My wife and I purchased an H2O Boundary with Epoxy Pro Series with integrated gunwales. The service was outstanding. Larry and his staff at Frontenac Outfitters displayed a level of product knowledge and helpfulness missing in the retail environment today. Clearly people who love what they do. We had one tiny hiccup as there was a very tight window required on delivery, but again Larry and his staff went above and beyond to get us on the water on schedule. I cannot give them higher praise.
Being an old school canoeist out of the 1970's school of tripping, I was suspect of how an ultralight canoe could stand up to the backcountry. No gel coat? Only 38 lbs? I needed a boat we could use! What can I say, I've been schooled. Our new boat is really tough. On our first trip to Algonquin North in early October we caught a rock in swift water that left me very concerned. The boat on the other hand shrugged it off as nothing.
Can a boat be too fast?
The Boundary is a rocket, even fully loaded with 9 days worth of tripping gear. In similar conditions and with similar gear weight, we found ourselves traveling 1/3 times faster than our Swift. We started to joke about the short paddles between portages. The light weight of the canoe made portaging a breeze. It was easy to do one-carry portages, as shouldering a heavy pack in conjunction with the canoe was not an issue. What amazed us most was that all this was achieved without compromising maneuverability. We flew past other boats on the Nipissing River with tight bends and it turned on a dime. We can't wait to take our boat through its paces in Wabakimi next summer - and most likely French River in the spring as I doubt we will be able to wait until then!
