Q&A With Legendary Expedition Canoeist Mike Ranta

By

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September 24, 2021

Modern day voyageur.| Photo: David Jackson

Read more profiles

–Paul Caffyn
–Nouria Newman
–Frank Wolf
–Jon Turk
–Cliff Jacobson
–Justine Curgenven
–Amy & Dave Freeman
–Ben Stookesberry

After decades of exploring, where do the boldest sea kayakers, whitewater boaters and canoe trippers fantasize about paddling? That’s the question that inspired Paddling Magazine to query some of our long-time contributors and favorite nomadic aquaphiles to ask after their dream destinations, most challenging expeditions and what a life of exploration really means anyways.

In this series of profiles, these exceptional water-wanderers share their top trips, best advice and biggest blunders. And whether their ambitious journeys were taken in the name of discovery, education, environment or glory, these legends affirm what we already know: There’s far more to explore by paddle than anyone could fit in a lifetime—but don’t let that stop you from trying.

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Three-time cross-Canada paddler Mike Ranta is usually spotted under the broad brim of his trademark birchbark hat with canine friend Spitzii by his side. His 5,000-mile continent-crossing trips raised funds for youth, veterans and first responders, highlighting the country’s interconnectedness and canoe heritage along the way.

Location: Killarney, Ontario

Occupation: Paddle maker

Latest Project: At press time, Ranta was putting the finishing touches on the world’s biggest canoe paddle. Named the Big Dipper, the 110-foot-long, 15-foot-tall paddle will reside on the shores of Georgian Bay in Killarney, Ontario.

Modern day voyageur.| Photo: David Jackson

Q & A with Mike Ranta

1 The one place I dream of returning to is…

Lake Superior. This location captivates the soul. Its vastness is humbling, and you get a true sense of well-being.

2One place I dream of paddling but haven’t yet is…

Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories. I’d love to circumnavigate it. I love the isolation.

3One thing I can’t live without is…

my best friend, campsite soldier and bear scarer—my pup Spitzii!

Mike and his trusty companion Spitzii. | Photo: David Jackson

4My biggest pet peeve is…

Spitzii farting in the tent.

5The greatest advice I ever got was…

“stay in control cause if you ain’t in control, you’re in trouble,” and that was from an old friend, Bobby Davidson.

[ Also watch: Mika Ranta Saves A Drowning Moose Calf ]

6The canoe I paddle now is…

a Swift 17-foot Prospector.

7The best paddling companions are…

dogs and that’s true when they’re sleeping.

8The hardest part about making your dream trip happen is…

mustering up the courage to take the first steps. The second hardest thing is to stop making more trips—I haven’t figured that out.

After quitting his job in the oil industry and selling everything he owned in 2011, Ranta paddled 130 days from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, to Montreal, Quebec, retracing the route of the 1967 Voyageur Canoe Pageant. Three years later, Ranta and Spitzii departed from Vancouver and paddled for 214 days intending to break the world record for the longest single-season solo canoe trip. They made it as far as Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, just 93 miles short of the goal. The following year, in 2015, Ranta and Spitzii once again departed from Vancouver and 200 days later made it to Dominion Beach, Cape Breton, claiming the record. Two years later, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Canadian confederation, Ranta attempted to do it again (read here: Mike Ranta’s Third Cross-Canada Trip).

Mike Ranta on a winter training paddle. | Photo: Alan Poelman

9My best advice to young paddlers is…

enjoy the small things.

10Happiness is…

solitude. Sitting with my bare feet in the water and listening to the symphony of nature.

11My most challenging trip was…

paddling from Killarney, Ontario, to James Bay and back. It taught me patience and how to travel up wild rivers.

12What scares me most while tripping is…

weather. Big storms and wild winds are our biggest dangers.

13My favorite camp meal is…

fish and beans. Spitzii’s too!

14The true gift of big trips is…

the people you meet along the way.

Paddling Magazine Issue 63 | 2021 Paddling Trip Guide Cover

This article was first published in Paddling Magazine Issue 64. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here, or download the Paddling Magazine app and browse the digital archives here.

Modern day voyageur.| Photo: David Jackson

How To Not Hate Camping On Sand

By

Neil Schulman

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September 23, 2021

I hand Maria a sandwich. Gazing at fog-shrouded islands and emerald-green peaks, she munches away.

“Less sand next time,” she says as if sand is a condiment I’ve added, like Dijon mustard. We’re on day seven of an outer coast trip camping on wide beaches with afternoon northwesterlies. Sand is seasoning everything.

Paddlers have a complicated relationship with sand. It finds its way into sleeping bags, sandwiches, eyes, camera housings and places best not mentioned in the pages of this family magazine.

Some hate sand with the fervor of holy warriors, while others manage it like an engineering puzzle. And still others see a gritty heaven. More than rudders versus skegs, a sea kayaker’s relationship with sand reveals all you need to know about their paddling personality.

One friend of mine stayed meticulously sand-free for two solid weeks of beach camping. He carefully double-bagged his drybags inside zipped Ikea bags, armored himself with pants and shoes on the beach, and always entered his tent on the leeward side. When we cleaned out our hatches at the end of the trip, his were still sparkling clean. The rest of us needed a Shop-Vac.

[ Also read: 15 Best Beaches On Vancouver Island ]

Die-hard sand avoiders will do anything to evade camping on the beach, even if it means humping their gear over giant logs and thrashing through dense coastal thickets to some tiny, not-really-flat spot in the forest. One new couple I paddled with got in a shouting match over the choice between flat sand or lumpy forest ground. They didn’t last long.

Another friend reliably reverts to childhood when we land. After stripping off PFD, sprayskirt and helmet, shoes inevitably follow. Then there will be a strange sand jig followed by the sand Olympics, with long jumping, dune rolling and feet burying.

Numerous are the fairweather sand lovers—those who favor the wide open beaches on calm dry days but pivot to grumbling as soon as the wind blows it around or when it gets damp and sticks to their gear. Then you can expect they’ll want to move camp to some gravelly inlet where we’d have to wear shoes in camp.

And don’t forget the sand nerds. In the tropics, one friend made certain I knew that majestic white sand was so soft and fine because it was coral nibbled, digested and pooped out the exhaust pipe of a parrotfish. Others peered at the grains to source their geologic content or—I’m guilty of this one—made everyone guess where the next night’s high tide will be.

I’m firmly in the sand lover category, though less competitive about it than my sand Olympics friend. I love barefoot wandering, easy flops onto a soft surface, and that each morning, tracks will tell me which critters checked out my tent. The drysuit neck gasket rash and sand taking up residence in my kit is a price I’m willing to pay.

Best Drysuits For Paddling In 2026

As much as I love beaches, there’s another reason for my laissez-faire attitude. Sand always wins. On one photography trip in an exquisite set of dunes, I set up my tent to have a clean spot to manage camera gear. Within an hour, there was an entire dune ecosystem inside the tent, which ended up back in the bag. And sooner or later on every trip, something will slip off a beach log into the sand and get either coated or lost. I just hope it will be a tent stake or a fork instead of my last contact lens. But the beach giveth, as well as taketh away. I’ve found multi-tools, books, food and even coffee on the lam from its previous owner.

I love barefoot wandering, easy flops onto a soft surface, and that each morning, tracks will tell me which critters checked out my tent.

To ease the post-trip transition from sand creature to civilized human, as soon as I get home, I subject everything to a multi-tub waterboarding routine before hanging it up to dry. The first tub usually has enough sand to sell for construction fill. But when I unfold my tarp again this season, you know what I’ll find anyway.

[ Paddling Trip Guide: View all paddling trips in the Pacific Northwest ]

Sand is part of what I love most about sea kayaking. The rugged beauty of the West Coast, with its massive sea arches, caves, crinkly headlands and secret coves, is only possible because the sea is relentless enough to pulverize rocks into those tiny bits that get in my everything.

There are no rock gardens without surf, and surf and sand are inseparable. Although I suppose you could try introducing some parrotfish to eat the rocks and poop them out, if that’s your sort of thing.

Paddling Magazine Issue 63 | 2021 Paddling Trip Guide Cover

This article was first published in Paddling Magazine Issue 64. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here, or download the Paddling Magazine app and browse the digital archives here.

Neil Schulman removes sand from his kayaking gear, cameras and computer keyboard in Portland, Oregon.

“I hate sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere.” —Anakin Skywalker, and 50 percent of sea kayakers everywhere. | Feature photo: Ron Watts

7 Camping Food Hacks For Overnight Trips (Video)

By

Paddling Magazine Staff

-

September 23, 2021

Whether we’re loading up a cooler or cramming supplies into a dry bag that’s one size too small—we seasoned campers have come to realize that the more space we have to fill, the more non-necessities we will inevitably pack.

These seven creative camping food hacks will help trim down your cooking prep time and your bag size—without sacrificing flavor or substance. Check them out.

Q&A With Expedition Canoeist Frank Wolf

By

Kaydi Pyette

-

September 22, 2021

Frank Wolf in his happy place. Photo courtesy of: Frank Wolf

Read more profiles

–Paul Caffyn
–Nouria Newman
–Amy & Dave Freeman
–Jon Turk
–Cliff Jacobson
–Justine Curgenven
–Mike Ranta
–Ben Stookesberry

After decades of exploring, where do the boldest sea kayakers, whitewater boaters and canoe trippers fantasize about paddling? That’s the question that inspired Paddling Magazine to query some of our long-time contributors and favorite nomadic aquaphiles to ask after their dream destinations, most challenging expeditions and what a life of exploration really means anyways.

In this series of profiles, these exceptional water-wanderers share their top trips, best advice and biggest blunders. And whether their ambitious journeys were taken in the name of discovery, education, environment or glory, these legends affirm what we already know: There’s far more to explore by paddle than anyone could fit in a lifetime—but don’t let that stop you from trying.

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Adventurer Frank Wolf is known for his award-winning films documenting wilderness expeditions in northern Canada. His first major expedition was canoeing across Canada in a single season, and he’s set out on big, demanding trips somewhere in the world almost every year in the two decades since. Whether pedaling 1,250 miles from Dawson to Nome on the frozen Yukon River, paddling 1,250 miles of the British Columbia coast or rowing 1,180 miles along the Northwest Passage, Wolf never stops pushing.

Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia

Occupation: Writer and presenter

Latest Project: Kayaking around Canada’s Vancouver Island

Frank Wolf in his happy place. | Photo courtesy of: Frank Wolf

Q & A with Frank Wolf

1 One destination I dream of returning to is…

the 1,750-kilometer line from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, to the source of the Back River and down to the ocean. This location still captivates me because of the incredible wildlife, like caribou, musk ox, grizzly and wolf. It’s a fabulous mix of tripping, from whitewater to big lakes to grinding portages.

2My biggest pet peeve is…

whiners.

3One thing I can’t live without is…

cayenne pepper.

4The greatest advice I ever got was…

“nothing worthwhile is easy,” and that was from my dad.

5The canoe I’m paddling most right now is…

an Esquif Prospecteur 17.

6The best paddling companions are…

joyful.

7My biggest blunder was…

almost drowning on the Babine River during a cross-Canada attempt 23 years ago and I learned I wasn’t invincible.

8The hardest part about making that dream trip happen is…

inertia.

[ Read all of Frank Wolf’s articles in Paddling Magazine ]

9Happiness is…

being in the midst of an adventure, when past and future are irrelevant and there is only now.

10My most challenging expedition was…

canoeing across Canada and it taught me I love paddling through new landscapes for weeks and months at a time.

In 1995, Wolf and his paddling partner became the first modern paddlers to canoe across Canada in a single season. They started in Saint John, New Brunswick on the Atlantic coast and paddled to Vancouver, traveling against the prevailing winds. The duo paddled 12 to 14 hours a day, every day, until they got to the Pacific Ocean 171 days and 5,000 miles later.

11What scares me most is…

emotional vulnerability.

12My favorite camp meal is…

grilled grayling with cayenne pepper.

13 The true gift of big trips is…

being fully and truly engaged in the moment at all times and stepping into a new dimension of consciousness.

14 My best advice for young paddlers is…

keep paddling and you’ll stay young forever.

Paddling Magazine Issue 63 | 2021 Paddling Trip Guide Cover

This article was first published in Paddling Magazine Issue 64. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here, or download the Paddling Magazine app and browse the digital archives here.

Frank Wolf in his happy place. | Photo courtesy of: Frank Wolf

The Wing Group Opens New Global Business Development & Product Headquarters in the UK

Paddling Business

By

The Wing Group PRESS RELEASE

-

September 21, 2021

The Wing Group encompasses the brands; Wing, Henshaw Inflatables, Patten, Fabtek and Mustang Survival, all of which have built deep, trusted relationships with marine and aviation consumers over a collective span of nearly 75-years. Built on a rich and authentic heritage in delivering survival equipment to people in the harshest operating environments in the world, the group’s brands have earned loyalty and recognition for designing and manufacturing innovative and high-quality product solutions. Wing has already established a strong North American market share and is now expanding into the European market with its highly innovative product portfolio.

The company is growing rapidly and is pleased to announce the opening of the Wing Group Global Business Development & Product Team Office. The new Global Team will be led by Nigel Parkes, Managing Director Europe, a stalwart authority, and presence in the marine industry with decades of experience leading teams designing, developing, and going to market with advanced safety and lifesaving equipment.

Commenting on the new team and headquarters at Throope Down in Salisbury, UK, Andrew Branagh, CEO of the Wing Group said, “Our company is obsessed with customer intimacy as we profoundly believe it is the key to unlocking truly innovative solutions and product greatness. As we build global marketplace presence, we knew it was imperative to assemble talented teams in the same region and time zone as our strategic partners so that we can serve them better every day.”

Matthew Bridge Commercial Sales Director leads a team of Global Sales Managers with deep professional experience across the spectrum of tactical operations, commercial & leisure marine, and aerospace & defence. In addition, a high caliber product design & development team has been established to rapidly prototype for military and industrial partners, and to blend the unique insights and requirements of the UK and European markets into the company’s existing product portfolio.

Nigel Parkes said, “The Wing Group companies have well established market presence with their product lines in the Americas. Working closely with our Wincanton-based Henshaw Inflatables business, our Throope Down Business Development & Product Team will access and collaborate with the incredible talent of the Mustang Survival Waterlife Studio and the unparalleled engineering force at Wing Inflatables and Patten to deliver immense value for our partners and customers like no other brand in the market.”

The Wing Group will be exhibiting at the METSTRADE Show, Amsterdam, November 16-18^th.

About The Wing Group

The Wing Group is the world leader in inflatable boats, life rafts, flotation, dry suits and other tactical and survival solutions for recreational, commercial and military customers.

Built on 200 years of combined experience, The Wing Group and its companies have developed an unparalleled reputation for highly technical, high quality customer solutions – whether it’s a private yacht deploying an expeditionary craft, a fighter jet pilot requiring an aviation life raft, a rescue swimmer requiring protection in arctic conditions or a special forces unit depending on high-performing combat rubber raiding craft.

The Wing Group

The Wing Group delivers confidence to the world’s most demanding marine and aviation users through innovative and high-quality technical solutions – on, over and under the water.

Wing Inflatables

First in the field of innovative polyurethane design for tubes, inflatable boats and sponsons. Wing’s combatant crafts are used throughout the world by the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy SEALs and tactical and military professionals who demand only the best.

Henshaw Inflatables

The leading manufacturer of Hypalon-constructed inflatable tubes and collars to RIB builders in the UK and throughout the world. Superyacht customers and militaries alike put their trust in Henshaw products.

Mustang Survival

Pioneer in the design and manufacture of lifesaving solutions since 1967. Mustang Survival is committed to the protection and enhancement of those who push themselves to extremes, whether for work, duty, or to escape the daily grind.

The Patten Company

Patten is proud to have provided life rafts on the NASA’s legacy Mercury and Apollo missions as well as today’s NASA Orion and SpaceX manned space missions.

FabTek

Custom designer and manufacturer of doors, windows, and hatches for the leading recreational, commercial and military.

For media enquiries, please contact Jamie Moran at MindWorks Marketing:

winggroup@mindworks.co.uk

+44 (0)1243 388940

Father-Daughter Team Reclaim World Record On Mississippi River Speed Descent

By

Conor Mihell

-

September 21, 2021

To set a new world record, the team paddled day and night in nine-hour shifts, taking turns to sleep in the canoe for three hours at a time. | Photo: Courtesy MMZero

On April 22, four paddlers launched a 20-foot canoe in northern Minnesota’s Lake Itasca with an unfathomable goal: To paddle more than five miles per hour, 24 hours a day for nearly 18 days. That’s the pace they’d need to set a new speed record for paddling the Mississippi River on a 2,350-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico.

KJ Millhone had done it before. In 1980, at age 22, KJ canoed the length of the Mississippi in 35 days with his friend Steve Eckelkamp, establishing a Guinness World Record. The record was trimmed to 23 days by legendary long-distance canoeists Verlen Kruger and Valerie Fons in 1984. Finally, Bob Bradford and Clark Eid completed an 18-day Mississippi speed run in 2003. KJ’s dreams of reclaiming the speed record with Eckelkamp were dashed when his best friend died in 2017. Then, his 20-year-old daughter, Casey, suggested they try it together.

MMZero team members Rod Price, Casey Millhone, KJ Millhone and Bobby Johnson. | Photo courtesy of: MMZero

“The trip with Steve changed the trajectory of my life,” says KJ. “When Casey said she wanted to do it, I thought the best gift I could give her was the opportunity for this experience to broaden her world as it did mine.”

The Millhones recruited long-distance canoe racers Bobby Johnson, 42, and Rod Price, 60, to join their team. Departure was timed to reap the greatest benefit of high water. “You simply couldn’t do this on calm water,” notes KJ. Of course, a shoulder season expedition also meant tornados, lightning and temperatures ranging from sub-freezing to scorching. “I think we got more than a fair shake from Mother Nature,” KJ adds.

A big part of the MMZero expedition was to raise funds to support the Mississippi River Network, an environmental coalition. The tiny creek draining Lake Itasca becomes a broad, muscled river within 600 miles as Northwoods wilderness transitions into the bluffs of the Midwestern plains. Countless river towns attest to the Mississippi’s role in shaping the United States’ heartland.

To set a new world record, the team paddled day and night in nine-hour shifts, taking turns to sleep in the canoe for three hours at a time. | Photo courtesy of: MMZero

KJ imagined floating with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer as the river wanders through Arkansas and Mississippi; he watched the millions of birds that use the waterway as a migration corridor pass overhead. From Baton Rouge to the Mississippi Delta, the paddlers encountered ocean-going freighters, tugboats and barges plying the river’s powerful muddy water. “You experience two centuries of history,” says KJ. “It’s timeless, priceless and preciously American.”

[ Also read: 80-Year-Old Paddles Mississippi River Source To Sea ]

The team attempted to enjoy the scenery while maintaining a breakneck pace. To ensure the team could obtain the record, they paddled their Wenonah Minnesota IV day and night in nine-hour shifts, taking it in turns to sleep in the canoe for three hours at a time.

Price recalls sheer exhaustion, sleep deprivation, hallucinations, hypothermia and extreme weather. “When the conditions cause you to lose time,” he says, “you realize there’s no wiggle room at all. But on the other hand, one good night can completely turn things around.”

“Riding the Mississippi River is like Mount Everest for paddlers.”

“Riding the Mississippi River is like Mount Everest for paddlers,” Price says. “More than 4,000 people have climbed Everest, but I can guarantee far fewer than 4,000 people have paddled the whole Mississippi. It’s a phenomenal task.”

Casey and KJ Millhone pose with their Guiness World Records certificate. | Photo: Courtesy Team MMZero

Casey says the team’s 24-hour paddling schedule put the river in a new perspective. “Your awareness of sounds and the environment is so different at night,” she says. “Although that’s scary in some ways, it was also exciting to be on the water and experience the river at all times of day.”

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Meanwhile, KJ reflected how this expedition differed from his previous one. “We were just two 20-something guys paddling down the river,” he says. “But now, with all the logistics we needed to keep in mind, it felt a lot closer to trying to make the first trip to the moon.”The journey was also an opportunity for him to witness the changes four decades have brought to the Mississippi River. “It seemed healthier, more vibrant and wilder than it did in 1980,” KJ notes.

Paddling Magazine Issue 63 | 2021 Paddling Trip Guide Cover

This article was first published in Paddling Magazine Issue 64. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here, or download the Paddling Magazine app and browse the digital archives here.

To set a new world record, the team paddled day and night in nine-hour shifts, taking turns to sleep in the canoe for three hours at a time. | Feature photo courtesy of: MMZero

Q&A With Expedition Kayaker Nouria Newman

By

Kaydi Pyette

-

September 17, 2021

Nouria Newman, ready for adventure. | Photo: Erik Boomer

Read more profiles

–Paul Caffyn
–Amy & Dave Freeman
–Frank Wolf
–Jon Turk
–Cliff Jacobson
–Justine Curgenven
–Mike Ranta
–Ben Stookesberry

After decades of exploring, where do the boldest sea kayakers, whitewater boaters and canoe trippers fantasize about paddling? That’s the question that inspired Paddling Magazine to query some of our long-time contributors and favorite nomadic aquaphiles to ask after their dream destinations, most challenging expeditions and what a life of exploration really means anyways.

In this series of profiles, these exceptional water-wanderers share their top trips, best advice and biggest blunders. And whether their ambitious journeys were taken in the name of discovery, education, environment or glory, these legends affirm what we already know: There’s far more to explore by paddle than anyone could fit in a lifetime—but don’t let that stop you from trying.

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Nouria Newman has been pushing the boundaries of whitewater for a decade. The ex-slalom boater has claimed first descents, dominated competitions and paddled some of the world’s most challenging whitewater, including the Stikine’s Site Zed. Earlier this year, Newman snagged the first descent of Pucuno Falls in Ecuador and became the first woman to run a 100-foot waterfall.

Location: Tignes, France

Occupation: Professional kayaker

Next project: An expedition in Ecuador, “but these days, nothing is sure.”

Nouria Newman, ready for adventure. | Photo: Erik Boomer

Q & A with Nouria Newman

1 One river I dream of returning to is…

the Tsangpo in Tibet, or the Stikine.

“This location still captivates me because I have so many good memories from that river,” says Newman. “I will never forget the feeling when I first entered the canyon. A sense of pure freedom, fear mixed with excitement. It was just beautifully overwhelming, and at this point, there was no turning back. That’s what I wanted to do with my life.”

2 One place I dream of paddling is…

Pakistan. I want to paddle there because if this place is known to have the most beautiful mountains in the world, it must have the most beautiful rivers too.

3 My biggest pet peeve is…

lack of critical thinking and Internet trolls.

4 One thing I can’t live without is…

the important people.

5 The greatest advice I ever got was…

never to forget to have fun and that was from a friend who knew me better than I knew myself.

[ Also read: Why We Love Nouria Newman ]

6 The kayaks I’m paddling most right now are…

the Waka Stout and Goat.

7 My biggest blunder was…

I don’t even know where to start. My friends created a dedicated scoring system to keep track.

8 I learned…

I have to focus more and sometimes take the time to slow down.

9 The hardest part about making that dream trip happen is…

permission, budget and dam removal.

10 My best advice for young paddlers is…

do it because it’s fun and because you love it.

11 Happiness is…

the most important thing.

12 My most challenging expedition was…

high water Rio Tunuyan in Chile or the Patagonia tour and it taught me that sometimes you just have to put your head down and keep going.

Newman teamed up with Ben Stookesberry and Erik Boomer to tackle nine rivers in Patagonia. The team achieved four first descents and the second human-powered descent of the Pasqua, one of Patagonia’s largest rivers (you can read about it here). To access the Pasqua, they had to bushwhack for 54 miles.

13 What scares me most is…

losing someone I love—and siphons.

14 My favorite camp meals are…

Jo’s sausage croissant and Chomps’ pepper with cheese and egg.

15 The true gift of big trips is…

the good things that come unexpectedly from the hard times and the people you meet and become friends with.

16 One thing I will never do again is…

swim through a siphon.

Paddling Magazine Issue 63 | 2021 Paddling Trip Guide Cover

This article was first published in Paddling Magazine Issue 64. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here, or download the Paddling Magazine app and browse the digital archives here.

Nouria Newman, ready for adventure. | Photo: Erik Boomer

Inflatable Kayak Review: Sea Eagle 370

By

Tim Shuff

-

September 14, 2021

When I think of canoes, I think of the traditional wood-canvas Prospectors straight out of a Tom Thomson painting. Of kayaks, I imagine handcrafted composite hulls built on Greenlandic lines in an Old World workshop. So, I had to park my prejudices to review the Sea Eagle 370, an inflatable PVC two-seater that retails starting at $349 USD. I also had to deflect several derisive remarks from snooty companions referencing mail-order catalogs. After all this, the Sea Eagle 370 went on to make Paddling Mag’s list of best kayaks.

woman paddles the Eddyline Caribbean 10 kayak under rosy skies

Best Kayaks For 2025

On the water with the Sea Eagle 370

Sea Eagle 370 Specs

Length: 12’6”

Width: 34”

Weight: 32 lbs

Packed size: 31” × 19” × 8”

Capacity: 650 lbs

MSRP: $399 USD (Pro Package)

www.seaeagle.com

The catalog business is, in fact, where Sea Eagle proudly got its start way back in 1968, supplying retailers like L.L. Bean and Sears & Roebuck with a $99 inflatable called the Pyrawa closely resembling today’s 370. Sea Eagles went on to cruise the length of the Mississippi and float expeditions worldwide, including the first descent of China’s upper Yangtze River. By 2015 the Long Island-based family business estimated it had sold more than 250,000 boats, which by numbers alone should trump anyone else’s definition of a proper kayak.

Comparison is not only the thief of joy, as Theodore Roosevelt said. It is also the downfall of the snob because my suspicion of the Sea Eagle’s pedigree caused me to stick it in a corner of my garage until test day and completely forget to look up the set up instructions or the instructional video. And then one sunny afternoon found me on a riverbank surrounded by loose valves, plastic bags, an expanse of vinyl and sections of paddle feeling like a complete novice fool.

Set up in less than 10 minutes

Fortunately, the Sea Eagle is very forgiving. The included foot pump plugs into each of the five screw-in one-way valves—three for the main hull chambers and one for each inflatable spray decks—one at a time, starting with the floor. The Sea Eagle 370 inflation pressure of 1.1 psi is easily achieved with the foot pump and measured on the tubes using the included visual ruler. My improvisational approach ate up several times more than the manufacturer’s claimed eight-minute inflation time. Still, I was rather chuffed with how intuitive the Sea Eagle turned out to be.

Immediately, the inflated craft spoke to my 10- and 12-year-old kids with the marine-architectural vernacular of an oversized pool toy. Or maybe I should say jumpy castle because the two siblings, whose minds had not been preprogrammed by any notions of paddlecraft hierarchy, immediately jumped into it and initiated a game of rocking back and forth, trying to pitch each other out onto the grass.

Best Whitewater Kayaks For 2026

“Can we keep it,” they asked, in a voice reserved to beg for puppies or ice cream, “Pleaaaase?” It was all I could do to get them out so I could paddle and discover how much more the Sea Eagle 370 is than just an inflatable kids toy.

I headed out solo, with just one of the two seats installed in the middle position, into some spirited spring class I and II whitewater. The Sea Eagle felt stable, dry, nimble and responsive, tracking well when ferried back and forth across the river thanks to the two molded plastic skegs and the shape of the I-beam floor tubes that run the length of the river hull to form chines.

Yet the Sea Eagle 370 also turned quickly into eddys and even responded to being put on edge like a hard chine sea kayak. In straight-ahead paddling, the side pontoons almost sit above the water, making a narrower waterline for good speed, and only really engage in waves, under a heavy load, or when tilted into the water to help carve a turn. The Sea Eagle 370 tracks and turns much like a narrower rigid-hull sea kayak of the same length.

Remarkably stable and durable

After scraping and bouncing over a few rocks and being dragged upriver for a bit, the K80 PVC hull showed no signs of wear. Sea Eagle rates the Sea Eagle 370 for whitewater up to class III. The lack of self-bailing valves might be a problem in bigger water, but since the single stern drain plug sits mostly above the waterline, it could function as a self-bailer in the right conditions.

A few days later my family headed to the beach. Out of a suburban garage quiver of carbon fiber paddleboards, a Kevlar canoe and one fancy British sea kayak (with a total value equaling the GDP of a small island nation), I’ll give you one guess as to which craft made the cut. You could almost hear the heathen cry of the Sea Eagle, like the voice of Buzz Lightyear to the highfalutin toys that got left behind: So long, suckahs!

My second inflation attempt came in close to 15 minutes. With the optional electric DC pump plugged into my van, I might have achieved the suggested eight. At the beach, the Sea Eagle became a play platform. Although much more susceptible to wind, the Sea Eagle beats any other kayak for sheer unsinkability. My attempts to wash the sand out by filling the hull with water completely failed because there was nothing I could do to submerge it. Even after turning it upside down, I’d flip it back over to find nary a drop in the cockpit—a safety bonus in any potential capsize. What water does splash in disappears below the beams in the floor, leaving the paddlers high and dry.

White and blue, tandem inflatable kayak with foot pump sitting on grass beside river. — The bow and stern spray decks inflate to provide added buoyancy and help shed waves. They’re lashed onto the deck with ropes that double as safety grab lines and a place to tie gear. There is also a plastic-molded attachment for a bowline. | Photo: Colin Field

The Sea Eagle 370 Pro package offers these premium five-inch-high seats with protective fabric covering, storage pouch and high, supportive backrest. Also available: a Sport Fishing package, or the QuickSail, which includes a small sail and electric inflation pump. | Photo: Colin Field

The five tubes of the I-beam hull provide a rigid platform constructed of sun- and saltwater-resistant 38 mil PolyKrylar (K80 PVC) that’s rated to withstand up to class III rapids. Two fins and the side chines of the hull help it to paddle in a straight line. | Photo: Colin Field

The Sea Eagle 370 deflated quickly and was easy to fold and stow in the included carrying bag, which is big enough to fit all the accessories, including pump and paddles. The Pro package is priced at $399, which is excellent value and includes all accessories. While pricier than some other inflatable brands like Intex, Sea Eagle offers greater carrying capacity and a venerable history as a specialty watercraft manufacturer, all backed by an included three-year or optional six-year warranty.

For rugged touring adventures in a Sea Eagle inflatable, consider the more robust Explorer series. The Sea Eagle Explorer 380x is the same size as the Sea Eagle 370 but has an additional 100 pounds of capacity, a removable high-pressure drop stitch floor, self-bailing valves, and a 1000 Denier reinforced hull rated for a motor mount and whitewater up to class IV. But at a very affordable price point, with a generous bundle of accessories and features suitable for most recreational uses, the Sea Eagle 370—or its shorter sibling, the Sea Eagle 330—is a perfect introduction to the world of inflatable kayaks.

“Rowdy Lines And Close Calls”: Aniol In Norway (Video)

By

Paddling Magazine Staff

-

September 10, 2021

Whitewater athletes Gerd and Aniol Serrasolses, Matias Wegger, David Vory, Dagg, Robert Eggleston, George Snook recently returned from a “rowdy” trip to one of the world’s best whitewater playgrounds; Norway.

In an Instagram post, Aniol Serrasolses commented: “I’m so happy I got to travel to Norway this summer! Definitely one of the most beautiful countries in the world to go kayak.”

Check out this latest edit from the Serrasolses brothers and witness some of the world’s best whitewater athletes tackle the steep, intimidating and pushy waters of the land of the midnight sun.

Q&A With Legendary Kayaker Paul Caffyn

By

Kaydi Pyette

-

September 10, 2021

Caffyn during his 4,700-mile Alaskan epic. | Photo: Paul Caffyn Archives

Read more profiles

–Amy & Dave Freeman
–Nouria Newman
–Frank Wolf
–Jon Turk
–Cliff Jacobson
–Justine Curgenven
–Mike Ranta
–Ben Stookesberry

After decades of exploring, where do the boldest sea kayakers, whitewater boaters and canoe trippers fantasize about paddling? That’s the question that inspired Paddling Magazine to query some of our long-time contributors and favorite nomadic aquaphiles to ask after their dream destinations, most challenging expeditions and what a life of exploration really means anyways.

In this series of profiles, these exceptional water-wanderers share their top trips, best advice and biggest blunders. And whether their ambitious journeys were taken in the name of discovery, education, environment or glory, these legends affirm what we already know: There’s far more to explore by paddle than anyone could fit in a lifetime—but don’t let that stop you from trying.

[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Paul Caffyn’s 1982 circumnavigation of Australia is one of the most remarkable journeys ever taken. Challenged by surf, cyclone and 100-mile-long stretches of cliffs, the 9,420-mile epic spanned 360 days. Caffyn also paddled around Japan, Great Britain, New Zealand and the entire 4,700-mile coastline of Alaska, challenging the limits of what was thought possible with a double blade. And all without the aid of GPS.

Location: South Island, New Zealand

Latest Project: Caffyn worked as a mining geologist until he retired in 2002. Earlier this year, he co-authored The Search for the Deepest Hole in the World, a history of deep caving expeditions in New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea (you can find out more from his website).

Caffyn during his 4,700-mile Alaskan epic. | Photo: Paul Caffyn Archives

Q & A with Paul Caffyn

1One destination I dream of returning to is…

the east coast of Grønland. This location captivates me because of the dynamic, unforgiving coastline, with thousands of years of maritime history.

2One trip I dream of paddling but haven’t yet is…

the Northwest Passage from Inuvik east to Greenland. This trip excites me because it feels like unfinished business.

3My biggest pet peeve is…

getting my feet wet in icy seas and river delta mudflats.

4One thing I can’t live without is…

my two-piece, lightweight carbon fiber paddle.

5The greatest advice I ever got was…

“stay seated for the entire performance,” and that was from Australian veteran paddler Crocodile Winky (David Winkworth).

6 The kayaks I’m paddling most right now are…

my red Kevlar Nordkapp and a wave ski.

[ Also read: Boat Review: Valley Nordkapp RM Sea Kayak ]

7 The best paddling companions are…

the best of mates, even when not paddling.

8 My biggest blunder was…

misjudging a late evening surf landing onto what looked like a sandy beach but was a boulder beach guarded by bumper dumpers. The result was a full loop, smashed helmet, a tooth through my lip, and serious cracks by the kayak bow. I learned never be impatient when faced with a surf landing.

9 The hardest part about making that dream trip happen is…

getting a good mate to share the ups and downs.

10 Happiness is…

a bowl of hot sweet tea brewed over a driftwood fire after a big challenging day.

11 My most challenging expedition was…

around Alaska and it taught me how to paddle and navigate in icy seas.

Caffyn’s 1989-91 solo paddle around Alaska was a 4,700-mile odyssey (you can read about it here). He set out from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and paddled to Inuvik on the Northwest Territories’ Arctic Coast. Initially conceived as a single-season trip, the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound in 1989 forced Caffyn to stop at the north end of Alaska’s panhandle, and the journey was recast into two more summers. The trip included pre-GPS fogbound crossings, sea ice, storms of Alaskan magnitude and a bear-shredded tent.

12 What scares me most is…

the stuff I had not planned for or visualized.

13 My favorite camp meal is…

Pasta with lumps of bacon ends.

14 The true gift of big trips is…

experiencing nature as it was before humans buggered stuff up.

Paddling Magazine Issue 63 | 2021 Paddling Trip Guide Cover

This article was first published in Paddling Magazine Issue 64. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here, or download the Paddling Magazine app and browse the digital archives here.

Caffyn during his 4,700-mile Alaskan epic. | Photo: Paul Caffyn Archives

Read more profiles

–Paul Caffyn –Nouria Newman –Frank Wolf –Jon Turk –Cliff Jacobson –Justine Curgenven –Amy & Dave Freeman –Ben Stookesberry

Location: Killarney, Ontario

Occupation: Paddle maker

Latest Project: At press time, Ranta was putting the finishing touches on the world’s biggest canoe paddle. Named the Big Dipper, the 110-foot-long, 15-foot-tall paddle will reside on the shores of Georgian Bay in Killarney, Ontario.

Q & A with Mike Ranta

1 The one place I dream of returning to is…

2One place I dream of paddling but haven’t yet is…

3One thing I can’t live without is…

4My biggest pet peeve is…

5The greatest advice I ever got was…

6The canoe I paddle now is…

7The best paddling companions are…

8The hardest part about making your dream trip happen is…

9My best advice to young paddlers is…

10Happiness is…

11My most challenging trip was…

12What scares me most while tripping is…

13My favorite camp meal is…

14The true gift of big trips is…

Read more profiles

–Paul Caffyn –Nouria Newman –Amy & Dave Freeman –Jon Turk –Cliff Jacobson –Justine Curgenven –Mike Ranta –Ben Stookesberry

Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia

Occupation: Writer and presenter

Latest Project: Kayaking around Canada’s Vancouver Island

Q & A with Frank Wolf

1 One destination I dream of returning to is…

2My biggest pet peeve is…

3One thing I can’t live without is…

4The greatest advice I ever got was…

5The canoe I’m paddling most right now is…

6The best paddling companions are…

7My biggest blunder was…

8The hardest part about making that dream trip happen is…

9Happiness is…

10My most challenging expedition was…

11What scares me most is…

12My favorite camp meal is…

13

The true gift of big trips is…

14

My best advice for young paddlers is…

About The Wing Group

The Wing Group

Wing Inflatables

Henshaw Inflatables

Mustang Survival

The Patten Company

FabTek

Read more profiles

–Paul Caffyn –Amy & Dave Freeman –Frank Wolf –Jon Turk –Cliff Jacobson –Justine Curgenven –Mike Ranta –Ben Stookesberry

Location: Tignes, France

Occupation: Professional kayaker

Next project: An expedition in Ecuador, “but these days, nothing is sure.”

1 One river I dream of returning to is…

2 One place I dream of paddling is…

3 My biggest pet peeve is…

4 One thing I can’t live without is…

5 The greatest advice I ever got was…

6 The kayaks I’m paddling most right now are…

7 My biggest blunder was…

8 I learned…

9 The hardest part about making that dream trip happen is…

10 My best advice for young paddlers is…

11 Happiness is…

12 My most challenging expedition was…

13 What scares me most is…

14 My favorite camp meals are…

15 The true gift of big trips is…

16 One thing I will never do again is…

On the water with the Sea Eagle 370

Sea Eagle 370 Specs

Length: 12’6”

Width: 34”

Weight: 32 lbs

Packed size: 31” × 19” × 8”

Capacity: 650 lbs

MSRP: $399 USD (Pro Package)

Set up in less than 10 minutes

Remarkably stable and durable

–Paul Caffyn
–Nouria Newman
–Frank Wolf
–Jon Turk
–Cliff Jacobson
–Justine Curgenven
–Amy & Dave Freeman
–Ben Stookesberry

–Paul Caffyn
–Nouria Newman
–Amy & Dave Freeman
–Jon Turk
–Cliff Jacobson
–Justine Curgenven
–Mike Ranta
–Ben Stookesberry

–Paul Caffyn
–Amy & Dave Freeman
–Frank Wolf
–Jon Turk
–Cliff Jacobson
–Justine Curgenven
–Mike Ranta
–Ben Stookesberry

–Amy & Dave Freeman
–Nouria Newman
–Frank Wolf
–Jon Turk
–Cliff Jacobson
–Justine Curgenven
–Mike Ranta
–Ben Stookesberry