See subject. I'm fairly new to the sport (and love it so far), am a long-torso'd 5' 10", 230 lbs, and am interested in kayaking primarily on larger lakes, San Francisco Bay, and on the ocean. Could see myself eventually doing some weekend trips (3 days max), but probably no true 'expedition' voyages (never say never though).

Basically, I want to buy a 1st kayak for myself that will not be a chore to learn/develop with (i.e. overly tippy/unstable, fragile, hard to hold an edge with, hard to turn/maneuver, difficult to roll or rescue with, etc), yet is capable enough that it won't hold back my growth in the sport and/or is so slow that I won't be able to keep up with the group unless I paddle like Superman.

It should also be as SAFE as possible, i.e. front and rear bulkheads/good flotation, tight enough cockpit that a sprayskirt keeps the water out, etc... so I'm guessing I don't want a rec kayak.

I'd also like a kayak that I can actually TRY OUT extensively beforehand, so no 'Factory Direct' stuff or mondo obscuro lines that have almost zero distribution.

My research thus far seems to point towards the Dagger Alchemy 14.0L and Wilderness Systems Tempest 170, but if any of y'all can expand my group of 'Usual Suspects', please chime in.

Thanks for any and all help.

I'll guess that you will get the usual answers... take classes, paddle as many boats as you can... and so on.

That's because the first boat that you buy will not be the "right one" for you

I'm on my second boat. I'm 5'6" @ 145 lb and ended up with an Eddyline Fathom LV. It was a very good fit and beautifully made. But last August I tried a RockPool Alaw Bach TCC (also made by Eddyline), which measures in a just over 17 feet. I couldn't believe the difference between the two kayaks. I traded for the RockPool. But others might have just the opposite reaction because fit and feel are so personal. And it was only after three summers that I had enough seat time to make that (for me) differentiation.

Anyhow on your present list I would lean for the Wilderness Systems Tempest 170 as it seems to offer more of a "real" sea kayak profile and will probably fit you better. The P&H Delphin might also be a good fit.

Hope you find the right boat.

Well, the list is too long to get into. I will offer my recommendation, based on my own experience. A boat that I think would satisfy all of your criteria is a Current Designs Sirocco, or Gulfstream. They are the same boat; the Sirocco is the poly version and the Gulfstream is composite. Both are very well built and capable of just about anything.

I would suggest to you that if you are new to kayaking, you will probably think that nearly any sea kayak is going to feel tippy. That should soon go away with a bit of time in the cockpit. It can take a little time to gain confidence in any boat, but you will be amazed at how seaworthy these wonderful boats are (sea kayaks).

Keep an open mind about the boats you try out and do not be too quick to judge their feel and performance. Some of the things about a boat that might seem all wrong the first time in it, might later be the very aspects that you will come to appreciate. Take the time to learn what constitutes a well built boat and which construction material suits you. Spend some time reading reviews of boats on paddling net., but understand that you will get many opposing views.

After you've got a few hundred, or thousands of miles and hours in the saddle, you will probably be interested in upgrading. It starts all over. I have some very specific opinions in that regard, which I am happy to share.

My choice would be a Solstice GT in Kevlar from Current Design. I am 6' and 215-220. Stable, good in rough, nice speed, good storage. Superb workmanship and lifetime warranty. Long time to grow out of it if ever. Wide base seat may be an option you want. Solstice is a boat I was in and confident in 5 minutes as far a tippy goes and it was the first sit in kayak I was in. I now have a CD Nomad which feels great too. It felt tippy but now after spending 4-5 hours in one I restored it feels near the same as the Solstice. First itme in it I was exhausted after 40 minutes as it felt tippy. Solstice is the most popular composite boat in the world. Available in a poly version but heavier if you are transporting it a lot. Demo paddle a boat for at least an hour or more preferably in different type water but that is hard to do. Reviews are good on paddling.net on the Solstice. I have a Solstice like that and love it. Nice leg room and feet room. I rented some CD boats outside their Solstice style and didn't like them for comfort nearly as much. Also a known boat and easy to sell. http://www.cdkayak.com/products/template...46d9344ae0fdc9f

I personally like a rudder in real rough water and high winds over 20 knots. I was new to the sport last July. Few lessons, read 6-7 books. 10 videos or more. I have tons to learn but feel I have progress at a good pace.

Go with what you can demo paddle. The plastic tempest 170 is a great choice. The poly Valley boats like the Aquanaut or the Etain is another good choice . I just demo'd a bunch of boats and the Etain was my favorite. The dagger alchemy is a much smaller and slower boat, great for rock gardening and surf but slow for a touring boat. At 230 lbs you are probably over the design weight for the low volume version. I don't think you would want one as your primary boat but it would make a good rock basher later on.
Assuming you are in the SF bay area, I would join BASK and start paddling with them. The sf bay is a fantastic but complex place, lots of currents, wind and rock.

Hmm... BASK, eh?

That seems a very good idea. I've been sorta kinda looking into joining a paddling group of some kind, once I've gotten some more of the basics down. I assume they have paddles all over the Greater Bay Area and Monterey Bay, not just one place (such as Marin, for example).

I lived there 20 yrs ago, now I'm up in Seattle, but I learned a lot from those guys on surfing, currents, rock gardening etc. There were always a mix of coastal paddles, surf sessions, and bay paddles. Of course a sf bay paddle can be anything from a protected paddle in the south end to under the gate at max ebb!
http://www.bask.org

Take a look at the website for kayakacademy.com, in particular the kayak buyer's guide. It has an excellent write-up on how to approach buying a kayak, regardless of your stage of paddling. Some of the best advice I've seen (though it doesn't get into naming specific boats).

link to guide.

http://kayakacademy.com/pages/store/kayaks.html

The advice in the kayak academy's guide is spot-on as far as get some skills before buying a boat. A few weeks ago I worked as a safety boater for the nw paddling fest and watched many people demo boats over the weekend and the large majority didn't have the skills to differentiate one boat from another. The standard test paddle was out from the beach in a straight line, make a very large turn by paddling on one side and paddle back. This doesn't really tell you much in protected water except for cockpit fit. You really want to be able to get the boat up on edge and perform various steering and bracing strokes to properly test out a boat otherwise you end up with a bathtub with lots of primary stability and little room for growth.

Incredibly good advice, Nick. I thank you.

WOW... the info in that KayakAcademy guide was amazing... really interesting and exactly what I was looking for.

Especially liked where it debunked the whole 'longest boat is always fastest' myth. They pointed out that hull speed is more your top end limit, and that wetted surface area is really what's going to weigh on your cruising speed. Too much WSA = lots 'o drag.

So maybe I don't automatically need an 18-foot boat. Hmm...

Have you looked into the Seaward Kayaks line of boat. They are handcrafted in North America. No foreign factory composites here. Just really nicely crafted safe boats. Try "Kayak Connection" in Santa Cruz.
The trick is to try on as many boats as you can to get the fit right. A good metaphor is get a boat that fits you like a shoe. You want the perfect fit. Not too big or too small, just right.