I just bought the Sky and have only had it out a couple of times so far but I will give my first impressions. My main kayak experiences have been with the Keowee 2 used for both fishing and river travel. I wanted a single seat smaller kayak to haul when I am going to rivers by myself figuring it would be easier to handle. At 9'6" and 42 lbs. you still do not want to carry it real far by yourself. When deciding on the purchase I sit in the Swifty, which was a better price but I never felt comfortable in the Swifty compared to a relaxing fit of the Sky. The best aspect of the Sky is the fit. I am 5'10" and about 220 lbs (thick muscular frame with a waist of 36 inches) to give you an idea of the fit. The cockpit is easy to get in with a length of 39" yet at a cockpit width of 17.5" makes a perfect width for my body. With that and the boat width of 26.5" it makes it great for easy paddling because the narrowness keeps the boat out of your way. It is a little unstable compared to a wider boat but mainly only on getting in or out. It tracks very well for its length (maybe better than the 13 foot Keowee 2). It does not glide as well and seems to push quite a bit more water leaving a wake, thus is a little slower. I still was able to paddle well into some swift rapids. It sits not real deep in the water and that is great I think because kayakers encounter some mighty low water areas. It turns real well and seems to sit kind of lower in the rear helping that aspect. This boat has a large buoyant turned up hull and is actually made for some ocean or choppy wave conditions, but with its narrowness I would feel a skirt would be maybe a wise choice in those conditions. I think this is an excellent choice recreational kayak for the 5 or 10 mile river travelers, mainly because of a comfortable seat, roomy cockpit yet a snug width allowing your knees to catch the rim for stability and force. This kayak also has a hatch, very handy keeping any accessories away from the cockpit and feet area.
