Sea Eagle Needlenose Review 14′ Inflatable Paddle Board
PROS
| 👍 Well Constructed |
| 👍 Glides Easy and Fast |
| 👍 Tracks a Straight Line |
| 👍 Cuts Through Chop |
| 👍 Stable |
| 👍 Unique Hard Nose |
| 👍 Reasonable Price |
| 👍 Optional Kayak Seat and Rowing Oars |
| 👍 Great for Long Distance Paddling |
| 👍 3 Year Warranty |
CONS
| ❌ Needs Larger Bungee System |
| ❌ Carry Bag and Paddle are on the Cheaper Side |
| ❌ Bit Heavy |
Disclosure
Products I use are purchased with my own funds. I am never under an obligation to write a review about any product. This site expresses my own independent opinion.
Theseasonedsurfer.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
Specs
- Length: 14’
- Width: 30 inches
- Thickness: 6 inches
- Weight: 34 lbs board only
- Max Cargo: 275 lbs
- Warranty: 3 years and 180 day risk free trial
See Best Price and Customer Reviews
My Overall Rating:
(8.5 / 10)
Sea Eagle Needlenose 14′
My Viewpoint
Sea Eagle is an innovative manufacturer and designer of inflatable boats, kayaks and paddle boards. They have been around since 1968 and understand what it takes to make a quality inflatable at a reasonable price. Their inflatable paddle boards are durable, well designed and offer some unique features.
The Sea Eagle Needlenose 14 is a flat water performance inflatable SUP. It features a patented hard displacement hull that cuts through the water with efficiency. The construction is quality with quad layered seams and a reinforced drop stitch core.
The NN14 is not an “average” inflatable paddle board. It was specially designed for easy glide and straight tracking on flat water.
Besides the unique “needlenose” the NN14 sits flat in the water. There is no rocker or upward curve on the nose like you typically see in an all-around paddle board. The profile shape of the board is stream-lined. And of course the 14 foot length is much longer than average.
What these features all add up to is a paddle board that glides fast, smooth and easy through the water. It takes less effort to get moving. You move farther with each stroke. And you move in a straight line without making a lot of adjustments. Great for traveling long distances.
The NN14 is not made for surfing or whitewater rivers. But if you are paddling on a lake, bay or calm river the Needlenose 14 is a fun ride that will allow you to move faster, further and easier.
Significant Features
Patented Nose Design
The Needlenose gets its name from the unique nose design and construction. The nose is constructed of hard plastic and comes to a sharp point. It also sits flat in the water. So the nose slices through the water reducing drag. Displacing the water around the nose is more efficient than the water traveling under a rounded nose. Hard touring and race SUPs have been using this type of nose for many years. Sea Eagle had a great idea and other inflatable manufacturers are starting to copy it.
D-Rings
The Needlenose has a total of nine D-rings.
There are four D-rings up front near the nose with bungees for storage.
There are also four D-rings around the handle on the center of the deck. These are for optional seats that can be purchased as a package or separately from Sea Eagle.
You can use two of the deck pad D-rings and criss-cross bungees to the nose D-rings for extra storage. While this will reduce some standing space it will give you plenty of storage and works out well.
Paddle Holder
The deck has a paddle holder. It comes in handy when carrying the board and paddle together. I also like to use it when I am fishing.
One tail D-ring for a paddle board leash and towing.
Carry Handles
The NN14 has two carry handles. One in the center of the deck and another on the nose. Although the deck handle is not padded like many SUP handles I found it to work okay.
Deck Pad
The NN14 has a nice large deck pad. It covers any possible area of the deck you would stand on. The EVA foam pad is comfortable and provides good traction. I think the graphics on the deck are attractive.
On the tail of the deck is a kick tail for making sharp turns. This is an advanced move where you step back onto the kick pad in a surf stance and lift the front of the board out of the water for a quick pivot. Although the kick tail is a nice feature I found it a bit harder to use with the nose being heavier than average. It’s fun to play with but this paddle board is really all about moving fast and straight.
Fins
The Needlenose has a tri fin set up. The two small side fins are fixed and the long center fin is removable. Fins play an important role in how a board performs. This set up works well and contributes to the good tracking of the NN14.
Construction
The Needlenose is well made with a durable quality construction. All the seams are overlapped with four different layers of pvc. The NN14 feels a little bit thicker than many of the inflatable SUPs I have tested. The core uses reinforced drop stitching. The air valve is a deluxe Halkey Roberts style valve. Sea Eagle has been making quality inflatable boats since 1968 so they understand inflatable construction.
Accessory Package
Included with the starter package is the much appreciated Bravo dual action hand pump. Bravo pumps are good and efficient. The included paddle is three piece and adjustable. The paddle quality is kinda cheap. It will do the job but if you get serious about paddle boarding you may want to upgrade. It also comes with a repair kit and a backpack carry bag. The backpack carry bag is also on the cheap side. It does have a nice zippered pocket for the fin and other accessories. And the rolled up board fits inside easily. The main zipper on the back seems a bit cheap.
Unique Available Options
While I have not tried any of these options I do want to point them out. You can buy the basic paddle board package like I did. Or you can buy a Needlenose with a removable kayak seat and paddle. Or a removable swivel seat for fishing with a kayak paddle. Or, even more innovative, is the removable oaring package. All these seats attach to the four center deck D-rings on the deck pad. You can read more about these options on the Sea Eagle website here.
Value & Price
The NN14 is a decent value for your money. Quality construction and good performance at a reasonable price. You can easily pay more for a board that performs this well on flat water. The pump is good but I feel the paddle and bag could be a bit better.
Performance
Stability 
(8 / 10)
(8 / 10) Glide (9.5 / 10)
(9.5 / 10) Maneuverability (7 / 10)
(7 / 10) Surf (2 / 10)
(2 / 10) Construction (8 / 10)
Value (8 / 10)
Stability
Most beginners have no trouble balancing on the NN14. However, it is definitely not as stable as an all-around board with a round nose. The Needlenose comes in three lengths. 11’6″. 12’6″ and 14′. The 14 footer offers the most stability. If you are young and athletic you shouldn’t have a problem. If you have poor balance you may want to consider and all-around board. Sea Eagle does offer a 180 day trial period. So you can return the NN14 if it don’t work out for you.
Glide
Glide is where the NN14 really shines. This board was specially designed for efficient flat water glide. It paddles fast, easy and smooth, even in chop and wind. For that reason it is a fun board that everyone enjoys paddling.
Four reasons the NN14 glides so well
- Hard, pointed water piercing nose
- No rocker (flat)
- 14′ length
- Streamlined profile shape
Maneuverability
With a length of 14 feet the NN14 is not the most maneuverable board on the water. That being said this board handles fine on flat water. Since you would not use it to surf and run a whitewater river you will have no issues with handling.
Best Application
The NN14 is great for almost anyone who paddles only on flat water. That is lakes, ocean bays and calm rivers. It never drags in the water and cuts through chop well. That makes it fun for everyone.
Because it glides efficiently is it good for long distance paddling. It’s fun for fitness paddling. It works well for long day trips. I like it for multi-day camping trips when I have to cover a lot of water.
Bottom Line:
The NN14 is a unique paddle board specially designed for flat water touring on lakes, ocean bays and calm rivers.
You immediately notice the NN14 glides smoother and faster than an all-around paddle board. It paddles easy and gets moving with only a few strokes. The paddling efficiency is noticeable and a real treat. This is a fun board to paddle around the lake.
It cuts well through moderate wind and chop. It handles all water conditions well enough so that you can take it out on the lake everyday.
The NN14 is not a racing paddle board but incorporates a few features from a race board for speed and efficient glide but with a wider 30″ width for more stability.
The Needlenose is not an all-around paddle board. It’s not made for surfing or whitewater rivers. But it excels on lakes, bays or calm rivers.
The Needlenose is well constructed and is a good value for the money. There are other inflatable paddle boards that perform as well, but they are more expensive.
Sea Eagle offers extra options that allow you to paddle, fish and even oar in a seated position.
This is one of the paddle boards I had to buy for my own personal use. I enjoy the NN14 for long day trips, fitness paddling and paddle board camping when I want to cover a lot of distance fast.
