: Thanks to everyone for your insight!
: To answer Shawn's question, I am 5'-10" and weigh about 180. Is this too
: big and fat for the Silver? I must admit that I'd love to give a 22"
: beam a try, as I sometimes find my Chesapeake 17 a little on the
: "clunky" side. But, I also don't want something that makes me
: think twice about reaching for my water bottle due to stability problems.

Like Don said, you might swim at first, but there won't be a huge difference between the Chesapeake 17 "Cargo hauling monster barge" and a narrower boat. Now, a 17" surfski would take some getting used to.

I moved up from my Chesapeake 17 right into a 21" Guillemot (which has a bit flatter hull than the Spring Run, but not tremendously so) and had no problems.

The Chesapeake is a good boat, but when it's time to move up, it's time to move up. Your paddling skills will be rewarded if you don't paddle a boat that stifles your growth.

Shawn