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I purchased the Old Town Saranac 14-6 this summer to use primarily for lake canoeing. I owned a wood/canvas 17 foot Old Town canoe in my "youth" and spent many enjoyable hours in it. It is now many years later and I wanted to again enjoy the relaxation and peace that comes with canoeing.

The new canoe has been great. It tracks well with either one or two on board. It is very stable and responds well to the canoe stroke. The materials are high quality and construction is superb. The thermoformed polyethylene hull should afford many of years of use. I did a great deal of research and read a lot of reviews and the Saranac kept "floating" to the top of the list. The weight at 80 lbs., though not "light" is manageable.

If you plan on more "intense" canoeing including portaging over distances, you may want to consider the lighter, though more expensive, alternatives. I have devised a simple system to load the canoe by myself so the weight has not been a problem. My son and I took it camping this summer and it performed very well. The seat backs (something the old wood/canvas model never had!) are great and add to the comfort and enjoyment.

Overall, for a reasonably priced, well built, comfortable, recreational use canoe, this is the best!