C-Forum

I recommend the NRS Bigwater Guide. It fits all of your specs,since you didn't specify a rescue vest.
22 lbs. flotation. Long for a modern vest, so you get a little more back protection.
Tall, slim, that's me. I *need* that extra flotation.

Search the archives. There have been a fair number of posts on the
prodigy x in the past , mostly positive, and some rave reviews.

I'm not saying *I* ever swim or anything, but have you ever tried to swim with sandals on? They work like water brakes, kicking gets you almost nowhere. Yet another safety issue, potentially.

A couple of things I've been wondering about: Couldn't you pretty easily reshape a vinyl gunwaled canoe by removing the plastic end caps and replacing them with wood decks in the proper wider angle? Maybe add thwarts a foot from the ends that would force the gunwales out a bit wider? Or do vinyl gut...

I have wondered what the possibillities are of turning a torrent or pegasus into a c1. Or oc1. KOT? I think they're wide enough. But the necessary modifications--creating knee and foot wells--are probably too radical to melt into shape. Or not? anyone have an idea? Anyway, I like the idea of a kneel...

I finally got around to measuring my girlfriend's boat. The thwarts are both 24" (longer side of the bevels). The boat looks pretty symmetrical to me. If there are obvious visible differences between the two ends, somebody's been messin' with it.

Something I've been wondering about the Twintex hull of the Zephyr---How slippery is it? My first kayak was an old Dick Held (no jokes please) fiberglass job. I used to get spun around 180 degrees hanging up on unseen submerged rocks, usually at inopportune moments. Plastic boats were a huge improve...