Seaeagle inflatable kayak

I had a problem with air leaking from the drop stitch floor of my Seaeagle 385 FT. It’s a high pressure (10psi) very rigid floor that is inserted into the kayak (there’s a “sub floor” that connects the pontoons and serves as protection for the floor).

Anyways, i noticed this leak when I was on the water. It was slow, but the floor was sagging. The instructions say to inflate the kayak 24 hours before the trip to check for leaks. It’s not practical, but the 30 minutes of setup etc. certainly didn’t reveal the leak.

Good news - Seaeagle saw the photos and are sending me a new one right away. Didn’t ask to send the old floor. I think the glue work was defected from the factory; one side looks ok, the other doesn’t. See photos below.

Lessons:
- when you buy an inflatable kayak, even if air doesn’t leak, if the glue work doesn’t look right, then send it back
- buy from a reputable brand with good service
- when you go on a trip, inflate the floor separately from the kayak and let both stand for an hour at least to see if pressure is down

Great to hear good customer service stories like this, as it gives a great impression knowing that they support their product. 

That’s awesome that they sent you a new one, no problem! Sorry to hear about the defective product.

Thanks! Yes, Seaeagle is considered a leader in inflatable kayaks, so I heard

Fix the leak and insert it into your kayak as a floater helper.  It will displace some water volume as well.  Just enough so it can flex and contour to odd places.

Fix the leak and insert it into your kayak as a floater helper.  It will displace some water volume as well.  Just enough so it can flex and contour to odd places.

Fill it with helium, and your Hobie will glide above the water like a hovercraft

Ingest the helium and you will be talking fish!

Do let us know how you like the Sea Eagle... I was thinking of getting one, but in all likelihood will end up getting a regular ocean-going kayak like an Old Town PDL of some sort.

The price, convenience, and reputation of Sea Eagle is tempting though... I'd love to not worry about top mounting or pulling a trailer or stuff like that, just toss the yak in my car and go.