Sea Eagle 473rl

Size, weight, capacity

The 473rl is 15 ft. 6 in. (4.73 m) long and 30 in. (76 cm) wide when fully inflated. This sleek profile couples with the rigid bow and stern to give the boat a cruising top speed of 6 mph.

Weighing in at 44 lbs. (20 kg), this isn’t the lightest kayak on the market, but this is still light enough to deflate and load into the trunk of your car on your own. Once inflated, carrying this to the water as a pair is easy.

The upper limit on the 473rl is 750 lbs. (340 kg), which is plenty for two adults.

Features

The 473rl is designed as a high pressure, high performance inflatable kayak. The kayak is constructed with drop stitch technology so it can be inflated all the way to 10 psi. Under-inflated kayaks are unstable and hard to paddle, but the 473rl will feel just like a traditional, rigid kayak.

The solid bow and stern mean this kayak tracks as well as a hard shell kayak, even in windy conditions. This is made even more efficient by the swept back skeg at the rear. This skeg prevents unwanted drift and can be removed for days on the river.

The two seats are supportive and comfortable. You can also adjust them to different levels of support. The seats are secured by the eight D-rings situated around the kayak. The FlexBrace footrest system keeps you firmly in your seat at all times so you can paddle more efficiently.

Front and rear spray skirts prevent waves and spray crashing into your kayak. Any water that gets inside the boat will drain through the 2 valves (you can open or close those depending on your needs). There is space under these spray skirts to store any additional equipment you want to take with you.

The three separate chambers (port, starboard and floor) add an extra level of safety to this kayak.

Performance

Sea Eagle 473rl promises a rigid and stable ride that you would expect from a high performance kayak. It does not disappoint. The keel line and skeg combine to give this boat almost unmatched tracking capabilities, even in some choppy conditions.

The high pressure design gives the 473rl a really stable feel. This thing almost feels unsinkable. The high walls give you plenty of depth without making it difficult to reach over the sides to paddle.

Often, lightweight and high performance models lose some of their strength, but not with the 473rl. This kayak is able to withstand beach launches and landings and everything else you can throw at it along your journey.

This kayak can be inflated in just eight minutes and deflated equally quickly. Once deflated, it can become a little cumbersome to move around, but two people should have no problem handling it.