Solo Canoeing Sea Eagle TC16 Inflatable Canoe

Since my birthday camping trip to Mustang Island, I managed to get myself a second hand Sea Eagle TC 16 Inflatable Canoe. I was very nervous when I made this purchase because the canoe is 16 feet long and I wasn’t sure if I could canoe in it by myself since I had never canoed before. In this video, I will test out the Sea Eagle TC 16 in Galveston Island State Park. So, don’t go anywhere and stay tuned.

First of all, the reason why I picked an inflatable canoe was because I don’t have storage space in my condo and my jeep doesn’t have the roof rack yet. So the Sea Eagle TC 16 fits perfectly in the back of my Jeep. Please don’t mind the mess, it’s all my camping supply.

When I first did my research on inflatable canoes, they said that the Sea Eagle TC 16 is lighter than most conventional canoes. However, I don’t think that is the case, at around 70 pounds, this canoe is heavy though it is possible for me to manage by myself.

As you can see, it is made of very durable material, I can easily drag it on the gravel surface without worrying of damaging the canoe.

Though the canoe is very big. It consists of 3 chambers and I was very surprised how quick each chamber inflate. Notice that how the chamber inflate into a rectangular straight wall instead of a tubular shape. That is because this canoe utilizes the drop stick technology. Matter of fact the Sea Eagle TC16 was the first patented drop stitch canoe introduced into the market in 2015. Each Chamber can take up to 10 PSI. The pumping process starts to get a little more strenuous sound 7-8 PSI, but it goes to 10 PSI in the matter of seconds.

I use a canoe carrier to lift up the stern and install the back skeg. After that I tie the canoe to the carrier with the straps provided by sea eagle. A simple knot to the D ring inside the canoe would be more than enough. Now, I’m ready to load up the canoe with all my equipments. This canoe can take up to 900 pounds so that is a plus. With the canoe carrier, I can lift the canoe up and pull it with ease.

I spent around 200 dollars for the canoe carrier but I really like it because it is very sturdy and the canoe sits very high off the ground.

Launching the canoe from the dock wasn’t difficult. I put the carrier at the stern of the canoe, push it off the dock and start paddling.

Galveston might not have the best water but it is only an hour drive from Houston and I really enjoy my time here at Galveston Island State Park especially on the weekdays when the park is very empty and quite.

I’m learning how to paddle a canoe and still having difficulty keeping it straight. If you have any tips you want to share please put them in the comment section below. I would very appreciate that.

Sometimes the wind and current are very strong and I got pushed to the shore and got stuck there. It could be a trouble to get out when the space is rather limited. In cases like this I found that if I kneel high very close to the stern of the canoe, I can paddle much faster and with more power to push the canoe back out to open water.

It was a very relaxing time I had canoeing in the bay area in Galveston. I will definitely come back here very often to practice my paddling skills.

Taking the canoe out is super easy with the carrier. Deflating the Sea Eagle TC16 is very easy. I open the cap and twist the yellow vault to the left and let the air out.

Folding the canoe is not too difficult for one person. I first folded the canoe in half along its full length. I tried the video instruction from Sea Eagle but it did not work for me, so I fold it my own way. Notice that I constantly clean the canoe while folding with wet wipes and paper towels because I don’t want to bring dirt or water inside the car and the canoe could get rather dirty after being out in the water.

For me, it’s important to fold the canoe so that the two tips are out. It will be much easier to pack the canoe later. Again the canoe is heavy, so be careful to load or unload the canoe so that you won’t hurt yourself, especially if you are by yourself.

My birthday road trip to Mustang Island:
   • Birthday weekend Solo Camping in Must...  

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