The 12 foot has always been a bit small for me, I have both 13 (not much better) and a 16 footer and the 16 gets the call for most things, both of mine have the transom back and paddle like a pregnant whale but they are stable and while not unsinkable they do come close and are light enough that even with a bad back they go up top easily on the vehicle
Most of my trapping is running several miles up oneside of a river and then floating down the other and for that I have found they work well
Lots of good canoes out there some are tippy if you’re not experienced, the sportspal is not but the trade off like I said is there not real responsive and slow to move out of where their pointed, a motor really helps but some dot like running a motor, me i am old and slow and a motor is to big a help to not have