Interesting comments, William, and pretty perceptive for a newcomer.

Some of the longer boats didn't manouver very well. Some had to an
extra piece on the back, either a skeg or a rudder, to help them
go straight or to turn. These were supposed to be raised an
lowered by a thin line but many didn't work well. Some stuck. One
had no stopper on the line which dropped in the water and trailed
behind.

Sounds like these demo boats have had quite a bit of use. You shouldn't
have these problems.

with the skeg or rudder down. If you want to turn fast you first
have to raise the skeg or rudder with the line, then use the
paddle and body to turn the boat. That's pretty slow.

A rudder can be used to help you turn, although as you learn technique you
won't have to rely on it. You shouldn't have to raise either a rudder or
skeg in order to turn. You need to learn how to edge or lean the boat and
use a sweep stroke. I only deploy my rudder in winds strong enough to cause
weathercocking (the wind pushes the stern downwind, tending to force you
into the wind direction).

The sexier boats with fine
entries and flat bottoms were the least rigid. The bottoms flexed
up and down.

You should look for rigidity. Otherwise, you waste energy.

After a while my preference was for a roomy cockpit in a
boat wide enough I could twist around in and look back, or get
something out of the rear compartment if the boat had one. One
boat was so narrow I tipped it over trying to get in.

You'll find the narrower boats to be faster and more efficient to paddle.
You can get a deck bag to store small items in and have them right in front
of you.

However, the sit on top models offered no protection from wind,
waves, or sun. None had waterproof storage. In fact they are so
wet I would wear a bathing suit. One had drain holes which let in
water.

Some SOTs have dry storage, either a full-sized hatch or a small day hatch
to carry lunch and a camera. Most are "self-bailing," with drain openings;
however, they also come with plugs for the drains. The wetness of the ride
varies greatly among different designs of SOTs.

So far my personal preference in one of these kayaks would be a
long wide one with a rounded bottom, roomy cockpit, high seat, dry
storage accessable afloat, and no skeg or rudder. These weeknight
demonstrations continue throughout the summer so I hope to try
more boats.

Again, I caution you against too wide a boat, unless your main goal is
activities like fishing, birdwatching, and photography. The mere fact of a
round bottom does not necessarily imply a certain type of performance.
There is great variation among the different designs. You might find that
you like certain hard-chine boats. I, myself, like multichine designs a
lot.

Try as many different kayaks as you can before you buy. You might want to
select a few to rent so that you can give them a more extensive trial before
deciding. Good luck and have fun!

Conrad