Paddleski 395 PS

Paddleski 395 PS Description

The Paddleski 395 PS is a kayak brought to you by Sea Eagle Inflatables. Read Paddleski 395 PS reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you!

Sea Eagle Inflatables
Paddleski 395 PS Reviews

Read reviews for the Paddleski 395 PS by Sea Eagle Inflatables as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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5

This is a follow up to my…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 9/18/2012
This is a follow up to my recent post for those interested in the Paddleski.
We took it out with our 2hp Honda outboard: It will do 9mph and cruises nicely at > 6mph around 2/3 throttle. Plenty of power for this boat. The only issue to address transom height. I disagree with the recommendation of a 15" short shaft motor. The Sea Eagle transom has to be cut down 3" and I hope that is sufficient to get the cavitation plate/exhaust fully submerged.
My next post will be a review of sailing the boat.
5

We had a Sea Eagle 380x and…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 9/7/2012
We had a Sea Eagle 380x and found it a very stable craft but wanted more options since we don't do white water. Found a good used Paddleski 395. Chose the older discontinued 12' model due to similar size and weight of the 380. Turns out to be as fast or faster, on flat water as the 380x w/o directional issues. Looking forward to motoring (2hp Honda) and learning to sail with this versatile boat. No complaints.
4

I purchased this boat a while…

Submitted by: smarks71 on 7/7/2010
I purchased this boat a while ago, because I wanted to get out on the water and have some fun. I am 48 years old, and I have enjoyed canoes and rafts in the past.

I do wish to day that inflating the Paddleski 395 PS is not as easy as it appears. I was using the foot pump and it took a good 10 to 15 minutes; therefore, my legs got a good workout. When I stopped pumping and attempted to close the valve, I lost a bit of air and felt that I needed to pump it up again. I guess it takes getting used to with that valve. Unfortunately, it was approximately 92 degrees outside during this prep time, and I was feeling the heat.

Once out on the water, it was a lot of fun. I paddled to the middle of a large lake and allowed myself to drift with the wind while I relaxed in the sun. I got a good workout with the paddling, because the Paddleski 395 PS does not track very well. I was constantly having to make corrections to the direction of the boat.

I think that the Paddleski 395 PS is a good boat for quiet water activities, and possibly even a quiet river where the current is taking you down stream; however, I would not recommend it for group activity where you needed to stay with other boats. Possibly it would be better with two people paddling.

Good points: fun to use; stable; easy to deflate and pack away.
Bad points: doesn't track well; uses a lot of energy to inflate with the foot pump--I would recommend an electrical pump; not a boat built for speed.

4

I have just got back from a…

Submitted by: paddler233425 on 10/19/2009
I have just got back from a short trip camping and boating in Oman with my girlfriend and we really like this boat. Easy to set up in about ten minutes - It is a very stable boat and pretty fast with two people paddling steadily. My girlfriend is not a seasoned kayaker and not overly confident in the water, but she feels very safe on this boat as it is a very solid and stable platform. It is also easy to jump on and off this boat for a dip in the water which is something I was looking for. I ran a little capsize drill and it was much harder to get the boat to flip over than it was to right it again!

I caught a couple of fish by trawling a line off the back and paddling steadily over a small reef so that's two of the five boats in one tested - might get a motor soon... I'll let you know how it goes.

Positives: Stable, fast, easy to set up, tracks well, comfortable.
Potential negatives: might not be as "exciting" to use as some other boats due to its stability and predictability, not a huge amount of storage space on deck. But it really depends on what you want to use the boat for.
Highly recommended!

4

My wife and I are in our 70's…

Submitted by: paddler233007 on 1/29/2009
My wife and I are in our 70's and have had a Paddle Ski for a few years we have the sailing attachment, I adapted the steering attachment that came with the sailing rig to foot control and now have a Kayak that steers very well, we also have the high pressure electric pump, I find this makes for a much more rigid boat as we never managed to inflate it to the right pressure with the foot pump. I put a video on Vimeo of us assembling our Paddle Ski and sailing it if any one wishes to check it out it is: http://www.vimeo.com/1159027
3

This is a follow up on my…

Submitted by: paddler231759 on 7/6/2007
This is a follow up on my review written last year. I have more experience with PS395 now, as well as research and tried many different boats.

PS is a boat of versatility, so some people may like it for its non-paddling function, such as motoring. It is actually a Jack of all trade but master of nothing. But here at paddling.com, we should talk about it as a paddling boat, right? Then this is just another mediocre kayak. The performance is mediocre. With my best effort I can get 3.4 mph. It is vulnerable to wind. It tracks not well and this zigzag movement makes the trip longer. I tried several other boats, including inflatables and hardshells, and I found it was not my skill that was the bottle neck of speed. Stability is good. It provides me a solid platform for fishing, floating around (slowly), motoring is ok. I never tried its sail kit, but was told it's no good. Some said it may serve as a white water kayak, but I doubt, with it's high seating position. The price is around $1000, not cheap. When some of the reviewers said it appeared good in quality, let me tell you that depends on what you are comparing to. But with the same price, or less, you certainly can buy a MUCH better inflatable kayak.

This is my second year with PS395, it has not given me any safety trouble yet and so far looks solid. But for those of you know that rubber is better than PVC, PS395 (and all Seaeagle's boats) is a PVC. I just realized all Seaeagle boats are glued, not welded. Glued boats are less durable than welded. And how about portability? To me, light weight, small deflated size, easy and quick setup and wrap up, are crucial factors in portability. PS395 is 49lb to carry with, not bad, but not super. It is not practical to set it up in parking lot and carry it over to the water. So one has to park on the ramp to set up and drive to parking lot with the boat left on ramp, and walk back, and another trip at the end of water fun time. If you like to paddle several times per week, this is a hassle. Folding is ok but the material is not easy to be folded closely, comparing to ruber. Inflating is easy, usually takes about 7-8 min. Setup of the chairs is a little tricky, takes another 4-5 minutes. Combining all these, I would say the portability is mediocre.

I found most of the problems I mentioned was to much degree solved with Sunny from Innova, though one can not motor or sail with Sunny. There is no perfect world, but PS395 is not the best deal one can get in the IK mall.

3

I have baddled 395 for a few…

Submitted by: paddler231759 on 8/24/2006
I have baddled 395 for a few months and start to find it boring. It really depends on what do you look for. The boat appears well made, tough material surved many rough condition. Portability is the major advantage, but this is not specific for 395. I am dissatisfied with its performance. It tracks not very well. Several times unknown paddlers stopped by me and advised me to add a rudder on it. It is also heavy to paddle, and slow, compare to hardshells. It maybe versatile, but really it is a poor kayak. I really hope somebody will make portable kayak that does not compromise the performance. I am debating whether I should go for 12.10sk.
5

I bought my 395S PaddleSki 2…

Submitted by: paddler231689 on 7/12/2006
I bought my 395S PaddleSki 2 years ago and I absolutely love it. It is very well made and designed, durable, stable, fast and makes a great fishing platform. Def use the tall back kayak seats, pro package (Surf to Summit) as they are much more efficient and comfortable. I've adopted a rod holder to the transom and am currently adopting a fish finder using a spare Scotty rod holder base. I have also rigged a couple paddle keepers with bungie and clips along the side of the pontoon - I mounted a couple extra D rings for this. Highly recommended inflatable.... just don't have expectations of doing the Colorado or staying completely dry. All sit on tops get a little "wet".
3

Just tried out this kayak…

Submitted by: paddler231073 on 5/12/2005
Just tried out this kayak with my husband, and we were disappointed, although it was easy to assemble and inflate and appears to be of good quality. With both of us paddling, it made good speed. But it definitely has its shortcomings. First of all, it was wetter than we'd anticipated, even in fairly flat water. No protection from spray, etc. whatsoever. Secondly, although we're experienced hard shell kayakers, the boat pulled to port excessively and did not track well. We're sending it back.
4

I recently bought a sea eagle…

Submitted by: paddler230685 on 7/19/2004
I recently bought a sea eagle 330 and for the price I was pretty satisfied with it. The first few rides i went on I only went for about an hour or so but within a few weeks I wanted to stay out longer. The thing is that after a few hours the boat became soft and loss its integrity which in turn made it less stable and harder to paddle. So in short I think this is a great begginers tool for practicing and short rides but I hope to try a sea eagle 420 so I can go on much longer all day expedition and I will get back to you guys and let you know how that turns out.
4

I Bought my Paddleski 395 PS…

Submitted by: paddler230653 on 6/28/2004
I Bought my Paddleski 395 PS after my wife and I went rafting on the N. Umpqua river in Oregon. I thought it would be nice to be able to use an electric motor with it, also to use it to do white water rafting up to maybe class 3, and also to paddle on lakes. After using it on the N. Umpqua and the Rogue rivers we found out why the Paddleski 395 is not rated for over class 2 riffles. We have been disappointed with it on the white water, but we have had alot of fun with the boat on lakes. We haven't tried it yet with a motor.

We live in a motorhome full time and we do take the boat with us during the summer. If I had it to do over again, would I buy the same Boat? I don't think so, I think I would buy the Sea Eagle 340 Kayak. I haven't had any problem with leaking, we have gone over quite a few rocks and the fabric holds up very well. I have the high pressure electic pump that Sea Eagle sells and it works well. One other problem that I have noticed is that after inflating when we put the boat into cold water the air contracts and the boat sinks a little lower in the water. I think all inflatables have this problem so I don't know what to do about it. Enjoy.

5

I own an 18' Kevlar sea kayak…

Submitted by: paddler230290 on 5/11/2004
I own an 18' Kevlar sea kayak as well and I was looking for another boat to take along in a rental RV on our yearly RV vacation. This boat appealed to me because it is so versatile with more possibilities than a regular inflatable kayak. I am 6'3" and bought the bigger 435-paddleski version. Cecil of Seaegle recommended it for my size. The folks at Seaeagle were very helpful and a joy to deal with. I actually bought the entire package so I can paddle, row, motor or sail my paddleski. The boat is build very solid and it is huge! Still it stows away quite small. All accessories and everything is good quality. A great toy for a man. The most fun I am having with the sailing kit. This really lets you "zip around" pretty well. The boat is easy to sail, fast and is surprisingly stabile. It sails already with very little wind but I had it out with 17 mph wind as well and the boat still handled fine. Rowing comes in second on my fun scale - I have the sliding seat and the more expensive oars. The boat rows pretty fast. It took me a little to get the "sculling" motion right. I can get it up around 4 or 4.5 mph on average. It is quite enjoyable to paddle as well. The paddleski of course cannot match the speed and ease of paddling of my 18' Kevlar sea kayak, but it sure paddles better, straighter and easier than any other inflatable kayak I have ever tried. I got a special 9-foot paddle especially made which I find the appropriate length for me in this boat. It is an extremely safe boat to paddle. I also got myself a nice saltwater Minn Kota electric motor. One battery charge gets me about 4 hours of continuous operation and 5mph top speed. One thing I would recommend at any rate is the "Tall Back Kayak Seat". This one is VERY comfortable! I can spend way more time in this one than in my sea kayak seat. For sailing, this seat sits you lower than the standard model and having an as low as possible center of gravity is beneficial for sailing especially in higher wind. I am really happy with my paddleski and I am looking forward for much more fun coming up on the water.
4

I have had my Paddleski for…

Submitted by: paddler229940 on 9/27/2002
I have had my Paddleski for about 4 months now and have used it extensively on relatively calm lakes and rivers. I wanted an inflatable that I could carry in the trunk of my Civic since I live in an apartment and am not interested in car-topping. My final choice was between this and the Innova Sunny. Not being able to test them out I thought the paddleski would provide slightly better performance and versatility. Also when launching in the urban areas where I live I though the stability of the paddleski would be an advantage, while its disadvantage is the weight (more than most inflatables) and the packed size of a large duffel bag. Also you could argue that it's not really a kayak, which is fine and maybe true. But it sure is fun, and very innovative and durable. You can just barely fit two paddleski's in a Civic's trunk, without gear. It is really everything I'd hoped it would be. First of all I was able to purchase it brand new from a Sea Eagle dealer on Ebay (Dave) for a lot less than the company webpage-- $599. This includes the pump, two paddles, two seats, and the repair kit and carrying bag.

The boat inflates much quicker than I expected. It only takes about 5 or 7 minutes to fill it up. The design is very tough and stable. I do not have a lot of hardshell kayak experience but the performance is very good and you can paddle in about 4 inches of water. It is great fun to paddle solo though my wife and I have paddled it tandem a lot. It is nearly impossible to bang paddles. Tandem it handles more "canoe-like", whatever that means, just a little more deliberate I guess. Solo it is really a lot of fun and it glides for a ways after you stop paddling. It is wide (39") but there's probably only a total width of about 15" of pontoon in the water since you are suspended on the tough black floor of the boat. There is very little boat in the water period, especially paddled solo. The wide beam makes paddling a little different than a narrower kayak, but you get used to it very quickly and I think it's worth it for the stability and cargo capacity of this boat. You definitely want a long paddle, and the included paddles are 8'. It tracks straighter than I expected, deviating only a couple of degrees on the stroke, and it handles the wind quite well, I guess due to its not-too-light 49 lbs. The seats are just OK... I eventually bought a more comfortable seat (designed for a canoe) and adapted it to the paddleski. It carries fairly easily inflated or packed, though again 49 lbs is about the same as a comparable hardshell. Sometimes I prefer to carry it over my shoulder inflated. For long carries or the subway, you should consider a luggage cart.

All in all I am very pleased. With a single paddler you could carry a ton of gear and there is a generous number of d-rings for clipping on seats or gear bags. My wife and I are going to get a second one next summer for some camping. People just love this boat and it is easy for friends to try out with no learning curve. It attracts a lot of respectful attention. I am building a sail rig for it this winter-- it seems like a natural platform for sailing and being able to fit a sailboat in the trunk will be really nice. When packing away, the boat rolls up very easily like a sleeping bag.

My only gripe is the back carry handles can interfere a little bit with the rear paddler, only when paddling tandem. I am considering removing mine.

I love my paddleski but it is hard to find information on the internet other than the Sea Eagle website. Please share any paddleski info with me, I'd love to hear some stories!

4

I recently purchased a 395ps…

Submitted by: paddler229750 on 6/18/2002
I recently purchased a 395ps paddle ski. It was my first experience with a kayak type, and i found it to be very easy to inflate and use, comfortable and stable. Handles very well in the water, and although i do not have a direct comparison with a rigid kayak, paddling is very easy and fast. I am looking forward to use my paddle ski with the sail rig.