Claudia Engel wrote in
:

Hello,
I'm looking at the Perception Eclipse (or possibly the Shadow,
depending on the fit - I'm rather tall and skinny) and was wondering if
anyone has any stories to tell about this boat (good or bad).

If you're thin the Eclipse will be much too wide for you. The Shadow would
be a better fit but I think that there are quite a few better plastic
touring boats out there.

As Mike mentioned, the Necky Chatham and Wilderness Systems Tempest both
seem to be hot models these days. Another plastic boat that looks real
interesting is the VCP Aquanaut RM. I rather like the VCP Avocet RM. I
spent four days renting one awhile back and it did pretty much everything I
wanted. It could be faster but it's not especially sluggish either for a
plastic boat. I'd also check out a P&H Capella RM if you can find one.

In
general, I'm looking for a decent touring kayak in the 16' to 17' range
that doesn't cost a fortune (and the Eclipse is pretty pricey, even for
the plastic model). I'm always open to alternative suggestions.

If price is a concern look at the used market. Lots of people that have
bought decent plastic touring kayaks end up buying decent composite touring
kayaks after a few years (or less) and sell them to help defray the cost of
a new composite boat. You can also find used fiberglass boats for about the
same or less than a new plastic boat.