Just last weekend paddled a Pygmy boat but forgot which one. Had a fairly rounded hull with full ends. Tracked a lot harder than either then Nick's Petrel or the demo HV Night Heron I had at hand. The Petrel is a lot wetter ride than the other two woo but may be a normal volume NH would be wet too. The NH seems to have higer top speed and does ride higher in the water and tracks a little better than the Petrel. The rear deck of the HV NH that I paddled was notably higher than the Petre and I could feel it resist against my back, where the Petrel had none of it - I could lay flat and it rolls on its own pretty much.

For reference, I am 6'4" at 185lb and I thought the HV NH has way too much useless volume in the front of the cockpit where my knees do not reach. The Petrel is more compact and much nicer to paddle with paddle strokes closer to the deck (the regular NH may be different but I have not paddled it).

The NH paddles like the longer boat it is compared to the Petrel but is still quite maneuverable. The Pygmy was in contrast stiff and hard to turn but tracked notably better. Can't tell which is faster - did not have a GPS on me but the NH is faster than the Petrel if you have the engine to move it faster.

I'm waiting for CLC to build their own Petrel so I can try it on a little bumpier day for more than a few minutes demo to make-up my mind. I've had my eyes on that design for more than a year now and if my other boat would, please sell (been for sale for over a year but no one wants a racing sea kayak I guess), I'd get to build one, may be a skin on frame version to get started on the cheap -;)

: I have a Pygmy Coho and am interested in a comparison by anyone who
: has paddled both the Coho and the Night Heron or Petrel. I am
: interested in both the Heron or Petrel but am interested in how
: they paddle vs a boat that I am very familiar with (the Coho). I
: really do not have the choice to try either of Shade's designs
: so I am hopeful that someone can relate either of these boats to
: something I do know. I am a great lakes paddler which means
: short steep waives when the wind is up.