Speed was fine. No great improvement but optimal cruising speed took less effort to hit.

One of my concerns with injecting the different boat into what's become a well oiled system was how my packs would fit. When I left Twin for a day of nearly portageless travel, the canoe was dean nuts level according to a bubble level set on the floor and everything was below the gunnels. I began noticing my tracking difficulties just after I put on my PFD for the top big part of Sturgeon. (I don't like wearing it but I didn't yet trust the boat.) Wind in my face or a bit to the left. Perfect, or so I thought. After my first real feel for how well it handled in a stiff breeze with a whitecap here and there, I just thought I d change the trim next time.

A few days later in in all whitecaps and big swells pushed up near shore I expect I was bow heavy since I was sitting basically midship on my camera case with my knees against the footbrace. I do the same paddle from the middle thing in rough water in the Sawyer. (The low seating is rather comfy actually.) I didn't mind the tracking at all as I picked and chose the smaller swells whenever possible. After the second or third one breaking over the bow it became a strangely beautiful thing making progress w/o fear. I baled some water out at ant island but the sponge took out the vast majority.

I have long arms so my usual stroke is vertical and/or ideally, blade under the boat and thumb down nearest the recovery. (bentshaft) I don't normally need to add much overt correction to my stroke but can when needed. Ruddering being the 8th deadly sin I always try to use weathervaneing whenever possible to eliminate continuous correction. That was the weird thing. That boat didn't weathervane as expected - ever. I know it's a smaller boat and all and took that into consideration but I had no problem pointing the bow into the wind whenever I wanted and unfortunatly when I didn't want to. That's the problem I had I guess. I couldn't use the wind to my advantage as I'd like.

FWIW - I'd say it had good initial stability. Totally empty, it really didn't move much. Loaded it barely moved at all IMHO. Overtly healing it to one side or the other didn't really help my straight line difficulties either. I didn't have a chance to test what I'd call secondary. I don't have much different boat experience but in comparison, I'll freely admit I'm simply afraid to get in my cruiser empty. I took it out empty on a sandy beach one day and tried to tip it. I tried hard and found me and waves basically couldn't w/o doing something drastically stupid. I still won't get in that thing empty even on glass unless I want to cool off. It's scary empty and way WAY more lively loaded than the Prism. I never got a chance to test out the Prism that well though. Camped near a perfect place for it but it was a windy day and I was alone - bum shoulder and out of shape (Hey, I'd bet I have enough fat to float naturally instead of sink like a rock) - some other time perhaps.

I don't know how to put this. Don't get me wrong. I really liked the Prism and it was easier to get from one place to another with. The calluses and thin skin on my hands as I type are proof of that. It was also wonderful to portage in comparison. I almost hate to say this 'cause it's probably not fair but it wasn't the joy to paddle that I've become accustomed to. I don't know, it just didn't have the grace I'm use to?

It did get me everywhere I wanted to go though so it's utilitarian aspects get a big thumbs up. What surprised me the most was knocking off a few inches on each end made it a whole lot more manageable than I'm used to on portages. What a difference 10 pounds and a few inches make!

Honestly, if it were  my boat, I consider removing/repositioning the beck thwart and moving the seat back a bit more. IMO the middle of a canoe is not where I want to plant my paddle. I know comparatively nothing though. Just thinking what if and looking for other observations..