As a preface, I live in a warm-water area and can't say how well this would serve you for cold-water use. I can say that a small amount of water will sit where you sit if you leave the scupper holes undrilled as I have. Also I found small waves and drips from paddles (with drip rings) caused water to accumulate in the footwells and forward-of-seat area while paddling. I used a small hand water pump to bail at intervals with great results.

Let's start with speed and handling, two things I'm sure you'll be interested in. Speed is great and handling is too except in rougher water, where it suffers of course due to the 18' length and narrow beam. The length actually smooths out the kind of waves and swell conditions you'd actually want to be out paddling in, more on this below. Don't think you're going to tackle whitewater or surf with this!

Having paddled a range of sit-on-top kayaks on river, canal and the sea right here in the Hawaiian isles, I could feel my speed on the canal right from the start. I'm an average sized guy and had no problem sitting comfortably and with good balance on the 'narrow' Expedition. I like the look and feel of the boat. Finish and build quality were excellent, more importantly its shape moved through the water easily while smoothing over light seas. On flat or near-flat water, I think all but novice kayakers will enjoy the trade-off of losing a wider seat area for being able to get more control over their paddle stroke i.e. power and an efficient, comfortable paddle hold. I like a high-angle stroke at times and so this was esp. true for me.

Turning was never a problem in the Expedition. It is made to track straight but you can turn virtually in place using your paddle deftly. For more normal maneuvers (that is, without much effort) expect to see about a 35' turning circle. I used the rudder system to steer except when doing u-turns or maneuvering under bridges, etc. The kick-up rudder did add noticeable drag when deployed, to give you an idea how little grip saltwater had on this kayak. On the canal sometimes I left the rudder up and got an extra 0.3 mph or so. On the sea the rudder is highly recommended as it allowed me to track into varying wind and keep my paddling cadence and power even, instead of concentrating on making stroke or upper body adjustments in order to steer. The foot pedals also give the feet something to do which helps with stiffness or restless legs after a few hours 'in the saddle.'

To that end, a padded seat with backrest also made a nice improvement in comfort for me. Although the seat isn't lacking in support and has a good shape (incl. an iota of 'back support'), it sure is hard! Plenty of leg room in this boat for all but the very tallest humans. I easily found a good bent-knee position that enabled me to 'lock in' with my knee/thigh straps and get paddling power out of my torso and abdominal muscles.

These padded knee/thigh straps should be considered essential to get the most enjoyment out of the Expedition on anything other than flatwater. My first attempt to get out to sea was foiled by 1-2 ft. swells at the inlet. I knew right away that straps would give me the stability, control and safety to power through it. They did, and the length of this boat worked nicely to smooth out all the little sea bumps. I am still careful not to get this boat sideways into a wave as a small wave could probably roll you over. I've not been rolled or tipped yet after a full season.

I'm using a 220cm Bending Branches all-carbon Spirit Day paddle which seems a good match (it is stiff and light). It gives me plenty of power to push this kayak at a good clip even in imperfect seas and headwinds. In the canal, I easily kept up with a friend walking along shore and with the wind at my back, easily outpaced her fastest walk. That said, 6-man outrigger canoes still easily outpaced me on flat water or at sea, as did fast single seat composite kayaks. But then again, these were not carrying much more than their paddler(s) and offer no dry gear storage.

Speaking of gear storage there's lots of it and it's all secure - another thing I loved about this kayak. I have had with me on most trips the following complement of gear (and ALL of it can fit securely into closed hatches when transporting the kayak for instance): a few 1.5l bottles of water, some snacks, pair of Teva's, Pelican 1050 drybox for phone wallet & keys, long sleeve top, hat, duffel bag, paddle carrying case, beach towel and chamois towel, sunglasses & case, wheels from my Hobie kayak 'cart', safety scissors and Schrader Water Rat blunt knife, flashlight, padded seat, knee straps, paddle leash, hand water pump for bailing the sitting area, light poly rope, a two piece paddle (or two, will fit easily into the main hatches).

The Hobie cart is great but I should note the body does not fit the Expedition's hatches. That's OK, because I can lock the body on shore and stow just the removable wheels onboard; they are pneumatic and don't weigh much. If you're on a one-way tour and will need to stow a complete cart, I suggest something other than the Hobie.

The small '6-pack box' just aft of the seat is great for all the safety items, snacks and water and personal effects and I strongly recommend you get the hatch installed over it as it may fill with water otherwise (does have drillable scupper holes if you don't opt for the hatch though). There's a small round hatch under your knees but I didn't use it since it was submerged (under 2 inches) when I hadn't bailed for awhile out on the sea. Other things I might take with me: paddling vest, fins, mask, snorkel, fishing reel & small soft tackle case, a 6 ft. 2 pc. rod, anchor & line, landing net... these all easily stowed too. Your mileage may vary!

Summary: If you need a surf or dive kayak or wide platform or plan to race or paddle in whitewater/rough water, this is NOT the boat for you. If you want to do some snorkeling, fishing, sightseeing, fast recreational paddling, or enjoy fast extended touring while carrying food, water and all the right gear to make the trip a pleasure and not a disappointment, you're on the right track!

Recommended:
Yes