Oh my, my daughter and I took the Prospector out for a test paddle today on a back water of the Wisconsin River, almost no current and some wind. We had no load, just our selves. The canoe is a real beauty, and the red paint with the honey colored wood, and the honey colored shellac on the bottom was breathtaking in the strong sunlight. It was a short port from the truck down a gravel road to the water. This huge canoe was not a problem on my shoulders.
We found the seats to be hung a bit high as the rounded bottom was tippy for my daughter and I paddling down stream. With a load I am sure it would shore up nicely. Still it was a lot of fun and my daughter really liked it. As a solo I had a ball! This boat heals up nicely and even with no load and in the wind I found it to be very responsive. I had it healed close to the rails, but not all the way, just enough to get a good vertical paddle stroke and get the stems out of the water. It handled nicely and I enjoyed the feeling of acceleration as the momentum of the boat grew. I need to make sure this boat is for me and will get used, not just sit in my shed. That said, man that is one awesome canoe, I want to test paddle it again real soon to be sure!
Bob