Sea Eagle 330 Pro Two-Person Kayak Reviewed

From the Beatles’ “Two of Us” to Bill Withers doubling down with “Just the Two of Us,” Eddie Money offering “Two Tickets to Paradise” and the Spice Girls singing about when “2 Become 1,” put two and two together and you’ll see the crooning twosome of Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston were right – in love, life, and yes, even kayaking, oftentimes “It Takes Two.”

Two-person kayaks are a specialty in the kayaking world, with most beginner options a simple one-seater. However, Cole Porter sang about the joy of a “Bicycle Built for Two,” so why not a kayak?

That’s the ethos of the Sea Eagle 330 Pro. It pairs a two-seat design with an inflatable build. That sounds like a fantastic combination of two things that many kayakers would like to see, but it’s also a pairing that may pose problems. After all, weight capacity is important for any kayak, so can an inflatable model like this really handle two people as well as a hard-shelled kayak can?

Proclaiming itself America’s favorite inflatable kayak is a lot to live up to, so how does the Sea Eagle 330 Pro fare, and how does its two-person design hold up?

Features of Sea Eagle 330 Pro

Some of the most notable features for this model include:

• 11 ft 2 in. long
• 34 in. wide
• Weighs 26 lbs
• A weight capacity of 500 lbs
• Open cockpit
• Open and close drain valve
• 5-tube I-beam floor
• Two molded skegs
• Lashed down inflatable spray skirts

Plenty of Space for Two People

As noted above, the two biggest features of the Sea Eagle 330 Pro are its inflatability and two-person setup. The inflatable nature of this model has a huge impact on its convenience as well. On the one hand, you have to inflate and deflate it, but on the other hand, it’s incredible how much space you can save by doing the latter and carrying this model to and from your car. Even when it is inflated it is an incredibly lightweight 26 lbs.

Weight Support

All of this is even more impressive given the fantastic 500 lbs of carrying capacity offered by this model. To offer that much carrying capacity in a kayak that lightweight is extremely rare, and really gives you the best of both worlds.

Interestingly, while this model is on the larger side at over 11 ft, it doesn’t “feel” as big as other models at that size or larger. On average, larger kayaks tend to be the domain of experienced kayakers, in no small part because with that extra size often comes a good deal of heft. However, with this model being inflatable, it is far lighter than other kayaks of this size.

 

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Open Cockpit

The open cockpit is typical for an inflatable kayak. To compensate for how open the cockpit is, the spray skirts are designed to help keep you dry. The drain valve works well.

This model does not come with a carrying bag, though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It is already lightweight and easy to carry, thus eliminating much of the necessity for a bag, and anyway, it means less struggling with the straps to fit it in there properly.

What Do Users Say?

Much of the user feedback for this model has been positive, with the obvious focal point of the praise being the dual nature of this kayak as a prime inflatable option as well as a two-seater.

Awkward for Solo Kayakers

One thing some users have noted is that all that space created by this being a two-seater can actually work against you if you’re paddling solo. You really do need to have another person to get the most out of this model, especially if you are new to the world of kayaking.

That being said, the whole point of this kayak is to function as a two-seater for two rowers, and in that capacity most users have been glowing in their praise. There is more than enough room for both users. One reason it tracks so well is the 5-tube I-beam floor, which helps it travel long distances and make turns accurately. Another are the two molded skegs on the bottom of the kayak, which helps it cut across the water like a surfboard.

You can also check a cool video guide here:

Long and Quite Bulky

Other kayakers found it a bit bulkier than they expected. Still, many also found that this was not a problem because of its lightweight nature.

That’s one of the truly compelling things about this kayak, the fact that for every potential disadvantage it presents, there are just as many if not more upsides offered.

Easy to Inflate and Setup

Setup is very easy, too. Some inflatable kayaks can exhaust you before you even get in them with all the pumping that is involved, but with this model, you should be good to go in five to six minutes. Even the most conservative estimates from users put it at under 10 minutes tops.

The biggest potential problem area that isn’t quite offset as much as the others is the fact that, due to its inflatable lightweight nature, these kayaks are more prone to being blown off course or buffeted by strong waves. On the one hand, there’s really only so much that can be done about that given its build, and it’s something most buyers of this kind of kayak would have in mind anyway. On the other hand, it is still probably the biggest issue with the kayak from a user experience standpoint.

The mesh spray skirts have also seen a bit of criticism, with some users still getting wet.

Durability

One nice side effect of this model being so durable is that you not only don’t have to worry much about it tearing, but since it’s not a hard-shelled kayak, cracks aren’t a worry, either.

Still, it is hardly enough to dull this option’s luster in the minds of most reviewers. That is a credit to just how well this kayak is put together otherwise. It is pretty durable for an inflatable kayak, tracks well on the water so long as you can keep it on course, and is also pretty affordable.

Pros and Cons

Some of the biggest pros boasted by this model are:

A couple drawbacks to consider are:

Is Sea Eagle 330 Pro Worth It?

Our rating: 4.4 / 5

With so many features available at an affordable rate, this is by far one of the best inflatable options on the market. That alone would be enough to recommend this kayak, but the fact is that it is also a great option as far as two-seaters go. This is an unlikely pairing, but the combination of the many features mentioned make it work far more than you might imagine. For example, the flooring and skegs on this model help it cut across the water as well as many hard-shelled options, and there is tons of space onboard as well.

There is the potential for them to be blown off course, and the mesh spray skirts aren’t as strong as they could be, but those are minor complaints compared to everything else included.

For the ultimate twofer for two kayakers, it’s hard to beat this singular Sea Eagle.