Hi all,
Thank-you for the thoughtful and thorough responses. Unfortunately, our recreation budget was blown with the purchase of our 2011 Eagle. We don't run rivers anymore although there are a lot of them are near where we live. We have a river canoe that has seen action on the Nooksack and Skagit Rivers but since we are older now, we are selling it to buy an inflatable to putz around in placid lakes, ponds and wetlands. Since we are photographers we need something stable (this one offers floorboards). And, roomy for us and our equipment. There are also shallow bays nearby that we can explore here (5 miles away to launch) and in and around Puget Sound. We have both been on the water all our lives. My grandparents had waterfront property for 25 years on Whidbey Island and as a kid and young adult I would float on a log as the canal emptied as tide was going out. My grandma and I would take out the small rowboat my grandpa built from Alaska yellow cedar and row out in front of the house trying to troll for salmon. Hubby also used to fish the locals rivers but fish runs are decimated so we just want to explore small lakes and wetlands. We plan to hit eastern Washington, Idaho and western Wyoming this fall so hubby may pick up a lake fishing license-more research into that, also. We always wear life jackets and are good swimmers and are probably overly cautious in our old age. We are thinking of just getting the package without the electric motor for now and maybe pick up an electric motor in the future. There are lakes around here that only allow electric motors including the one a mile from our house. Also, we want to row for exercise and just get a better look around us. The electric motor they offer is for fresh water use so I am not sure if an electric motor would even be okay for salt water use. More research. The world is so big and there is so much to explore. Thanks again,
Judy