Hey Minda – I bought a boat from alpaca raft co in alaska. Brian Curtis suggested them to me. It is by no means a curtis raft as far as weight and pack size goes but it is a sturdy vessel. They are designed for rivers and they are expensive as well. I had to justify the purchase to myself by thinking about it as a 20 year boat. It should last that long as long as I use it on flat water and not on boulder drop on the Skykomish. I use a long river kayak type paddle with it. I bought it through alpaca as well. They were super nice and helpful. I got the biggest boat they had. it weighs 4lbs and the paddle I have is just under a pound. I thought bigger might be better for me if I wanted to run bigger lakes with a full pack, plus its nice to have a little extra leg room although its not a must. They have a web site to look at. Mick