The cold water…
has never bothered me too much but urinal cakes are another story. I always opt for the lower mounted, kids’ urinal when I see those pink pucks.
to which
the appropriate reply is, “yeah, and deep!”
and don’t forget
and it’s sandy on the bottom, too!
What do you expect in a boat
If you look at boats selling for less than $600, I think you will find even worse misrepresentations than you have found for your boat.
There are reasons why better boats cost more.
sort of
I agree with what g2d is saying, but was thinking more along the lines of the length just being one small part of how a boat handles. Although if they’re claiming the boat is 12’ (which I didn’t check) this may just be a typo on the website, but 9" is a pretty fair difference. However, a lot of other factors can influence how it handles a lot more than 9" of length.
For weight? I’d feel cheated with all those lightweight boats. And disappointed with how much time I’d spend repairing them. I like 'em sturdy…
A clear indicator of male dominated
marketing. 
same with trailers
I’ve found the same thing with travel trailers. Our “16 foot” travel trailer is actually 14’ 3" at the longest part of the box. And it isn’t a “bumper to hitch” length either, which is almost 18’.
Go figure, caveat emptor and always carry a small tape measure when you go boat (or trailer) shopping.
There is length and length
Look at the Wenonah Argosy or any kayak…length is what length? In the case of the Argosy its sure not waterline length.
Its funny how the WL length is missing in the specs. The WL width is there…
Old Town
I like Wenonah weights.
I had an Old Town Tripper XL. This thing is supposed to be 105lbs. I have a 94lb canoe that I can easily toss on my shoulders and I portaged that thing through 3 miles of bog without undue hardship. I can carry friends who I know are over 150 with no trouble. The OT Tripper I could barely lift, and then I staggered after only a few steps. I never weighed it, but I’m betting it was over 130. Great canoe though, in the water, just like most ships.
cockpit
I have to say that I’m not familiar with their boats, but overall length really isn’t going to have a direct correlation with cockpit size (length of keyhole, height of thigh braces, etc). It may just take a little getting used to.