I got one of the first Explorers about 5 seasons ago and have logged 800 hours paddling it. Here's my opinion: Very sturdy but very heavy. Book says about sixty pounds but it's easily 75 pounds. Very hard to put on car alone. With all these hours paddling the boat is still mistaken for new. Great layout for storing and access. The day hatch is very useable, the life lines are perfect for self-rescues. Lot's of storage room. Very large boat. Tracks great and can handle big water. Very large cockpit. I'm 6 foot, 190 pounds and had to glue foam to hold my butt in place. I have found any water conditions beyond the boat's capabilities. Wonderful in big water. Now the bad: Skeg leaks like crazy. Very hard to turn. Overall: Great boat for big water. Bad boat in tight paddling like narrow rivers or racing turns. It wasn't designed for that. I think having the Explorer for big water and a short boat like Eddyline Merlin for all other flatwater would be perfect. Oh ya, and a Necky Rip for fun. Just this old fart's opinion. >Would anyone like to profer opinions of the NDK Explorer? C'mon, I know a >number of you have them. >Apparently, they're quite sturdy. But they look a little small volume-wise. >What's it like packing them for a multi-day trip, how much do they really >weigh, and how do they handle (flatwater, rolling seas, and surf)? >Thanks, >Evan (Lurker until now and relative newbie to the sport doing some research) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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