OK, I hope it works out.

Maybe rent a canoe first, before you buy one. That's what I wished I
had done. See if you actually like the damn thing, first ;-)

I would recommend getting fiberglass versus wood, aluminum or plastic
canoe, as fiberglass is a breeze to repair. And you can carry a small
polyester resin and cloth matting kit with you just in case you need to
patch a hole for some reason.

There are also Kevlar canoes, but I understand the price of those is
ridiculous, even used. But a used fiberglass canoe in good shape, or
repairable shape, can cost as low as 100 dollars and up, based on my
experience in hunting for a used canoe.