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I have had my Manitou Sport for 7 months now, and had a chance to really put it through it's paces, and compare it to other more traditional touring kayaks in various conditions. In the Seattle area, we have access to the calm waters of lakes, as well as more rough conditions in the upper Puget Sound where wind chop is normal. In all cases, the Manitou Sport handled very well.

The boat is very easy to paddle, feeling very stable due to it's width, yet able to cut through the water very easily. Because of its length, it doesn't track as straight as a 14'-er, but it does ok. Where it shines is in maneuverability. It turns on a dime. I had an opportunity to take it out in Puget Sound and compare it against a 16' fiberglass kayak and found that it was much easier to paddle, much more stable, actually just as fast, if not faster (I had a race with my 15 year old daughter in the Manitou and she was easily able to push past me!) in rough waters.

I highly recommend this boat for those who use it in a variety of conditions. Be aware, the boat's waterline is slightly low, particularly if you are over 200 lbs, the boat may ride a little low. I would consider this to be a "low volume" style boat.