Sea Tiger

The sea tiger II is one of the nicest looking kayaks I've ever seen its red and gray design is very eye appealing it is a very sturdy and buoyant it was to the best easter present I ever got from my wife me and her ride it all the time on our private lake.

This review is for the current model Sea Tiger, which is suitable for either single or double paddling. I've owned this boat for about 6 mos and used it on Class 2 rivers and lakes. It's done everything I've asked of it and then some. My wife and I wanted a boat that could carry us and our 50-pound Siberian Husky. This boat has plenty of room and with a weight capacity of 700 pounds, we don't even come close to maxing it out. With two of us and the dog on board, we can easily make between 3.5 and 4 mph on calm water. I can do about the same speed paddling solo with no dog. Solo with dog, I'm down to 3.2 or so. The boat is very stable. No problem pulling the dog back onboard if she decides to abandon ship. Tracking is good with the rudder, but only marginal without. I always paddle with the rudder down. I've used the boat in Class II white water and find it to be quite capable. It is 18 ft long but paddled solo it is quite maneuverable. It's easy to catch eddies and surf on backwash.

The stability and the near indestructibility of the hull gives you the confidence to play in shallow rivers where hardshell sea kayaks fear to tread. If I'm looking for a good workout, I paddle upstream for a mile or two and then play in the rapids on the way back down. A river trip without the need for a shuttle.

Regarding the durability, I also own an Aire whitewater kayak that I have bounced off rocks and dragged across gravel bars for 10 years. These boats are tough. They come with a 10-year warranty. I've never had to use it, and I don't baby my boats. I bought them to have fun with and that's what I do.

There are a couple of tradeoffs. The boat is not as fast as a hardshell, although I often paddle with them. This boat hits a wall on hull speed at about 4.3 mph and you just can't push it any faster, even going downwind. It collects some leaves and flotsam in the seams where the tubes meet the floor and it takes a bit longer to clean it up after use than a hardshell would. It also collects some water in the envelope around the floor bladder that is slow to drain until you let some air out. If you try to carry it away from the takeout without draining the water, it can be REAL heavy. It's not all that light even when it doesn't have water in its bilge. As with all inflatables, storage will make a big difference in longevity. If you store it rolled up for extended periods, it needs to be dried out. I store it partially inflated on a rack hanging from the garage ceiling, so I don't have to dry it out after every use.

The Sea Tiger is a very versatile boat. The portability and performance is exceptional for a self-baling soft shell craft. Easy cleanup and storage, durability and Aire craftmanship add to the paddling experience.

We have been using these boats for 10 years guiding tours in the Columbia Glacier area often navigating through thick ice. We have found these boats to be extremely safe and seaworthy and very rugged and durable - they have outlasted fiberglass boats. They perform well in all sea and wind conditions except for strong head winds. They make a great tender for a larger craft.