The Explorer 16 is everything the other reviewers state. My Explorer 16 is composite, built in 1988 and great to paddle. It has a very sharp entry and exit, holds lots of gear, and has a pronounced V hull compared to other boats. The best aspect of this boat compared to other similar purpose canoes is its V hull. I paddled greenland kayaks with V hulls and hard chines for 10 years and transitioned to the canoe when kids entered the picture. Compared to shallow arch and flat hulls I found the edge easily and was almost immediately confident in chop, rollers, and currents. The rock of the boat was similar to my kayaks and handling as similar as a can be in a canoe. The 16 is so nice I just got the 15 in Royalex for solo paddling. I am sure other brands and hulls are fine but the hull on these boats make the difference for me.
