More beginner usage, more comparison
The Dagger Katana came out yet for two more beginner trips, and with much the same results. Notable primary stability (not leaned over), good secondary stability (leaned over) and adequate to good agility. The boat is still very difficult for a beginner to paddle straight, but the skeg as always makes short work of that issue in the flats. Typically I start a beginner with the skeg down for straight aways, and then slolwy reduce the amount of skeg as time goes on. By the end of the trip they're doing good.
I can now compare this boat to a few others. Ontop of trying a variety of other kayaks I now own a Fluid Dope large playboat, and a 2014 Jackson Superhero.
Outfitting: I'm amazed that this is a $1000+ boat considering the outfitting. Every boat I've been in has had nicer outfitting than this. The bulkhead is flimsy and doesn't have a positive feel, nor is it easy to adjust. The seat back can be funky to get into position and due to the way it is mounted tends to slide way down ones back. Overall, I've been really let down by the outfitting It's not unbearable, but it's just not as good as their competitors. The Jackson kayak superhero completely destroys this kayak in regards to comfort and a positive fit... which says a lot since most people dog on the fit of Jackson kayaks. The bulkhead on this is by far the biggest crappy point of the boat. It just doesn't have a positive firm in place feel, and is very lack luster in comparison to the rest of the boat.
EDIT: After owning this boat for a while, and experiencing various other boats... I've come to dig the outfitting a lot more and appreciate it more. Some of the aboe experience may have been from inability to set it up!
Stability: It's definitely quite the stable boat, but isn't as stable as the Jackson Super Hero. Between the two, the choice is really a no brainer. Even for overnight camping, the Jackson super hero has space to pack a comfortable nights worth of stuff. The Dagger Katana really is built for multi day overnight trips, and is overkill for much else.
EDIT: After owning the boat for a while and paddling various boats, I have to say comparing it to the Super Hero isn't fair. That's the most stable boat I've ever encountered. It's a tub. This boat definitely is one of the most stable boats I've been in.
Speed: The katana is stupid fast. My playboat and my superhero never could compare, but man is this thing just fast. Even with a beginner in it aimlessly paddling, often times taking two poorly planned strokes per side to stay going straight... I have to crank for all I've got to keep pace in my super hero. This boat is fast. Makes sense though, as the long flat stretches sure do wear on you. I can't stress enough how fast this boat is.
EDIT: After owning this boat, seeing others paddle it and their own katanas and crossovers... Crossover boats are just insanely fast. This has plusses, and relatively minor minuses like having to wait for everyone, or beginners being able to get out of a safe distance from you.
In the rapids: I can't elaborate too much upon this as I haven't been using it since I got the Jackson super hero and have been focused on my other boats. All further knowledge here is purely observation from taking beginners down class I and II sections, and the boat was fine. It's a fine enough beginner boat. I still wouldn't recommend it unless you really will be doing a lot of multi-day crossover trips and can only afford a single boat... but if that is you, the boat is fine!
EDIT: Having since taken it out again, it's a fine boat. It's a bit less agile than most boats so it won't catch some eddies (especially small ones since it's a giant boat) but it makes short work of class III stuff. It also punches holes like they aren't there. A solid option for beginners. Aggressive beginners will probably bore of it quickly though as it gives up a notable amount of agility for it's ability to punch through things with speed.