Thank you for your input.

As far as:
Quote:

too much bow exposed to the wind on the Champlain

, you've got that right. One year my bow-man weighed just a buck 55, and we took a long day trip (sans packs). On the return, the wind kicked up and was blowing us all over the place ... including blowing us backward at one point. I had to put a couple of (very flat) rocks in the front on the next portage to hold it down.

At that point I wanted to trade it in ...

And sure, it's a little slower (though I've never noticed much of a problem keeping up with other tandems).

But I do like the way it handles in waves. Looking forward to comparing that aspect to the MNII.

The only other canoes I've paddled from the stern have been an old aluminum with a keel and a little Jensen.

Anybody else own or have paddled a Champlain? Opinions, positive or negative?

-- kypaddler

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