Some of you might recognize me as that crazy Krugerhead...I own two Kruger Sea Winds, and have owned a Mad River Monarch and Sawyer Loon. I also have a Clipper Sea 1. I started solo canoeing to do the MR340, which progressed into racing the Everglades Challenge 3 times, and taking 14 trips up north to Quetico, Woodland Caribou, and BWCA. I really like these boats, they are moderately fast, very seaworthy, and easy to put the power down and go in a straight line with their rudders. Always intrigued by decked canoes, I paid attention when Savage came out with the Falcon. I paddled one on the Missouri River some time back. It is the Blackwater hull you know, just with a deck and a rudder. It kinda "looks" like a Sawyer Loon. Could this be the fast, and LIGHT, decked canoe of my dreams? Nope. The Falcon is just uncomfortable in rough waters. It is just not as seaworthy as these other boats. I wouldn't want to be paddling in barge wakes 45 hours into the MR340 at 2am in the Falcon. It certainly isn't a boat for the Everglades Challenge..in fact one entered the race in 2019 but in the rough conditions, the paddler said he wasn't having any fun and dropped out. All that said, portaging 55-60 pound Sea Winds in the North Country is getting harder and harder. Part of me is looking at lighter weight options. A relatively easy choice would be a Magic, Advantage, or Voyageur. But the Swift 16.8 Cruiser looks REALLY interesting. I've paddled the Shockwave and it seems the changes to the design on the 16.8 are right up my alley.
Joe