Libra

I love this boat. My wife and I just did our maiden paddle in a northern NJ lake in our Libra (not XT). I was warned that we wouldn't be able to turn it because it was so big. No problemo, and we're novices. It's a great boat for weekend-warriors like us. It's too big for roof-topping, so I purchased a Hart Design trailer (T-1000)which is perfect for this application. One last note about tandem kayaking: In addition to being warned about not being able to turn, I was advised (and this is from almost every "expert" I consulted) that it's better to get two singles than a double. Singles are easier to maneuver, you've each got your own boat, etc. etc. Well, they were all wrong. The tandem allows you to paddle together even though your endurance and strength levels are pretty far apart. On a technical note, the rudder flips up and down pretty hard and can easily bang the boat, so I would adjust my rating to 9.5 for that reason.

We traded in our 2 plastic singles for a Libra XT a few years ago. It is by far the best boat we have ever experienced. Roomy, stable, and fearless! We live on the southeastern shores of Lake Michigan and use our boat regularly throughout the summer. One summer, we trekked out to Ely and paddled 2 small lakes per day for an entire week. We've also been in Lake Superior and enjoyed the larger swells. The rougher the water, the greater the fun quotent. We highly recommend this kayak.