.

When 150 acres of the Fontenelle Forest burned, acrid smoke caused the Corwins to pack up their Sea Eagle kayak and head for clean air and cool waters.

“We had a tough week of breathing forest fire smoke,” Scott told us. “Our eyes were burning, we had sore throats, and we decided to head north to get out of the smoke.” They packed up their Sea Eagle 385 FastTrack and headed for greener pastures — Green River Lakes, a National Forest Recreation Site of the United States Forest Service.

“Kayaking is something we can do together.”

Their escape from the smoke gave the Corwins some fresh air and a chance to enjoy one of their favorite activities, kayaking. “For us, kayaking is something my wife and I can do together,” said Scott. “We like to get away and be together. We work together and like to play together.”

Renting vs. buying

Scott and Anna were introduced to kayaking on a recent trip to Maui. “We took a guided kayak tour on a trip to Hawaii,” said Scott. “We saw whales close up; a humpback whale swam beneath us.” That experience got them interested in doing more kayaking, and as they researched, they decided to buy rather than own. “Renting a kayak costs a lot,” says Scott. “I didn’t want to buy a hard hull kayak because our big plan is to pack our inflatable Sea Eagle kayak in a bag and take it back to Maui.”

But until their next Hawaiian vacation, they’re exploring local lakes including Wyoming’s Freemont and Halfmoon Lakes. “We kayak to get away and relax, to enjoy each other’s company and the scenery. We love it. We can visit and talk about our kids and what they’re doing. We’re what you’d consider recreational kayakers,” Scott told us. “We’re new to kayaking, we’re not super knowledgeable about techniques but we’re really enjoying our Sea Eagle kayak.”

Online research & reviews

Scott says they keep their FastTrack inflated full time for local kayaking trips. When the day comes that they return to Hawaii, they’ll pack it in a suitcase and go ocean kayaking. “Renting a kayak is expensive,” says Scott. That’s Green Mountain Lake and Square Top Mountain in the background.

The Corwins chose the Sea Eagle 385 FastTrack after doing quite a bit of research online. “I like the internet for research,” said Scott. “I read all the reviews on inflatable kayaks and Sea Eagle gets great reviews. And the company has been in business for over 40 years.”

“I liked the FastTrack because the reviews said it responds like a hard hull kayak.” The FastTrack’s skeg at the stern and drop-stitch keel under the bow are like two underwater blades that keep it on a steady course. “It’s fast and it tracks straight,” says Scott. “For us, it’s very stable. My wife loves it and I do, too. It’s steady. You can twist around, kick back, hang out over the sides.

Between their kayaking trips in Wyoming’s pristine mountain lakes, Scott and Anna are busy running their business, Pickaroon Timber Products, Inc., specializing in roundwood fence posts and poles.

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Charles Neuman, Sea Eagle 370 boater, introduced his young family to Sea Eagle boating this past Fathers Day with an outing on New York’s Oyster Bay.

The Adventures of 4 Boys, 1 Dad, and a Sea Eagle 370

When kids enjoy their early boating experience, it can lead to a lifetime of nautical fun and adventure. We heard recently from a Sea Eagle 370 owner who is introducing his brood to the joys of boating at an early age. Avishai is 11; Matan is 8; Nadav is 5; and little Ezra is just 9 months.

Are the Neuman boys going to be long-term boaters? No telling now but Dad’s thoughtful introduction to the joys of boating may help them do more boating in their future.

Charles Neuman of Long Island sent us photos of taking his four young sons boating in New York’s Oyster Bay in his Sea Eagle 370 inflatable kayak. “Boating with kids is a lot of fun and it was a very satisfying experience for all of us,” he said. “When we got in the Sea Eagle, one of my sons said, ‘This feels like vacation.’ I really enjoyed it, too. It sets the stage for them if they want to do more boating as they get older.”

Kid-friendly boating

Charles shared some smart-parent tips to help introduce kids to boating while making it a positive experience they’ll want to do again.

• Living Room Boating — “I inflated the boat in the living room and the kids loved playing in it. So they were excited about getting it in the water. That was a nice buildup to the actual boating.”

• Short & Sweet — “Keep the boating kind of short at first. If it gets tedious, kids won’t want to go out again. Short and sweet – that’s my recommendation for other parents.”

• Life Jackets Mandatory — “I wear a life preserver the whole time we’re boating and the kids do, too, even the youngest one. I don’t know if they’re required but I always wear one anyway. That sets a good example for the kids.”

• Know Your Equipment — “It’s a good idea to get to know how to set up the boat before you go out so you can do it easily and be confident with your equipment.”

• Bring Food — “On any outing with kids, it’s a good idea to bring candy or food. But pick the right thing. I brought lollipops and the sticks ended up stuck to the bottom of the boat.”

A boat in a bag

Space is at a premium in the trusty family car when you’re loading four young ones and all their gear for an outing. Charles’s Sea Eagle 370 packs down to the size of a small suitcase and weighs just 32 lbs. so it tucks in easily. “The 370 seemed like a great boat and it’s portable. It’s easy to stow away, take it with you, and inflate when you want it.” And, he says there’s something fun about bringing a boat in a bag on your shoulder then going boating in it. “The kids liked that.”

We asked Charles why he chose a Sea Eagle inflatable. “I’d say it’s the Sea Eagle reputation and because so many people have them that I was able to get a lot of information on them.” While many choose their Sea Eagles on the Sea Eagle website, Charles saw them firsthand. “We live on Long Island and went to Sea Eagle headquarters in nearby Port Jefferson. We saw the boats in person. They seemed really well built. The price seemed good, too.”

A careful shopper

Charles, a physics teacher, told us more about how he chose the 370. “I looked at the smaller 330 but I wanted to be able to fit me and two kids. It seemed like it’s a good balance of size and weight — not too heavy – something I could comfortably carry. I’m glad I splurged for the Deluxe Inflatable Seats because they’re really well done. Everything about them is well built and works perfectly.”

“The 370 also has nice air valves. They’re almost the best feature of the boat. I have an electric pump and it inflates it very easily. And the valves make deflating fast, too. You just open the top of the valve. When you’re shopping, you think valves aren’t that big a deal but when you’re out there, anything that saves you a few minutes, especially with kids, is worth it. If it shaves off five minutes of setup is great.”

(Editor’s Note: Charles is exactly right about the air valves on the Sea Eagle 370. They are Halkey-Roberts one-way valves: use a manual or battery/electric pump and air goes one way, “in only.” To deflate, unscrew the cap and the air’s released with a “whoosh.”)

No-tears adventuring

Some Sea Eagle boaters are adventure junkies, boating 2,300 miles down the mighty Mississippi, sailing among the icebergs in Greenland, or competing in slalom kayak races in Latvia.

Charles does a different kind of adventure boating — every bit as challenging and probably more rewarding. “A boating adventure for me,” he tells us, “is getting the car loaded, getting all four boys in, getting to the water, getting the Sea Eagle set up…all without anybody crying.”

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