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We have had this boat (120 TCS kevlar/hybrid 30# Kestrel) for about 3 or 4 months now. A couple hic-cups in the beginning, the first about 5 minutes into the first paddle, a rudder pedal broke off. I still paddled the boat for a half hour, and my wife did the same. The dealer said there was some problem with a few of the pedals, and gave us a complete new set including tracks, from another kayak company. I re-drilled the tracks and fit them up in my garage. They work fine now. On the second trip out, I leaned back in the seat to get a cup of coffee offered by my wife, and heard a loud crack. When I got out of the boat an hour later, I found what another gentleman described in his review. My seat had broken with a 5" tear in the right side.

I work with glass/kevlar/ & carbon building radio control sailplanes, so I put it in my workshop and spent a few hours fixing it, then when satisfied with the repair, I glued support foam under the entire back edge of the seat. After many hours of paddling, I can report the problem is fixed. My dealer could have done it, but I would have had to wait, so I did it myself. The boat is a joy to paddle, and moves well for a rec boat. We use it for fun, fishing, photography, lending out to friends and first timers to paddle with us, and anywhere a good handling stable boat is needed. I would recommend this boat to anyone.

I purchased NRS split floatation bags, and using strips of 2" velcro to lock them in, put them in the inside up front. I had occasion to test them out when I lost a battle with a submerged rock and dumped on the Susquehanna River. They worked fine, and my wife did a T rescue to empty the boat, and just loved the 30# Kestrel in this situation. We have 6 boats, all touring kayaks except for this one. Four composite and two plastic, and are partial to CD boats. This little rec kayak fills a niche for us. I use Armoral auto protectorant inside and out on all rubber covers to make them go on and off easier, and seal up well. The rear compartment is nice and large for day trips. Even with having some problems, I rate the boat very high.

I have had my Schoodic Kevlar boat for about 6 weeks now. It weighs a very nice 40#, and is well built and strong. There is no problem using a paddle, and sitting on the rear coaming/deck to get in or out, the decks are stiff. The Kevlar "paddle lite process" is one of the strongest I have seen, and I work with glass/carbon/kevlar materials in another of my hobbies. I had a small leak around the skeg box when I first put it in the water, but I fixed it myself, although my dealer would also have done it. It is dry now, and this boat is fast, very responsive, and handles extremely well. I am very happy with my Schoodic after paddling lakes, rivers, and ponds with it. The small front "glove box" compartment is the envy of other paddlers everywhere I go. The Lincoln boats are well built, priced the same as most Kevlar boats, paddle great, and are good looking.

I have been paddling a new Carolina Airalite since June 2004. We paddle lakes, rivers, and small (100') streams. The Carolina is a joy to paddle. Very stable, moves easily, and is a beautiful boat and easy to keep clean. The storage compartments so far seem to be waterproof. Other than the weight for a 14.5' boat, 60 pounds checked on a scale, it is a super nice handling boat and can be leaned way over. I hardly use the rudder unless going cross wind or current. The Smart trak rudder allows the foot rests to stay in place while using the rudder, a big plus.

I purchased a 210cm straight Corryvrecken fiberglass paddle a few weeks ago, and have used it on lakes, rivers, and smaller streams. It is rapidly becoming my favorite paddle for smaller creeks where I need power to position the boat quickly. The paddle works very well. I use a more vertical stroke with it, and it does the job.

My wife and I bought two CD Breezes in August and have used them in small creeks, large rivers, and lakes. They are one of the nicest paddling boats we own, and we have 6 boats. The Breeze is stable enough to take pictures and/or fish from, and fast enough to go exploring. For day trips, the storage is ample. Nothing bad to report. Excellent small boat.

The back rest gave me back pain for a day or two after paddling for just an hour, bought it new in July 2004, sold it in Aug. 2004, bought a CD Breeze, back pain went away. The seat is terrible. My wife had a Sapphire, and had the same problem, it went too. 2nd Breeze cured her back. Otherwise the boat seemed fine for a rec boat, but when you can't sit comfortably for very long, it's not very usable. The high tech seat was used as a selling point when we bought the boats, and when we confronted the sales person about the uncomfortable seats, they said they had never actually paddled one.