IMO, these are a great trade-off between a canoe and a kayak, especially for beginners. As I stated in another thread here, a lot of people can be hesitant in starting out in a kayak due to the mental block of being trapped upside down in one. So you have to go into rolling and righting even before they get into the water, away from the guides/instructors/helpers.

Canoes? Anyone can fall out of a canoe, so there’s not that mental apprehension someone could have to starting out their paddling interests. And the longer the canoe, the more difficult it’ll be for them to control it. And often it’s best to reverse the longer canoe to paddle from the former back seat, but facing forward to push their weight/paddle stroke more forward.

Or kneel down and do it.

The easiest way to get someone to do something is to have as low of an “entrance fee” as possible.

Thus the kayak/canoe combo, aka the pack canoe.

You sit lower in a real seat built just for that, so it’s located to operate and balance it. There are footpegs in it, so you can learn/do efficient paddling.

This is me in a pack canoe. Yes, I’ve fallen out of it. I’ve also had it half full of water. This is a great thing to have to get people into paddling.

And it’s also very handy for one person to do various adventures. I’ve deer hunted out of it and fished out of it. Most was exploring rivers out of it.

Skirtless, I’ve even gone through class III rapids with it.

Something things to think about.