I'd try a Prijon Kodiak - it's 17 foot and had a decent size cockpit - tall guys can get in and out of it fairly easily. Plastic one's aren't too pricey and they track well. Decent on following seas too. Good storage for trips etc.

You can have a rudder on it, but you shouldn't need to use it - I never have. You should always know how to steer with out one anyway - don't want to be rudder dependent! :)

Check out an Eddyline 17.5. Internal skeg, rather than a rudder. Big and seaworthy. Very easy to paddle.

Thanks for the tips. I ordered a Current Designs Solstice Titan. I tried it out in a store and it had a huge cockpit which was easy to get into. Now I have to wait two months to get it!

I'm 6' 2" and 240 lbs (with size 11 feet) so I feel your pain.

I don't know recreational yaks well, but I have had experience in touring yaks.

First step is to ask your self what you want the kayak for, and what you think you will want to grow into doing with it over time.

I suggest getting a boat that feels slightly less stable than you are comfortable with in the beginning. After a short period, you will begin to flow with it. Buying too wide (beamy) a boat can frustrate you quickly. Once you get a feel for technique, the slowness of a "fat" boat will drive you nuts, unless what you want is a stable, fun ride and you are not trying to keep up with others or cover distance quickly. If you want a stable platform for hanging out in the sun and having a brew with buddies, then go with a wider beam (24" or more) recreational boat.

I prefer touring yaks. At our size, we can run a 22.5" beam and still move right along. 21" beam gets really "twitiching" and I would avoid them as a first hull.

The main thing is to try it out on the water!!!! Every boat feels different to different paddlers. Even if your technique is just beginning to come together, you can get a feel for a boat at a "demo day" in your area. Sit a ton of boats and take them out for at least 10 minutes each.

By the way, you are right that steering is a technique issue. I bought a rudder on my first hull, and have regretted it ever since. Within a few weeks I put it up and never used it again except in really high winds coming over the steer quarter. I'd go with an adjustable skeg. Takes care of being knocked off course by wind and does not sit up on your deck (where it makes the matter worse by catching wind!).

Shorter Sea Kayaks are usually nimble and fun. If they have some rocker (end to end curve) they can be fast turning and can handle small waves to very large stuff with confidence. Good fo catching waves and getting a lift (or even surfing). The shortcoming is they don't glide as well (take more energy to keep running along) and are slower than long hulls.

I love my first boat, a Necky Looksha Sport at 14'6". Necky has made the cockpit a bit smaller in the last few years, but it may still serve well. Mine is a 1994 version. Because it turns well and is nimble, it works very well on both rivers and the sea. I can get into marshes that a longer boat could never turn around in. At the same time, I've had her out in 30 knot winds and 6 foot seas (challenging, but not an issue of reaching the boat's limits, just mine).

If what you want is to do distance on the sea (or main river channels) then a longer boat may be in the cards. They track well (don't get pushed around as much by wind - called weathercocking) and because they glide, take less energy to keep up to speed. Their top speeds are also faster. They hold more cargo (for those week long trips we all dream about). Downsides are wieght (if plastic, especially) and cost (to keep down wieght, carbon kevlar is great, but costly).

I own an Impex Assetegue (not sure of spelling) in carbon Kevlar. At 17' 10" it is lighter than my 14.6' plastic boat. Nice volume in the cockpit without being a battle ship.

You might also check out HV (high volume) editions. They have larger cockpits and more foot room. The downside is that some HV hulls are battle ships - heavy and hard to keep up to speed, not to mention that your buddies will make you carry the 3 iron frying pans because you got the space.

The Gulfstream (HV or not) might be worth looking into. Current Designs also makes nice boats. Necky and Impex are both worth a look. Point 65 North is an interesting company (they have a long touring yak I was interested in but could not find to try out).

Good luck, and wet paddles to you!