I think a sit on top would be a good choice for her. That being said she should make sure to test fit a few kayaks both sit on tops and sit insides to see how hard they are to get into and how well she will fit. My wife has two friends who wanted to try surf kayaking . Her one friend weighs about 120 lbs and was not an issue, her other friend probably weighs about 280 and was pretty pear shaped. I have an Ocean Kayak Frenzy that I thought she would fit in no problem, and it ended up that was not the case, so I would encourage her to try some different kayaks on for size. The seat spread most kayaksis about 15 inches. At a kayak symposium here in San Diego several years ago , I and another infamous Paddling.net member had to help a woman who had got her caboose stuck in a Nordkapp seakayak, we ended up tipping her over and extracting her with gravity, so try some boats but make sure you have an idea for size before you do.
The water temperature in Puget Sound is now about 56°F and that’s about as warm as it gets. That’s definitely wet suit territory. The real danger is not hypothermia. That takes a while. The threat is cold shock which includes an involuntary gasp reflex and sudden spike in blood pressure. If you involuntarily gasp with your head under water, that can be the end. The other danger is swim failure where you quickly lose muscle function in you hands and other extremities. This can make it very difficult to get back in the boat or swim to shore. In 45°F water, you can lose useful function of your hands in as little as 10 minutes. A properly fitted wet suite can greatly reduce the danger from both of these.
Always wear a properly fastened PFD when on the water. It doesn’t do you much good strapped to your boat. A PFD is almost impossible to put on when you are in the water trying to hold on to your boat, paddle, and any other loose gear. Some people find that without a PFD they don’t have enough floatation to get back onto or in their kayak.
At least having a PFD and whistle or other sound producing devise readily available is a USCG requirement. This is true for most states as well. Enforcement is strict and expensive if found without these.
The leading cause of death for kayakers is failure to wear a PFD and cold water immersion, often combined.
There are a lot of good suggestions here for boats. Your choice should be based on what you want to do when starting out. If you are planning on paddling with others, you want a similar boat to what they have to be sure that you can comfortably keep up with them. Paddling with others is vastly safer than paddling solo, but either is fine as long as you stay well within the capabilities of yourself and boat.
A lesson is always very valuable, although difficult to find as thing stand. Most outfitters that offer lessons will have a variety of boats that you can try. They will usually have suggestions for boats that will be suitable for what you need and will cover kayak safety as well. You may also have friends that will have boats that you can try.
Buying used is always a good way to go, especially when stating out. Few people stay with their first boat unless starting a fleet. You will not only save almost half the cost of the boat, but can usually resell it for about what you paid for it.
My wife is on the large size and carries much of her weight in her hips. She really likes her Old Town Sorrento 126SK. It’s a 12ft closed-cockpit kayak with a skeg. It’s a recreational boat - it doesn’t track well and won’t get you anywhere fast, but it’s extremely stable and she finds it very comfortable for her body shape. Her hips don’t fit in many seats. Definitely sit in any boat you’re considering buying to make sure it feels right. I’ve bought two used boats off Craigslist, and both times owners let me take it to the nearest waterbody for a quick trial. Stores should at least let you sit in the boat on the showroom floor - better outfitters do demo days (problematic during COVID!).
[EDITED TO CLARIFY SAFETY] I wouldn’t shy away from paddling in general due to cold risk, but one does need to know appropriate safety procedures and precautions, including knowing when to stay off the water because of cold risk. I paddle the Hudson River in New York, a major waterbody with ocean-going freighters moving past and serious currents. But I use common sense, and only go out on calm days, and always wear a life-jacket, which mitigates some of the risk from wind and waves (though not cold). On days with higher wind/waves, or sunny weekends when motorboats abound, I stick to smaller bodies of water. With a stable boat, I’ve never capsized in 30 yrs of paddling, though I always prep for that possibility and have taken classes so I know what to do in case of capsize. I don’t wear a wetsuit and don’t know how to roll. I also stick to smaller water bodies in the shoulder seasons when the water is colder. As a sailor, you’ll know which days to stay off Lake Washington in a kayak. But a wider, stable recreational kayak should be pretty safe with common sense about the conditions you’re paddling in and your capabilities.
I’m curious as to how you prep for the possibility of capsize.
I also kayak in the Hudson and I’m soon to hang my boat up for the season before the water gets much colder. I use common sense, too: I have a sea kayak with a spray skirt, I always paddle with my spouse, and we have had a few lessons in safety and can wet exit and - theoretically - get back in our boats in the event of a capsize, or help each other to get back in. But even if I’m very unlikely to capsize, capsizing into water in the 56 degree range scares the crap out of me.
Advising someone to not avoid cold water because they can be careful and wear a PFD is dangerous at best. Cold water kills quickly
Would you tell someone they can skip on a motorcycle helmet if they are careful?
I am in no danger of going out onto water that can kill me if I fall in without taking reasonable precautions. There are several deaths of paddlers in the cold waters around Seattle every year. I don’t intend to become one of them.
You’re absolutely right. My comment was in the context of a person who’s made very clear in their original post that they’re aware of the dangers of cold water. My comment “I wouldn’t shy away from paddling due to cold risk” was intended as a general one: don’t let the dangers of cold water scare you off paddling completely. But, I should have been very clear that one should absolutely needs to take precautions necessary for conditions, as well as finding ways to paddle that avoid dangerous conditions. If you can’t take appropriate precautions, find another place to paddle or another day to paddle when/where conditions are safer.
I generally take the same precautions you do. I have (many moons ago) taken classes on kayaking and canoeing, including rescues. I practice wet exit and re-entry once per year, though on a hot summer day in calm conditions. I always wear a PFD, carry a bilge pump and appropriate flotation for my boat, and go with someone else on the Hudson. I tend to stick near shore and in sheltered waters, and am extremely cognizant of barge and other commercial ship traffic. And, I stay off the Hudson when conditions are “bad”, which includes: strong tidal currents, winds, high wave fields, busy holiday weekends with drunken jet-skiers and power-boaters, and, when the water’s too cold. This website shows water temps as well as tides, currents, wind, and waves for the Hudson: http://hudson.dl.stevens-tech.edu/maritimeforecast/maincontrol.shtml I have also stopped paddling on the Hudson for the year, and won’t be on it again until next summer when the water’s warmed up again.
I keep my spring and fall paddling to water bodies like wetlands and small, calm creeks, where I can stand up if I go over and I’m never that far from my car and warm, dry clothes. I don’t go on the Hudson when water’s 56F or anywhere near that cold because I know I’m not prepared for it and I share your reasonable fear of capsize in cold water.
Thanks for your response, good to know. That’s pretty much exactly what we do. I hope to become proficient enough and confident enough at some point in the future so that we can purchase some colder water gear and keep going out a bit longer.