Hope you don't mind a question from someone who isn't even a lurker in this
newsgroup.

Here's my situation:

A friend has offered to sell me a "like new" Eddyline Wind Dancer with
paddle for $650, and I have until Friday evening to decide.

My only paddling experience has been in one friend's surfing-type kayak and
another friend's sea-kayak-type kayak. One summer I was doing weekly two
mile paddles and a year or two later did a couple of five mile paddles
(always in boats that barely floated my 210 pounds - really inefficient). I
enjoy paddling and have always wanted a kayak of my own, but just haven't
gotten around to it.

We live a few houses from the beach, in Ventura California, where the entry
into the water can range from flat and smooth to pretty high surf. Or, I can
pull the kayak about 1/4 mile and get into the water on a boating channel.
There's good paddling in the harbor, but I really like being out on the
ocean better. (I'm comfortable on the water and in the waves - been surfing
most of my life.)

Would this be a good kayak for me? (If I don't like it, I'm assuming I could
get my money back out of it.) I guess that you're supposed to use a skirt
with this type of boat. Does that mean that I'd have to learn to roll it
before I'd be safe on the open ocean? Is it considered unsafe to use this
type of kayak without a skirt (like on hot, smooth summer days)? Am I going
to break this kayak into two pieces if I botch up coming back in to the
beach?

Should I buy this because it's such a good deal, or should I wait for a used
plastic kayak to come my way? (There's also a tandem Whisper model available
at a similar price - if I buy both I get an almost-free trailer and canvas
cover.) Thanks for any help on this impulse buy. I feel like I'll regret it
if I don't buy the Wind Dancer, but if it's completely unsuitable I'll let
someone else have the good deal.

my email is koert at pierpont com