I have had a series of tripping canoes 18.5' to 20', but I picked up a kevlar Mad River Explorer, top of the line complete with black rubber baby bumpers, for $500 with a a small hole in it from a dock support. 1 small patch and it was good to go. 41 pounds and 16' 4", the handiest toy that I have. One place we hunt, if the river isn't at flood stage, we paddle up stream to go in and down stream coming out. Not a fan of paddling up stream in the dark, kind of hard to see the upstream side of the eddies in the dark, but it is a blast coming out in the dark. My wife and I were getting mocked by a real numb chuck one time, "Watch this. They think they can paddle upstream. Good god look them go." I will give him credit for one thing, he hung around when he saw our flash light on the river and helped unload my wife's deer out of the canoe at the landing.