Sea Eagle FastTrack Kayaks (385FT, 385FTG, 465FT) - Manual (Page 11)

To deflate, press down
on the valve stem and
turn clockwise to lock in
open position. Most of
the air is immediately
released. Excess air
can be pushed out as
you fold up the kayak.
Begin folding from the
stern (back) toward the
valves. Make the first
fold between the end
cap and the skeg base.
Make the second fold a
little past the base, al-
lowing the base to lie
flat. A warped base will
not allow the skeg to
slide in smoothly.
Keep folding until nearly
up to the valves, then
begin folding from the
bow. Fold the halves to-
gether and place boat
on its bag. The straps
will help compact the
boat.
When you reach the
bow, tuck it underneath
the hull. Lay the carry
bag out and place the
hull and place in the
center of the bag. Fold
the bag over the boat
and secure using the
nylon straps.
Although PVC material can become brittle in extremely cold
temperatures, you can still safely store your Sea Eagle in
them so long as you avoid dropping it and do not subject it
to any sudden impacts.
If you’re planning to leave your Sea Eagle outside, be sure
to keep it raised up off of the ground.
Its also a good idea to keep it covered so that it is not di-
rectly exposed to berries, leaves, rain, sunlight and other
elements.
Sea Eagles that are left in water will most likely have to be
emptied from time to time.
Make sure that your boat and accessories are dry before
storing to remove moisture that could cause mildew.
Choose a cool, dry spot when storing in an enclosed area
like basement, closet or garage.
Rodent proof the storage area. Mice can do a lot of dam-
age to your Sea Eagle.
Avoid excessive heat when storing your kayak. Do not
store kayak in an attic or metal shed.
If your boat is losing air it doesn’t necessarily mean that
it has a hole. For instance a boat that is inflated late in the
day with 90° air may cool 20° overnight.
The cooler air will exert less pressure on the hull and the
boat will appear softer the next morning. When there has
been no variation in temperature and your boat is losing air
then it is time to start looking for the leak.
The first thing you should do when looking for a leak is to
actually look at the boat. Visually inspect the boat from a
few feet away and if necessary, flip it over and closely
check the outside. Any large leaks when your boat looses a
considerable amount of air should be clearly visible.
Be sure to check the tightness of the one-way recessed
valves as well and if necessary, tighten them with the valve
wrench included in the orange repair kit canister.
If you have a rough idea of where your leak is but can’t see
it, you may want to try listening for it as you may be able to
hear the air escaping and pinpoint the leak.
Soap Water Test
Inflate the boat to full pressure. Mix a couple of table-
spoons of dishwashing liquid in a bucket of water.
Spread the soapy water on the leaking chamber with a
large sponge or hand towel. The leak may produce bubbles
or make whistling or sputtering noises. Often, spray bottles
don’t work.
10
STORAGE DEFLATION
TROUBLESHOOTING