I own an Otter 1200 Stealth...Beavertail assumed this line and as far as I can tell are making the boat exactly the same. For the size it's the most stable boat out there that I know of. I never hunted out of one of Benders boats...but it's prettty similar in form to a Carstens which I know is less stable than my Stealth. With everything though there is a sacrifice stability...and in this case it's weight. I think the 1200 comes in around 100lbs...throw in decoys, shells, and Bigdogs lunch and your pulling a significant amount of weight..and unless you're a svelt 49 year old stud like myself it can be a lot of work pulling that thing around. I have stood on gunwales of this boat just like the photo in the ads, pulled a wet 70 pound lab over the side and I never felt like I was in any danger of tipping....it's solid as a rock. I paddle it with a canoe paddle...and it does take a little skill to keep it going straight...but if you can C and J stroke it goes just fine. If you're into kayak paddles I think it would work great...I don't like a kayak paddle because my hands get too wet.
lt