This goes back to what has been said before - it is what the boat is designed to handle, not where someone takes it.
The Tsunami 120 can be a quite capable boat, as I said, and may well be the right one for your purposes. But were you to take it out into the same kind of open water that the Tsunami 160 was designed to handle, you would find that it was much less capable of handling the conditions of open sea without intervention from you.
Here's what WS says about the light touring group in which the Tsunami 120 fits -
"with performance for rougher conditions or calm rivers. "
Here's what they say about the performance touring group -
"lakes and rivers or through exhilarating rock gardens and oceans."
Here's what they say about the Expedition group -
"From lake to sea, your destination is never out of reach. " (in sum, go anywhere)
Coastal regions, spoken of in the Tsunami 120 script, include things like sheltered bays and river mouths. That's not the same as going offshore to islands, which I think does get mentioned in your posts albeit without details as to how far out.
As an example, the Tsunami 120 would be fine for a newer paddler in the many of the sheltered bays and coves near where we vacation in Maine. It is ocean, but it is relatively flat and sheltered ocean. But it would not be the boat to take 6 plus miles offshore to look at puffins on Eastern Egg. It's just not what the designers had in mind, and you are talking about a change from a foot of swell or chop to 3 foot plus being common further out, with the risk of sudden changes that'd be higher and steeper.
Again, the 120 may be your boat. I personally would advocate that you stay with less boat, and in comparably safe environments, to start. But you seem to be trying to figure out performance differences without sitting in boats, and that is not going to work. Get something with two bulkheads and perimeter rigging, and stay nearer shore to start. You'll have a chance to figure out the rest.
Pungo lacks some real safety features like the two bulkheads, and isn't able to take float bags well to make up the lack of air pockets. Neat boat for its intended use and I have steered people towards one, but your use isn't it.
To try and get this clearer A boat like the Tsunami 120 would do you fine to get on fairly calm and sheltered water - near shore and in areas where neither wind nor tide can whip things up much.
There is a difference between being in salt water in calm areas like this and being on the sea where you can get knocked around by waves. The latter includes two places you mention in your replies above - breaking surf and out from land in an open passage to an island.
Neither you as a paddler nor the boat are well suited to the latter situation at this time.
It does not appear you are seeing the difference between these two environments.
I see the difference. The kayak descriptions were confusing me. I don't think I've found any true sea kayak under $1000. If that's so, I will be limited to a recreational or light touring for now.
I will have to know the limitations on any kayak I buy. Since the Walter here is flat and calm, I'm hoping to be safe in whatever kayak I can afford, and get out on the water this winter.
Part of the problem is, I've only been in canals and passes and the intercoastal here. I'm jot even sure if the gulf is flat further our or gets rough!
Winter paddling? The Gulf can get rough and both paddle and motor boats capsize. Open water is open water and wind or a sudden storm can make a mess of it.
Also, you are talking about paddling over the winter? Have you added at least a good wetsuit to your budget? I haven’t paddled down there but friends who do have found dry suits to be a good idea in the winter down there, even on the Gulf side. Water is solidly into hypothermia temps.
don’t get hung up on terminology as usual, some posters on here tend to lead new paddlers astray with their overzealous talk of “real sea” kayaks, and end up confusing them more than helping… there are a number of highly capable and more affordable boats in the 12-15’ range that meet the needs of 98% of paddlers out there and any waters they’ll ever care to venture into. Try out different boats, see what other locals and friends are using for the style of paddling and destinations you’re interested in, shop used for a good deal on an intermediate kayak that you can grow your skills with for a couple years, and don’t worry about getting the biggest baddest kayak you can.
That boat has some real local fans. I haven’t tried it myself, but with it available in sizes for different paddlers it should be getting some nice play.
You know - you don’t have to buy a boat just because you try it or take a basic lesson in it… but doing so will help you make a better choice in what yo do buy. The season for being really warm and able to splash around without concern for water and air temps is nearer its end than its beginning, even down there.
Here's a decent used yak near Bradenton for sale on Craigslist this week for $700. A Hurricane Tampico 140 Lightweight, seaworthy and should fit your height and weight and usage. Might even get it for less if you show up with cash.
I figure you've been looking at those two 12' kayaks on there (the Prodigy and Pungo for $550 each). This Tampico is less than half the original price and is a thermoform hull. Much better value.
The sellers of those two smaller boats are asking close to 75% of the price they were new which is out of line, in my opinion. Those two smaller boats go for around $400 in my neck of the woods, used. I would never pay more than half the value of new for a used boat -- I've bought 7 kayaks through Craigslist over the past 6 years and sold 2, all for between 10% and 50% of their original purchase price.
Next step, checking out boat Thanks for that link. I contacted the owners on three Craigslist ads to see when I can check them out.
I’m trying to find where I can demo an the Strait 120 by Elie. I tried Cook Sports but they didn’t have any. I like the specs and looks of this one a lot too.
shortie wetsuit is warm I used it to raft the Chatoogna in April. It was really command the suit worked well. I don’t like cold, so if the gulf is too cold, I’m waiting til summer. It stays hot here til Oct.
Water not air temp I am talking about warm enough if you capsize and end up swimming - it is rare to get hypothermia from sitting in a boat above the water. But you lose body heat 25 times faster in water than in the air.
Water temps will likely drop into the lower 50’s in winter there.