I have the Yukon Yak (2012) with the cruiser spray deck and a Splat carbon fiber 4-piece paddle.
Some of my thoughts to add to what @
Kullaberg63 and @
sixstringsteve said:
Weight - I agree, they are awesomely light but the weight quickly adds up if you're actually packing in somewhere and include the PFD, paddle, dry bags, etc. But it's still totally packable and doable for actual packrafting trips.
Size - I'm 5'8" at fit well in the Yak. My buddy is 6'1" or 6'2" and he like the Yak as well for himself. I have another friend who likes the Llama for himself and he's around 6'0".
Spraydeck - The cruiser spraydeck is ok. You still have to dump the boat out since water still gets in during rapids/waves. But I dump a lot less often than my non-spraydeck fiends. So that's a slight advantage. Other advantages are that it keeps the sun off of your legs when paddling long miles. Also, it keeps you warmer and drier on rainy or cooler days. One of the disadvantages is that you have to unvelcro and velcro every time you get in and out. So, most of the time I'm happy I have it, other times it's a minor annoyance. Sort of a personal preference I guess.
Seat - My butt gets sore on longer trips. One of my friends in on his 3rd seat. Not sure how he manages to mess 'em up. =) Maybe it's because he weighs more and the seams give out. I'm a light weight...so maybe that's why it's a non issue for me.
New 2014 model? - Seems like I heard about them making the new model a few inches longer in back to give you more stability and make it less likely to "wheely" back in a hole. My friend took a not-so-fun swim in a class III rapid because he "wheelied" back into a hole. I always lean forward and paddle like heck if I feel like I might get pulled back in a hole/rapid. =)
Manueverability - like Steve said, it's a bit squirrely cause it's so light. The nose moves from 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock as you paddle (if that makes sense). This nose movement goes down drastically on an actual trip when you have some weight up front (your dry bag with your tent and gear). Either way, the packrafts are great for making quick moves, avoiding rocks/obstacles, and setting up your lines for bigger rapids. And if you hit the rapids straight, you're usually fine. Get sideways on a rock or a big wave? You're likely to swim. =)