Relatively speaking, the Coho is a huge volume boat compared to either the Night Heron or Petrel. Like many kit boats - and arguably all Pygmy boats - the Coho is aimed at beginner-intermediate paddlers for whom initial stability is more important than performance. Nick's boats are more in the intermediate-advanced realm and are designed for a higher level of performance. They also require a higher level of skill to paddle, but it's something you adapt to over time. If you want to advance your paddling skills, the only way to do so is by paddling boats that require more from you. The reward is that once you're comfortable with them, higher performance boats are much more agile and fun to paddle, and handle challenging conditions better than high-volume boats do. If you're ready to take the next step as a paddler, you've picked two excellent designs.