Submitted: 05-17-2004 by Chris
If I could give this boat an 11, I would. My Kevlar Crystal is 5 years old, and there still isn't another canoe out there that I would consider an "upgrade." The MorningStar seems to glide right over the water with nary a ripple. You don't notice it until you're with a group on a trek. . .and at the end of the day everyone else is tired and you're barely getting started. The maroon color seems to shine from within, and with walnut trim makes this one classy boat. I've received a lot of compliments on how the color is "different" without being garish in a natural setting. Like everyone says, initial stability isn't great. . .but the secondary is awesome. You REALLY have to make an effort to capsize this canoe. As a solo, she is a little large, but still manageable. . .and as a tandem she's probably the most manuverable boat available. The best part is Bell's brilliant carrying yoke that slides and locks into the center seat-- so if you aren't going to be portaging, you don't need to carry it with you. My only complaint would be the cane seats. While they look nice, they just aren't wide enough. I'm 5-11 and 140#, and even my skinny butt seems to overlap the uncomfortable edges. I recommend a thin pad, and all the problems go away. Kudos to Bell on the perfect all-around trekking boat. |