Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14 Review (NN14)

The Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14 is the company’s largest inflatable SUP, and it offers an optimal blend of speed, performance, and convenience for paddling enthusiasts of all ages.

By combining the latest in cutting-edge design, the most advanced materials, and the experience gained from almost 50 years of producing some of the best inflatable hulls in the world, Sea Eagle has come out with the ultimate inflatable touring SUP that is fast, efficient, and fun to paddle.

One of the reasons why we love Sea Eagle’s popular line of inflatables is their unwavering dedication to their customers. Sea Eagle has a well-deserved reputation for delivering top-notch customer service, and the NeedleNose 14 is backed by a 3-year warranty and 180-day money back guarantee.

In this Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14 review, we’ll take a look at this fun inflatable SUP and cover its standout features, construction, optional configurations, and more.

Sea Eagle NN14 Review: SUP Overview

The first thing you’ll notice about Sea Eagle’s NN14 inflatable SUP is its size: at 14 feet in length, this is a largest of Sea Eagle iSUP line, and you can be assured that its size is matched by its performance.

The NN14 features Sea Eagle’s patented NeedleNose design that helps the board to cut through water, wind, and waves effortlessly, delivering maximum speed and efficiency with minimal paddling effort. This is obviously a huge advantage if you’re looking to go touring or want to paddle long distances.

Many stand up paddle boards, whether rigid hull or inflatable, have an upturned nose that helps to lift the board’s nose up and over waves. Although this helps when it comes to maneuverability, it also means that the water builds up around the prow, increasing resistance and limiting your top speed.

The innovative NeedleNose design of the NN14 effectively bypasses this problem, creating an efficient displacement prow that pierces the waves and reduces drag. This gives you the opportunity to reach much higher speeds and reduces the effort needed to keep this board travelling further and faster.

This design philosophy of highest possible speed with the least possible amount of paddling effort is continued in the construction of the hull itself. Featuring a straight-line hull design that eliminates unnecessary resistance while improving stability and performance, the NeedleNose 14 is a fast and sleek inflatable SUP that outperforms the vast majority of boards on the market.

Much of the NN14’s success is the result of the construction of the hull, which offers a firm and rigid paddling platform while remaining light and easy to carry. This is thanks to the drop stitch construction, which adds overall strength and rigidity.

The single drop stitch chamber that forms the hull is manufactured from 1100 Decitex reinforced material — the high-strength material that Sea Eagle chooses to use for all their iSUPs. Thousands of strands of ‘space yarn’ bind the top and bottom walls of the chamber together, allowing the board to inflate to a maximum height of 6″. After this, any further air introduced into the chamber serves only to increase the rigidity and buoyancy of the hull.

Although the hull is quite long, the custom performance kick tail located near the stern makes it easy to maneuver. Simply apply a bit of pressure to the kick tail and the nose lifts, allowing you to easily perform high-performance turns and even 360° pivots.

The Sea Eagle NeedleNose’s EVA foam deck pad provides an excellent non-slip surface to stand on. The EVA foam also offers an even displacement of weight, ensuring a comfortable paddle even if you use the NN14 for extended touring.

Last but not least, Sea Eagle included a convenient grab-handle at the front, a rigging of elastic ropes for stowing smaller gear, centrally located stainless-steel D-rings that let you mount a seat, a centrally-mounted carry-handle, a large rear-mounted D-ring for towing or fastening a leash, and Sea Eagle’s new PaddlePocket that lets you keep your paddle safe when it’s not in use. All in all, the NN14 is designed for convenience and easy paddling as much as overall durability and performance.

NN14 iSUP Packages

The NN14 can be configured for kneel-paddling, kayak paddling, rowing, or fishing – an outstanding achievement for a hull that folds down into a convenient 32″ x 17″ x 11″ bundle, weighs only 26.5 pounds, and can be carried in a backpack.

• Sea Eagle’s NeedleNose 14 Startup Package is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a new iSUP, whether you’re a first timer or an expert. This kit includes a NN14 hull (now standard with Sea Eagle’s latest electric pattern diamond deck pad), a single SUP paddle (adjustable 66″-85″, 3-part, 2.65 lbs.), a removable skeg for extra stability, a hand pump, a repair kit, and a backpack.
• If you want to try kayak-style paddling on your NN14, the Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14 Deluxe Package includes an inflatable kayak seat and an AB30 paddle (7’10”, 4-part, 2.62 lbs.) in addition to what’s provided in the Startup package. The seat clips easily onto the hull and will open up a whole new dimension to your paddling.
• The Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14 Electric Pump Package is for more experienced paddlers. This kit does not include the seat, but Sea Eagle replaced the standard SUP paddle with a high-performance carbon-fiber SUP paddle (adjustable 70″-86″, 3-part, 1.95 lbs.) which increases power and control. The addition of the BP12 also makes inflation easier.
• Real experts will probably be attracted to the Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14 Power Paddle Package, which features the world’s first twin-bladed SUP paddle: the Blue Oblio. With an adjustable length of 121.5″-138″ and a weight of just under five pounds, this 4-part paddle offers an ergonomic design that improves the power and control of your strokes while reducing stress on your joints.
• Sea Eagle also anticipated the needs of fishermen by releasing the NeedleNose 14 Swivel Seat Fishing Rig Package, which allows you to transform the NN14 into a silent and convenient fishing platform in under a minute. The fishing rig fixes to the hull with no difficulty, at which time you can use the AB30 paddle to take you where you want to go. The seat swivels 360°, and the two Scotty rod holders are a nice addition.
• The ultimate NN14 configuration is the Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14 QuikRow Package, which allows you to configure this iSUP into a needle-nosed rowboat in less than 60 seconds. With this package, you can enjoy the benefits of stand-up paddling, kneel-paddling, rowing, and fishing… and still fit everything into the trunk of your car.

Final Thoughts

The Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14 is an extremely well-built, high-performance inflatable SUP that will challenge you. The extended-length hull improves top speed, but it can make it more difficult for beginners to control. We’d recommend the shorter Sea Eagle NeedleNose 116 and NN126 if you are looking for something shorter.

A board like the NeedleNose 14 is obviously not for everyone, but if you’re looking for a long and sleek board that is great for speed and paddling long distances, the NN14 is an excellent choice. The company’s rock solid warranty and great track record are second to none, and the top-shelf build quality means this is a board that you’ll enjoy for many years to come.

Click Here to Buy the Sea Eagle NeedleNose 14