Russ and Margie Hanson explore one of Lake Powell’s many side canyons in their Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak.

What do you get when you take a houseboat, a speedboat, a Sea Eagle 330 kayak, eight family members and friends, and plunk them in the middle of Lake Powell? You get the family vacation of a lifetime.

That’s what the Hanson family had recently. Russ and Margie Hanson, of Phoenix, hosted their family on a scenic, adventurous, and unusual family boating vacation.

1 houseboat, 1 speedboat, and 1 Sea Eagle inflatable kayak

The Hansons, their twenty-something kids (plus their kids’ friends), and Russ’s sister and her husband spent an entire week boating and exploring the southern half of Lake Powell from Glen Canyon Dam at Page, Arizona to Rainbow Bridge National Monument in Utah.

“We rented a houseboat to live in, and a speedboat to get around in, at a marina on Lake Powell,” said Russ. “And we bought a Sea Eagle 330 kayak to explore some of the lake’s side canyons.”

Canyon kayaking is otherworldly

The Hansons kayaked deep into still, silent, surreal slot canyons.

“We’d paddle our way into the canyons as far as we could go,” said Russ, “until they were as narrow as our kayak.” Sometimes they had to back their way out stern first.

“Kayaking in a slot canyon is a surreal experience,” said Russ. “The canyon walls can be two or three hundred feet high and you can’t see the sky in some places because the rocks overhang.” The canyons are totally silent with just the echo of your voices and rippling water. “Our Sea Eagle kayak got us into places other people just can’t go,” Russ says. “It was an otherworldly experience.”

Back to boating

Russ is not new to boating. “I grew up in Montana,” he says. “My dad and I did a lot of canoeing and fishing when I was a kid. I enjoyed that a lot and wanted to get back to it.”

But the Hanson boating expedition was their first family boating adventure. “Our family is very close,” says Russ, “but we’re scattered all over the country so we look for opportunities to get together.” And now that their kids are grown, the Hansons feel it’s even more important to create family experiences.

Members of the Hanson party went ashore long enough to visit Rainbow Bridge National Monument.

Easy portability

Russ says he wanted an inflatable kayak because they’re easy to transport. “Everything fits in the Sea Eagle bag. I can throw it in the back of my GMC Yukon and go.”

He sought an inflatable kayak under $400 because he wasn’t sure how frequently he’d be able to use it. “The Sea Eagle came out tops for quality and value,” he says.

And it looks like he’s getting his money’s worth: Russ and family have their next adventure in the planning stages already.  They’re checking out the lower Colorado River, downstream from Hoover Dam. The river’s calm there with many scenic areas, caves, and hot springs to explore. “Companies do kayak tours there,” says Russ. “We think we’ll just take our own kayaks and go.” See you on the river!

Benny Briggs’ boating adventures began with a commercial rafting trip in the Grand Canyon and have turned into annual kayaking expeditions.

Benny, from Lubbock, Texas, hadn’t boated before but in 2001 he and his sons took “the boating trip everybody should do sometime,” a commercial raft trip down the mighty Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

They didn’t have to ask him twice

On that trip, Benny got to know a group of guys from Arizona who go on private group kayaking trips in their own kayaks. They invited him to come along and they didn’t have to ask him twice.

“Every year, we go on a kayaking trip somewhere,” says Benny. “We’ve kayaked down the Rio Grande, the Green River in Utah, the Gunnison, and more.” Next up for Benny and friends — a trip kayaking trip down the Colorado near Moab, Utah.

Camping under the stars

Benny and friends aren’t high-adrenaline kayakers. They’re out to have a good time with friends in America’s beautiful outdoors. “In 2008, we went down 105 miles of the Rio Grande in about a week,” says Benny. “We’d put in and kayaked for four or five hours and then make camp for the night.”

Camp means camaraderie with tenting, bonfires, cooking, and story telling under the stars. “I like to get with my friends,” says Benny. “We sit and talk, tell jokes, and have a great time.”

Benny worked for Exxon Mobil but is retired now. “Kayak trips are a lot of fun,” he says. “They’re manageable for people of all ages including retired folks like me.”

Benny kayaks through Tight Squeeze, a narrow opening between boulders in Mariscal Canyon, Rio Grande River, Big Bend National Park

Rising river and a quick exit

Of course, no kayak adventure comes without the unexpected. Benny and friends were camped in a side canyon alongside the San Juan River on one of their trips. On the last day, the river began to rise. “We packed up fast and got in our kayaks,” says Benny. “The current was running so fast we made it to the takeout point in about two hours — a trip that normally takes all day.”

How does a first-time kayaker get himself into a Sea Eagle Explorer Kayak? “I saw it on the internet,” says Benny. “I bought it for my first trip and I wasn’t sure I’d like kayaking so I didn’t want to spend $2,000 like my friends did.”

Try it – you’ll like it

So if you’re out on a river somewhere in the Southwest and see a group of five or six kayaks slide by, it just might be Benny and friends. His advice? “Go kayaking. You’ll enjoy it!”

A friend of the Zuchs, Kamini Fonseca (pictured), says, “I love hanging out with Susy and Fritz. We pack up and go almost anywhere there is water to float on!”

Fritz and Susy Zuch enjoy what many kayakers would call the perfect lifestyle.

The Zuchs live next to the Methow (MET-how) river in Washington State; one of America’s premier kayaking rivers. They own four Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayaks. They also own their own business so, as Fritz says, “When the river’s perfect and the weather’s fine, we go kayaking.”

Their four-kayak flotilla

You’ll often find Fritz and Susy running the Class II – III sections of the Methow, each in their own Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak. Their favorite 18-mile run takes them four or five hours.

The Zuch’s daughter carries on the family tradition.

Or you may see their mini-flotilla shoot by — Fritz, Susy, their kids, or friends — each in their own Sea Eagle. “We look like a whitewater kayaking company with our four matching 330’s,” says Fritz.

Class I – III rapids

The Methow, named after the Methow Indian Tribe, flows southeast from its headwaters in the northern Cascade Range. It twists and turns through the mountains and valleys of Washington State and empties into the mighty Columbia River. Fritz gives a local kayaker’s perspective. “The Methow starts as a Class I – II river then changes to a Class II – III. At Black Canyon, it becomes a Class III – IV river. That’s where the whitewater companies run their businesses. As you go east, the river gets wilder and wilder as it’s squeezed into a series of steep canyons. When it hits the Columbia, it widens and slows.”

Kayak Season

The river’s flow varies through the season, says Fritz, because, “The Methow is fed largely by glacial and snowpack melt.” The Methow’s popular “Kayak Season” — five to seven weeks when the river runs fast — from about mid-to-late June to early-to-late July. But you’ll see dedicated kayakers on the Methow from May through August.

The river’s flow is measured in CFS, or cubic feet per second. 10,000 CFS is ideal in the Methow. “Above that, the water’s so stirred up you can’t see obstacles easily,” Fritz reports. “And below 1,000 CFS, you’re scraping bottom.” “There are several websites that continually report the CFS,” says Fritz. “We use the U.S. Geological Survey’s site, http://www.usgs.gov/.”

What’s the Zuch’s attraction to boating? “For us,” says Fritz, “it’s the beauty of the river and surroundings. There’s something soothing about being on the river. Throw in some rapids, and you’ve got an adrenaline rush, too.”

“Dude, that’s awesome!”

A sandy beach on the Methow…but the D.O.T. chute lay ahead.

Fritz and Susy pumped a bit more adrenaline than they bargained for recently. They put in at a beautiful, sandy beach in a lazy section of the river they hadn’t run before. Launching after a relaxing picnic, they soon heard rapids ahead.

The Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) had placed abutments on both sides of the river, narrowing it significantly and creating a chute. “There was no turning back,” says Fritz. “Susy lined up perfectly and I followed” through the chute. “We popped through the chute,” says Fritz. “We found a place to pull out and decided we wanted to go back and do it again!”

The Zuchs later learned from local 20-something adventure kayakers that the areas’s called the D.O.T. Chute. “You went down the D.O.T. Chute in an IK (inflatable kayak)? Dude, that’s awesome!”

Kayak Season has passed for now but the Zuchs aren’t done boating by a long shot. Besides their four 330’s, they also own a larger Sea Eagle SE9 they use for fishing, and have their eye on a Sea Eagle Sport Runabout.

Nearby alpine and sub-alpine lakes await them. “And there’s absolutely great Salmon and Steelhead fishing in the Columbia,” Fritz tells us. And after all — when you live on the Methow River, Kayak Season’s never that far away.

The Chearinos go outdoor adventuring together. Left to right, meet Travis, 14, Jaime; Megan, 12; Gremlin (in Megan’s arms) and Astro.

How do you juggle being a husband…a father…and an adventurer, too? For Mike Chearino of Rhode Island, the solution was simple: get two Sea Eagle Explorer Kayaks and take the whole family adventuring. Dogs and all, of course.

Mark, a police officer at the University of Rhode Island, is a full-time family man and an outdoor-loving adventurer, too. “Two years ago,” Mark says, “I started getting into whitewater kayaking, but I also wanted to spend time with my family.”

What’s a fellow to do?

So what’s a fellow to do? Buy two Sea Eagle Explorer kayaks, of course. A 340X for the kids; Travis, 14, and Megan, 12. Mark got a larger 380X for himself; his wife, Jaime; and their two dogs, Astro and Gremlin.

Mark Chearino shows Astro the finer points of sea kayaking

Astro’s a Yellow Lab and, as you’d expect, “He just loves being on the water,” says Mark. Gremlin’s a dinky 7-lb Chihuahua the Chearinos rescued. “In calm water, Gremlin rides on the Sea Eagle’s splash curtain,” says Mark. In rough water, “We tuck him in under it.”

Hidden agenda

Mark wanted to teach his kids to appreciate and enjoy the outdoors, but he had an ulterior motive, too. “I wanted them to learn independence and teamwork,” he told us. “Two-person kayaking teaches them both.”

From flat water to a raging river

Versatility attracted Mark to the Sea Eagle Explorer Kayak. “I go boating from flat water to raging rivers,” says Mark, “And the Sea Eagle is versatile enough to handle all of it.”

Some days, you’ll find Mike photographing Egrets in a quiet estuary from his Sea Eagle; other days you’ll spot him paddling on Narragansett Bay. And sometimes you’ll see the whole Chearino family shooting down Class II and III rapids in the Deerfield River in nearby Massachusetts.

Surrounded by Striped Bass

The Chearinos camped recently on Cape Cod in their travel trailer. “Both Sea Eagles fold up nicely and fit in the trailer,” says Mark. His kids aren’t into fishing much, but Mark is. He paddled a mile offshore to Race Point and found himself surrounded by of a school of striped bass. “I threw everything I had at them but they just weren’t biting,” he says.

What’s next for the Chearino family? They’ll go wilderness camping in the weeks to come. Later, they’ll take a ferry to Block Island, 13 miles off the Rhode Island coast. Their Sea Eagles pack small so they can go on the ferry as carryon luggage.

For Mark, Jaime, Travis, and Megan, it’s all about family fun, togetherness, and outdoor adventuring. And dogs. Could it get any better than that?

10-year old Christian Pennington is getting hooked on fishing, thanks to his grandparents, Roger and Katie Pennington.

“I’ve fished just about all my life,” says Roger Pennington, Sea Eagle owner from southwestern Virginia. “I do quite a bit of lake fishing for trout and large mouth bass.”

Roger seeks out the smaller lakes in his area. “Lakes that are five or six or seven acres have fewer people on them and less boat traffic so the fishing’s better,” he says.

Gas-powered outboards aren’t allowed on lakes where Roger fishes. He owns a MinnKota electric trolling motor but powers himself around using oars most of the time.

Passing down traditions

Roger’s got “fishing fever.” Could a love of fishing be catching? When we asked Roger why he fishes, he said, “Both sides of my family were fishermen. It’s a family tradition that’s been handed down from generation to generation.” And now he’s helping the younger generation catch the fever.

Roger’s 10-year old grandson loves fishing, too, and is Granddad’s fishing buddy. Roger snapped a picture of Christian and the biggest large mouth bass he’s ever caught — 15” and about three or four pounds. From the smile on his face, we think Christian’s already hooked on fishing.

Christian caught and released his prize fish because it wasn’t quite big enough for the dinner table; in that area, a “keeper” must be 18” or more. “We do a lot of catch and release,” says Roger.

Sports car of the sea

Roger’s first Sea Eagle was the FoldCat, a twin-pontoon inflatable boat specifically set up for fishing. So why’d a dedicated fisherman trade up to a Sea Eagle’s SR14? “SR” stands for Sport Runabout and this boat is dubbed the “sports car of the sea.” The SR series is Sea Eagle’s high-performance speedboat favored by speed-and-power enthusiasts and water rescue teams.

“I don’t run around in this boat, I use it strictly for fishing,” Roger told us. “It works very well for that.” The solid floor adds stability and there’s room for the whole family. Roger added a swivel seat and plans to add another.

Your own fishin’ tradition

Do you fish? Is there a youngster in your family to whom you can pass along the fishin’ tradition? We hope there is, and we hope they’ll enjoy it with you as much as Christian enjoys fishing with his grandparents.

John and Risa roar through Satan’s Cesspool on their FIRST whitewater adventure

John Bell, of San Carlos, California, is into staying trim and fit through exercise. He’s big on mountain biking and kicking the soccer ball around.

But neither of those work the upper body. And using the machines at the gym or fitness center? “It’s boring,” says John. (And we agree!)

What drives John’s interest in exercise? “I need to be active because I love food!”

Entertaining Exercise

John had been on commercial whitewater rafting trips and realized he could enjoy the fun, excitement, and exercise of whitewater on his own in a kayak. “Whitewater kayaking is a great way to get exercise while being entertained, too,” says John. “Your obliques and your arms get worked while you’re having fun.”

With help from his girlfriend, Risa, John researched kayaks online and found that inflatable kayaks are easier to handle, more stable, and more forgiving than hard-hull kayaks. “Inflatables are easier to exit, too,” says John. No Eskimo rolls for John.

John considered the Sea Eagle 385ft FastTrack but chose the Eagle 380x Explorer kayak instead. He immediately took a test run in nearby San Francisco Bay. Next day John kayaked in a local lake and worked on his suntan. “Whitewater was next,” he says.

Into Satan’s Cesspool

So with no kayaking experience, John and Risa soon found themselves roaring down Class III rapids in Satan’s Cesspool in the South Fork of the American River. “It was a blast,” he reports.

Following commercial rafting parties helped them find the best path through the rapids but they were left to chart their own course, too. “We definitely made some mistakes,” John says. “We bounced off rocks and went into some rapids in the wrong position. But the inflatable Sea Eagle is wide and forgiving.” Good thing!

John’s Advice for Other Newbies

John shares some advice for other first-time kayakers. He suggests getting in the right position as you enter rapids and is planning practice runs to hone his technique. He and Risa found that the heavier person should sit up front. And the person in the back seat can steer using the oar like a rudder.

His experience with commercial rafting lead him to an interesting comparison: 6-man rafting in Class IV rapids is comparable to 2-man kayaking in Class III rapids. He also found that wearing a helmet is simply a good idea. “Not so much because of the kayaking,” he says, but because, in the frenzy of shooting the rapids, you just might get a bonk on the head from your partner’s paddle.

Tim Faulkner and his dog Morgan in a Sea Eagle 330

Do you love dogs? Love boating, too? There’s every reason to take your best friend along on your next boating adventure. All you need is some common sense and simple safety precautions. And a dog that’s willing to go nautical, of course.

Colleen Faulkner, of Red Bank, New Jersey is a dog-loving boater. “Whenever we went camping, we took Morgan,” says Colleen. “And when we went boating, she came, too.”

Colleen’s not alone. Boating and dogs just seem to go together, and you’ll often see an eager Rover galloping down the down the dock, eager for aquatic adventure, with his master in tow. “Many, many boaters are dog lovers,” says Colleen.

Colleen and her husband, Tim, own a Four Winns, their second cabin cruiser. “We find boating really relaxing,” Colleen says. “We boat to a little cove on the Navesink River and just relax, read, and hang out on floats.”

Sea Eagle Shuttle

Getting their dog, Morgan, to and from the cabin cruiser was a challenge. “We were looking for some kind of boat to shuttle Morgan back and forth between the shore and the cabin cruiser,” says Colleen. Visiting their home town, near Port Jefferson, NY, the Faulkners just happened to drive by the headquarters of Sea Eagle Inflatable Boats.

“We stopped in on a whim and bought a Sea Eagle 330 kayak,” says Colleen. “We liked it because it’s inflatable and very compact.” And it’s a perfect way to shuttle essentials from ship to shore and back again: food, supplies, camping gear…and dogs, of course! In the off-season, the Faulkners harbor their cruiser in Red Bank, New Jersey. And their Sea Eagle? They deflate and store it in a corner of their garage.

The Boating Dog

Will your dog take to boating? Much depends on the dog. Some get a case of the jitters or are scared of letting their paws leave dry land. Others take to boats like, well, like a dog to a bone. Morgan was of the latter persuasion. “She was a great dog,” says Colleen. “People were very surprised at how easily it was to get her aboard.”

To introduce your dog to boating, we advise you to take it slow. Some dogs balk at a boat’s wobble. Others get spooked by who-knows-what. Beach your boat and invite Fido to step in while it’s on solid ground. Then try inviting them in while the boat is partially launched but still stable. Then call your pooch when the boat’s in the water and you’re in the boat, with a firm grip on the dock.

From a safety point of view, it’s a good idea to put Shep in a doggie life preserver. And what about dog toenails? “Our Sea Eagle kayak is tough,” says Colleen. “Morgan’s nails weren’t a problem.”

A Happy Dog

The Faulkners still enjoy their cabin cruiser and their Sea Eagle 330 but, sadly, Morgan passed away recently at a remarkable 119 years old – that’s 17 dog years. But as you can see in the photo, she loved boating. You can tell from the big smile on her face!