Harlan-- it's just as I suspected-- I can hardly stupidly wait.
Bill, I don't know know about the Old Town, but a fellow named Pete Hornbeck near Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks makes some amazing Kevlar canoes. I bought one of his 10 footers about five years ago for $495. It weighs 16 (sixteen) pounds. I weigh 140.
He's got a twenty-seven pound 12 footer with greater freeboard and overall size for larger people. (Also a nine pounder!). I use a 100" kayak paddle and can manage some pretty good headwinds. Freeboard is minimal, so waves with any white on top is not rig
ht, but it bobs you over waves like a cork. Lots of flare. The center of gravity is as low as a decked kayak-- you sit on a 2" closed cell foam pad on the floor (comfortable, with a built in backrest) which doubles as flotation.. The extreme light weight
gives access to , say, walking down the steps to the Poge gut and just crossing to the other side. It tends to annoy guys in Barnegat Bay who've spent $40000 to rustle up a few fluke ("Whatsat? A $%#@*& CANOE! A %%$$#@** FLYROD! THAT'S %$#*ed UP!) (Act
ually heard through the light winds). I've never dumped the boat through ClassII riverwater or cigaretteboat wakes, but in such a minimal craft you've got to watch the weather and avoid trouble in spades. I think, though, that it's really more "fun".