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I've paddled a Quetico 18.5 since 2004 or so. Purchased from one of a few US dealers at the time and am extremely satisfied. It has held up to a substantial bit of use over the years, ranging from occasional klutz moment to some wicked rock shore in howling winds.

I am a big guy, paddling with dog, packs and often others of not-small denomination. The center seat on mine had a wood flaw that only became apparent when I was hurriedly trying to solo back to a previous portage to collect gear left by a younger crew member - pulled quarter-size bit of hull loose with it....BUT Souris folks were GREAT about fixing the seat and I came away at least as satisfied as I already was.

Souris folks were/are excellent, product has been superior in some wind and waves that were challenging - better than several comparable tripping canoes I've paddled at other times. I think the flexing hull design holds up as promised and has worked better than other approaches on similar canoes built more along a racing model. Hey I just can't find anything I don't like about this boat and I've used it a LOT. I would also pick it over the 17s for larger paddlers or paddlers looking to haul kids or dogs.

I bought this sturdy royalex beauty back when the floods of 1993 were rising in the midwest. It is my work horse, both tandem and solo work, short and medium hauls. It has done what royalex is supposed to do and survived substantial abuse and general wear along the way. I have wished occasionally I had bought something that was a little less "semi-good at everything", but I still use it a lot of days every year. It's been good with my dog and with kids, although I have wished for a little more initial stability....which would really be the Camper...but again I continue to paddle this one.

All the parts have held up for 20-some years and don't look to be on their last legs at all - this one will surely get passed on to some young friend when I pass on or at least stop paddling. I recommend it and I recommend the royalex versions of the Penobscot for those willing to search a bit among used boats or for the last few on some backroom shelf. Paddles nice heeled over and very amenable to the "Indian Stroke" as Bill and Becky Mason have called it...I favor ottertails and beavertails which work very nicely with this old dude. Just a very solid boat that will last a lot of days and miles with standard maintenance.

Padled a MNII on BWCA lakes for a few days with my wife and our labrador retriever. My wife thought the bow space was way too tight and she is small - I would not consider it for a trip with two larger folks because of that poor leg space up front and the narrow width where they have placed the seat to make it tippier than is enjoyable with a larger less-experienced paddler. The stern seat was not roomy for a large, long-legged person and the foot brace placement was very uncomfortable. As another commenter mentioned, it's not a lovely boat in the wind - altho how many are if you paddle a big boat solo like I did to try it out with a stiff breeze. It did carry very nicely and tracked fairly well in a crosswind considering the bow paddler was very green. In summary I would rent it again, nor will I buy it when I replace my 10-year old royalex beasty.

I've had my 16 since 1993 and have put it into a a few different spots. I bought it because it could do a little bit of everything, and that it has done. However, I think that is also what I have come to see as it's handicap as well... For rivers I ran in Missouri I'd recommend the Camper or other model with more initial stability - I have paddled with a group of Campers and Penobscots and the campers definitely were the ticket for non-technical river runs with occasional tough spots, far more maneuverability than the semi-keeled Penobscots. Have been pleased lately with the ride in Minnesota lakes, but it has always been tought to handle with a lighter load and moderate wind - not a shock, but definitely an inconvenience when the wind comes up suddenly and you have a ways yet to paddle. A good place to start, but I'm now looking for something different as I learn better what I want in a canoe.

It's solid when you actually get it rolling, BUT: 1)as mentioned above, should have straps included, and 2) the "kickstand" on mine regularly collapses when trying to place the boat, altho the company claims it works fine in their email response, so perhaps I got a clinker (actually I originally had two, neither kickstand was stable for loading the way I did it.

There is still the possibility of operator error, but if it's not incredibly obvious, then they ought to put a little something in to show how the "experts" do it... A little more effort on the small stuff and they would have a great little product instead of something almost....