There are canoes and there are canoes.
I would not take my Rapidfire in the ocean,but just about anywhere else is fine. It weighs 30 lbs. I have had my Voyager in some fairly rough water with no problems. It weighs 55 lbs and costs half the Rapidfire,but if I had to do over,I’d get the Prism.
kayaks
Hey, I live in the Triangle too. I would highly recommend the Pungo for someone your size and the needs you express. My wife has a Pungo 120 and I have paddled it many times. It is very stable, reasonably quick for a kayak its size, and has a large cockpit for easy entry and exit. The 120 would probably be large enough for you, but you would probably be happier with a 140 unless the extra weight would make loading it a problem.
I paddle a Necky Manitou 13, which is probably too small for someone your size. However, a Manitou 14 would probably work fine, but you would want to paddle one first to see if it fits. The cockpit is much smaller than the Pungo but it is still easy to enter and exit. It is significantly lighter (5 lbs) than the Pungo.
Both of these kayaks are so stable that you would have to be trying to tip one over to do so, unless paddling in very rough water.
TP
The meetup group you joined has some excellent paddlers and many willing to offer a demo in their boat or a loaner.
Trips has slowed a bit but will pick up after the first of the year and we always have a spring demo day.
Looking forward to meeting you.
danp on that other group
I lend you one
Tom,
I’d recommend against the Pungo if you are paddling shallow rocky stuff, I sold mine because it got hung up in places canoes float right over. The deep v of the Pungo hull makes it surprisingly fast for a rec boat and it handles a chop well, but for shallow water I’d get the Pamlico model.
I have a rec boat you could borrow while you sort it out, so drop me an email. You could return the favor by letting me try you Hobie kayak. I have the clothing so that wet paddling won’t bother me no matter how cold it is.
Frank Ladd
PS:
Wanna buy a sailboat? 