Just a couple more thoughts/questions here…
Honestly, I DO know what I want. As @Sparky961 said, I may be experiencing ‘paralysis by over-analysis’. I have been reading up on this for a LONG time, and have paddled may types of kayaks over the years. I get the difference between recreational and touring boats, and I get that many folks are saying they would not buy anything shorter than a 14ft boat. I’m not against a boat that size, but MOST of my paddling will be done on lakes and streams, with very little ‘open water’ (such as Ohio River or coastal waters). I will likely NOT be doing any overnight camping trips, etc. Given that I am looking for a ‘balance’ between recreational purposes and light touring, it seems the 145 is a heavy/high-volume boat for paddling that will be (for the most part) small rivers, streams, and lakes. But it also looks like it would be perfect for the Ohio or rougher ‘off shore’ outings (1-2ft swells) on the ocean or great lakes.
The more I look, the more interested I am in the Tsunami line of kayaks. The 145 seems to be perhaps better for someone my size, though the 125 also says it is for ‘larger paddlers’ (up to 300lbs).
The Tsunami 125 is described as “Swift and agile, the spacious cockpit and deeper hull is the ideal day tripper for larger paddlers. Excels in tight, twisting environments”. And thinking about my wife, the 120 is described as a “Mid-range cockpit size with shorter length is versatile for day to weekend trips in streams, coastal regions, and large lakes.” On the surface, that sounds EXACTLY like what I’m looking for. BUT, the advice toward a 14-foot boat has me befuddled a bit.
If I looked at the “Light Touring” 120/125 (for my wife and I), what would I be losing over say the “Touring” 140/145 (wife/me)? Is the longer length going to primarily just lend to improved speed and handling on rougher waters? Surely the 12-foot range of boat lengths have their place in the water, so speaking specifically to this class of kayaks, please help me understand the difference. It seems to me that the 12-footers are still a bit more advanced than your typical “recreational kayak”, but perhaps maybe not quite as versatile as the 14-foot boats (which weigh 56lbs!). But do I really need the ‘volume’ of the 14-foot touring boat if my primary usage will almost always be shorter (half day) jaunts?
Thanks to all who have contributed thus far! I really appreciate the advice and am just soaking it in and learning. Unfortunately, there really just aren’t many (any) places in my vicinity to try out different boats. The only ‘demo days’ I found were through a local group (through facebook - which I’m not on) and featured one brand. I wish the nearest dealer wasn’t over 2 hours away! The demo days referenced previously in this thread is 2.5 hours from me (one way), on Father’s Day, which happens to also be the day my oldest goes away to camp. So no dice there. I did find a place to possibly take some lessons, however.
~Mike