I bought my otter when they first came out. It was the cheapest kayak out there. I was a very comfortable in a canoe but kayaking was foreign to me. The otter was the boat that got me hooked on kayaking. It was easy to handle and very stable. It was the boat that got my friends out on the water also. They all wanted to out my little gray otter. I have since graduated to sea kayaks but I miss the simplicity of the otter.