: I don't have that much experience with touring boats - likely not paddled
: over 25-30 different designs, so I'm really not the best to do a review,
: but... I'm 5'10", 180 lbs, size 10. I've paddled for 6 years, but
: more mild whitewater day trips and surfing than anything else.

: I like light weight boats, good outfitting or reasonably snug fitting
: cockpits, fast enough to offset my poor conditioning, agility more than
: tracking, enough space to solo self support for 10 days, and balanced
: response to cross winds.

:

• The King is relatively narrow at 21.3 inches BOA, but I find it to
  : be comfortably stable. Joe says it was "designed for the intermediate
  : to advanced paddler." I was easily able to take photos from the
  : cockpit. It's secondary stability is exceptional, the boat makes a person
  : look better than they are. I've not yet been able to balance brace it, but
  : then I haven't been able to balance brace anything yet It takes a
  : slight scull to lay my head in the water. Rolls as easy as anything
  : I've tried.
  :
• It's fast enough to keep up with the QC500XL which sports a MUCH longer
  : waterline.
  :
• I've not paddled it in waves yet, but it certainly seems balanced in winds
  : from all quarters, assuming the boat is loaded correctly.
  :
• Tracking wasn't an issue, but I haven't had any inexperienced paddlers in
  : it yet.
  :
• Space was much less of an issue than I'd thought as I viewed it shaping up
  : on the forms - the front is very fine and the inset compass design I used
  : made the front 3' even more limited, but the Thermorest fit there fine.
  :
• LOTS of the bow comes out of the water when you lay it over, making it
  : very quick turning. In addition, it responds well to slight edging for
  : nice cruising course corrections.
  :

: I've not paddled another touring boat that I like as well. Don't know if that
: helps or not. I'd sure love to hear other, more experienced paddler's
: reactions (Reg, are you out there???)

: jrs

Good review John. Like yourself, I am very content with the King though I only have about 250 miles on it so far. Half of that was in the Charlottes and the next biggest trip was a 42 miler from Sydney to Anacortes. Full or empty it cruises smoothly.
It does not take much of an edge to start a carved turn and it holds the turn nicely until you flatten it out again.
The hull speed is slower than my Coho over a 3.5 mile course(5.5 mph for the King and 5.7 mph with the Coho). I consider that a fair trade off for the increased manueverability.
I have yet to surf anything but boat wakes in it so I can't comment on performance in heavy conditions. I have only paddled a half dozen different boats in the past year so I don't feel qualified to be making comparisons.
Next week I will be paddling in the San Juans again and may be able to add to these comments.

Reg