Seahawk Sport 400/500 Inflatable Boat

I’ve been looking online for information about the Seahawk Sport 400/500s. I live in Alaska and am considering buying a Seahawk Sport 500 and using it to raft down a river with several class III and even a few class IV sections. I’d like to buy a light boat that I could easily portage around the class IV portions but float through some of the class III sections. Are these boats durable enough to bounce off a few rocks in fast water, or does it seem more suited for rowing in calmer waters? The pictures online don’t really give me a feel for its structural integrity. I would appreciate any and all advice, but I’m most interested in the boat’s capability rather than an individual’s ability. Thanks in advance.

I owned a SeaHawk 400 for 3 years before it got a tear in it. It tore right up front where she makes contact with the shoreline every time you come into the shore. Total number of water adventures would be around 25 and around 50-60 landings.

Because it’s a 3 chambered craft, I felt pretty safe. Even with the tear, I still fished out of mine 2 more times before I let it and the patch kit go to someone who needed it more than I did. It’s not recommended for cold weather and I agree with that warning so make sure it’s above 50 degrees outside. The pliability of the plastic doesn’t hold up well when it gets cooler than that.

As far as stability, it’d take something huge to throw you out or turn you over. 1 person in a 400 is also very bouyant and doesn’t swamp very easily either. I weigh about 215 and if I had so much as 4 inches of water, I never scraped. If I laid flat, it required even less.

I think that if you decide to go this route, get the protective boot for it. The feedback from those who get the boot are too positive to ignore. They can do the trick……..but it’s not a canoe or kayak so be certain to not make that expectation of it.

Good Luck!

Thank you for your info. The boot seems particularly useful, but I haven’t been able to find them online. If you have any sources, I’d be grateful. Since I posted the original message I’ve learned that Seahawk makes a “Seahawk Sport 400” and a “Seahawk400.” They are not the same boat. The Seahawk400 is a cheaper AND less expensive boat than the Seahawk Sport 400. Let the buyer beware, I guess.
I’d also appreciate any other advise from anyone else who has experience with the Seahawk Sport 400. I think the more info I can get, the better.