Great-Blue
Both. The boat is really stable once you get used to it. While underway, it feels very stable, but when sitting still, if you aren’t used to a boat sitting on one chine or the other, it can be a bit intimidating.
The boat has a lot of secondary stability, but the primary is very light. I used to call the boat “twitchy”.
It’s not for a beginner, but if you are comfortable edging and leaning a boat, it really is stable. If you are not, it will feel very unstable. It also helps to get used to sticking a paddle out as an outrigger when you are not paddling. I use a GP and that is just second nature.
The boat is very easy to edge and turns easily when edged. Tracking is very good. I love surfing waves in this boat. One of my other boats is a Gulfstream and it broaches every time you try to surf it, the Shadow just stays right on the wave and only broaches if you turn the boat.
When I bought the Shadow, I was torn between it and an Explorer HV. Both boats handled some very rough conditions well, but the Shadow was more comfortable to sit in for me.
Tried the Silhouette!
Got to try one at the RI Rough Water Symposium. The owner had cut out the seat so that you sat directly on the hull (no pad). That was probably the only way I would have fit in the boat.
Man, a sweet boat! The most maneuverable 18 footer I have paddled. Felt as manueverable as a Romany. Really liked the stability profile. Tracked very well. Great secondary stability. More than enough primary. Fun to edge and fun to paddle. A hair slower than my Greenlander Pro though.
Definitely on my short list.
Matt