Have had this canoe for a year now and am still impressed with it, I bought mine pretty much online [and a few phone calls] and had it delivered to Canoecopia last year [no shipping charges]. fell in love with it at first sight, it was at the show for all 3 days and was drooled on by dozen of folks. When I got in it to paddle the first time the first two things to hit me was wow this thing is really stable [empty at the time] and wow this thing is so easy to paddle and fast. I'm about 5'8" and well big boned [about 230pds]. When I trip I don't go light, about 100pds of gear, a lot of fishing tackle. Extremely stable. I paddled The Dark Lady in Wabakimi last year in one foot whitecaps and nary a drop over the sides.
The only reason I didn't rate the canoe a 10 was when I ordered it I assumed it would come with sealed float sections in the bow and stern and it didn't have them, when I questioned it John told me they don't put them in unless you order it that way, he also assured me it will float just fine because of all the foam we use, I'm old school and would rather have had them in there. I had him put painter line holes in the bow and stern and he wanted to know where to put them, I really didn't know how high to put them off the bottom of the canoe so I told him to use his best judgement and he got them way to high, in really swift rapids that I'm lining up I have to tie the rope in the bow around the canoe with the knot under it, not really a problem but it is a hassle would have been easier to just use the rope already tie in for securing the canoe.
I use a 260cm yak paddle and can paddle 3.75mph for about 2-3 hours without tiring myself out, even against a fairly strong wind. I did get the sliding seat which makes trimming the Lady very easy. I've caught some fairly decent northerns and never had any fears on tipping. Great canoe and really great folks to deal with.
