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As beginner canoe enthusiasts, we are very happy with our decision to purchase the Old Town Saranac 146 canoe. The canoe is 14 ft. 6 in. and weighs 79 lbs. We decided early on that in order to get the most out of it and truly enjoy ourselves, we wouldn't be too overly concerned about scratches, scrapes, etc. We have lived up to that considering our second outing involved nailing a bridge pillar head-on on a Level II river rapid (we did mention "beginner" here!). What felt like major damage ended up being a rough scratch on the bow trim work molding which did not crack or split. Our canoe has also fallen from the top of the SUV onto the road while we were loosening the straps to remove it from the rack. No dents, but some scratches. In short, the polyethylene material is VERY DURABLE!

We are big fans of the adjustable backrests and padded seats. They are easy to adjust by simply adjusting the tension on the cord that wraps around the back of the backrest. This is great when you need to adjust to another position to avoid back fatigue during longer trips. The backrests fold down for storage and transport. There are three molded cup holders, molded bow and stern paddle holders, and a middle seat/storage/cooler console. There are 2 storage compartments in the middle console (which can also serve as a foot rest/stabilizer for the paddler in the stern seat). The larger rectangular compartment, which is a little larger than a drink six-pack, has a flip lid and the second smaller cylindrical compartment has a more secure twist lid (may be watertight, but not certain). The entire console may be removed if desired. At the front of the base of each seat there are additional open storage compartments. The canoe also has molded carrying handles and pre-cut holes to install lighting.

The Saranac 146 is sturdy and feels light on the water. We highly recommend this canoe. We found it on sale two hundred dollars below retail, so for us, big bang for the buck and will pay for itself many times over!! We are looking forward to enjoying it for many years.