Profile

This is my first (of two) kayaks. 44 lbs and able to put on top of my car. Tracks very well with the skeg down, in fact, a whole different boat. My "creek" boat that tracks better than my Vision, which I got for flatwater and extended trips. The Blackwater carries enough gear & food for an overnight or 2 and handles well enough on flatwater, though it isn't a fast or sleek boat, I have absolutely no problems keeping up with people paddling longer kayaks.

I have had this kayak for two years and it is my first. I paddle around Presque Isle- in the lagoons, the bay and Lake Erie. I have only used it for short paddles and find it comfortable. It is very stable, tracks well with the skeg down. It is a bit of a "tugboat" though, as it dows plow through the water, as several have noted already. Very stable. I use it partly for the great upper body workout, partly because I enjoy the feel of powering the paddle and moving the kayak through the water, and partly for the peace of being on the water. It is a body-mind-spirit experience for me. I plan to buy a longer Kayak in the near future, and keep the Blackwater. The Erie Outing Club members recommend >14' for longer paddles, although I note that a few have taken longer paddles in the blackwater with success.