: It depends on how and where you paddle. In the surf zone, I can spin my 19
: foot kevlar Glider with a fraction of the effort it took with my heavy
: plastic sea lion. I agree that most of the time, it doesn't matter. But
: when you need to spin a boat and do it fast, the weight difference can
: make a big difference.
Hmmm. Maybe it's my technique. I can't honestly say that I can "spin" anything in the surf, unless that's another term for rolling. 
: ... of course all this is academic once you pack gear into a boat. Then its
: all the gear and how you pack it that matters.
You bet!
