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The rack is easy to put together, using an Allen wrench and a single wrench. I later opted to upgrade mine by buying an additional j-bar kayak holder and foam blocks, making it a 5-boat rack. For PLASTIC boats, the j-bars on the rack are OK, The rubber covering on the j-bars is thin and rather soft. This covering wears down if you slide the boats on and off the rack when loading or unloading boats single handed. The lower, foam-covered support isn't really designed to specifically hold a kayak. It's just a support bar with a foam block covering it. Kayaks placed on the lower bar tend to slide down if not balanced just right.

The major issue for me was the lack of protection for my one fiberglass boat, a Necky Chatham 17. The screw heads and the nuts on the rack's j-bars are not covered, and I inadvertently put a nice gouge in my gel coat while turning the kayak upright in the holder. Kayaks rest against vertical bars that are not padded. One has to be VERY careful while loading or unloading a fiberglass boat.

I solved my issue by getting some pipe insulation from Home Depot. Using some zip ties, I covered the vertical support bars and the exposed Allen screw heads and nuts. I also got some black duct tape to protect the rubber covering on the j-bars from abrasions while sliding my boats onto and off the rack by myself. It's not pretty to look at, but now there's a little protection on the rack for my fiberglass boat.

Bottom line: If you have plastic boats and don't mind the possibility of an occasional scratch or scuff to your hull, this rack is generally OK. It's lightweight, sturdy, easily adjustable, and can be expanded with additional j-bars, as necessary. The exposed hardware makes this rack less suitable if you have fiberglass boats unless you're willing to add additional padding here and there.

Bought a used, rotomolded Avocet in a nice granite color. Coming from kayaks with rudders, I was concerned about turning the boat, but the Avocet proved to be quite easy to turn, and it edged very well. In fact, this boat is the most maneuverable kayak that I've ever paddled. I've taken the boat on rivers, lakes and the coast of Maine and New Hampshire, and the Avocet handled well in every paddling condition that I encountered. This boat really shines in rough water, and it always feels stable. At 16', the Avocet is not as fast as some of the longer, fiberglass boats out there, but I can generally keep up without working too hard.

As far as fit and finish goes, the Valley hatches are unmatched in the industry and provide a great water-tight place for storage. The Avocet has a handy day hatch that's easy to access while on the water. The hatch covers are a little tough to get on, but that's the price you pay for dry storage. The deck lines and bungies are good, and the skeg control is conveniently located at the front left side of the cockpit. At 5'7" and 165 lbs., the cockpit fits me like a glove. At first I thought things were a little tight, but that's because I had paddled some barges before getting the Avocet. The thigh braces fit me well, and I can really feel the boat when I edge into turns. The seat and back band are minimal, but I feel comfortable and my back is supported, so I don't miss the more elaborate seat.

I've had my boat for four years now, and I still get compliments from people who like both the design and the granite color of my Avocet. Apparently, the granite color is quite rare. I've seen several other rotomolded Avocets and they aren't as nice looking as my boat.

The only negative to report is the set screw on the skeg control knob. While paddling off the Isle au Haut in Maine, my skeg cable got kinked when I got caught up on some seaweed while trying to land. Back home I tried to replace the cable and found that the set screw was frozen inside the plastic knob. Apparently, the material used for the screw reacts chemically with the threaded portion of the control knob, making it virtually impossible to remove. With much difficulty, I ended up cutting off the knob. The Kayak Centre of Rhode Island had both the cable and control knob in stock, so I bought a couple of them. The cable replacement went easily, though I did have to borrow a special cable cutter from the local hardware store in order to cut the cable without shredding the strands of wire. The skeg works good as new, and I haven't had any problems. I only deploy the skeg in windy conditions, as the Avocet does weather cock a bit.