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The Jimmy Lewis Cruise Control is a very fine paddle board. I am still a beginner, but I feel very confident on this board. I've paddled other paddle boards, but I feel the construction is superior. It glides very smoothly through the water, and is faster than some other all around boards I have tried. Pros Solid construction and meticulous craftsmanship Versatile: designed for both flat water and surf Stability and speed: glides smoothly through the water Cons Honestly, there's nothing I don't like about it. I don't think you can go wrong with it. It is an all purpose board. You can find cheaper boards, but I don't think they will surpass the quality. You get what you pay for. Usage I have only paddled the Cruise Control on flat water, but I am excited about taking it to the beach. It's great exercise. When I get tired I sit down or kneel. I have a friend who took a nap on it out on the lake!

The Wet Woody Sport by Lakeshore is a great board for fitness and recreation. It has a front displacement hull designed for flat-water paddling. At 11'6" and 30" wide and 27 lbs., it's a good size. The bungee cord system keeps my gear secure. The black deck pad is comfortable and durable. Pros It feels shorter than it's 11'6" length because of the pointed front end, and gives me more space for entry of the paddle face. It's easy to tilt. I really like the graphic design and wood grain appearance. I noticed it's quieter than all around models in choppy water, mainly because of the way the displacement hull slices through the waves. Cons My legs work a little harder to balance it than some other boards, but i'm still a beginner, and I feel more confident the more I paddle it. I think this could also help me prepare for a racing board. It's not designed for surf, but glides nicely on lakes. Usage I use it for paddling on the lake, just for fun and exercise. It's fun to go out with friends on the weekend or catch an evening sunset on the water.

The Old Town Penobscot 16 in Royalex is a great choice for easy flowing streams or secluded flat water paddling. The Royalex material provides a tough but lightweight alternative to the polyethylene models. I sometimes paddle it solo, so loading it on the car by myself is easier too. This canoe performs well on easy class I whitewater. I have taken 'newbies' down class II rivers in it, but I don't recommend it. We did take on water going through class II standing waves and came close to swamping it. Two experienced paddlers would fair better in this situation.

It tracks well on flat water, so it's a good choice if you are looking for a versatile canoe. It's built for tandem, but a child or a dog can ride along in the middle, too. I store my Penobscot in a storage shed to keep it out of direct sunlight. No other maintenance seems to be needed. It's ready to go when I am.

This canoe holds up to the Old Town reputation. I gave it a 10, because it it does what it is designed to do.

The Mohawk XL 13 in Royalex is a great warhorse. I've owned mine for 18 years, and it's still in good shape! The only thing I have replaced is the air bags. It is a stable whitewater canoe when you compare it to other whitewater canoes. I bought mine directly from the Mohawk factory completely outfitted. All I had to do was put air in the air bags and I was ready to paddle.

I have paddled it down class III(IV) water many times, and I've not been gentle with it! I do own other whitewater canoes that have more rocker and are more agile in tighter, technical water, but I still love this old tank.

I've gone river camping on class I-II water many times, and the 13'3" size is big enough for me to bring all the gear I need, by letting out some air in the airbags and packing my gear underneath them. Most of my paddling buddies are kayakers, but canoeing is a different kind of a experience, and my Mohawk XL13 fits the bill. My kayak friends always ask if I can carry gear for them down the river, and I'm happy to oblige with the extra space.

More advanced whitewater canoeists will want something shorter, lighter, and edgier. If you are just beginning, and want something stable, it's a good boat that you may never want to give up. The many scratches and scars I've given it over the years just add to it's character. It still paddles great.

I've owned my XL13 for about 10 years. I've put it to the test over the years, mostly running class II/III but some class IV. My reason for the high rating begins with it's durability. The original saddle system is still in good shape. I've replaced one air bag, only because I left it fully inflated in the heat.

I learned how to paddle whitewater with this boat, so it has seen it's share of rocks and abuse, but the hull is still solid and the canoe performs reliably. It's a solid river runner, and it will side and front surf on "Jaws" (Nolichucky) quite easily... it was never designed to be a rodeo playboat, so I don't deduct points here.

I've had my share of fun with it, and the factory direct price I paid plus shipping made it the best value (I shopped and compared EVERYWHERE!) and a great choice for any beginning to intermediate paddler.

The advantage of it's 13'3" length is that if you want to do some overnight tripping, you've still got space for your gear under the air bags (when you let some air out.)

I own several boats, but would be hard pressed to let this old faithful go.