i,m male 6’ 4" 245 lb looking for easy entry large cockpit ,stable… touring, sit in kayak for lakes and slow moving rivers
anyone got any recomendations uk buyer.
Demos
Go to a few kayak shops and try a few on. I don’t know how the shops are in the UK, but if they allow demos, do as many as you can. Then, after you’re done with all that, go buy a Valley Nordkapp.
of course they allow demos
Paddle shops in the UK have demo fleets and demo days just like their counterparts in the U.S. and Canada. Not all of them (not all paddleshops here and in Canada do, either). But it’s not like it’s some strange and rare event.
Now is there an Eddyline dealer there, that is the question. Turns out there is: Reed Chillcheater in Devon. If that is geographically feasible for the OP he should go there and try kayaks, Eddyline’s and others. That will settle the speculation on cockpit size, leg room, stability, etc. in a way that the internets cannot.
class
It sounds like you may have done this already, as you have a pretty good idea on the type of boat you want. but if you have not, along with demoing as much as possible, I would take the basic sea kayak class. Here in the States it is generally a 1 day class that covers basics of the oat and gear, how to paddle (forward, sweep, and draw strokes), and how to do a paddlefloat and T-rescue. Along with learning these basics, you’ll get more time demoing a boat (the one you use for the class).