The Prijon Marlin is a beautiful and very responsive boat for experienced paddlers up to 1,90m / 6'3" and 90-95 kg. I am too tall and too big for this kayak (that's why I bought a Kodiak), but I have always been a fan of the fast tracking Marlin. My wife and a good friend of our kayak-club own HTP Marlins and I have done several hundred km in them, though always with an empty hull (no baggage/cargo in the boat).

While 58cm may seem large, the Marlin is way more tippy than most other kayaks. Prijon favors a hull design without any primary stability, which turns about all and every beginner off! The edges help to turn the boat, but they do not add any stability - the Marlin is not for your first hours or days in a kayak!

It is an excellent performer at sea, allowing the experienced kayaker to paddle for hours with waves coming directly from the side, but you need to develop some balance and confidence first. If you get there, you can let any wave pass underneath you, because the hull stays easily rectangular to your upright body position; a more "stable" kayak will stick rectangular to the water/wave surface - and that will (not even "could" or "might") lead to capsizing.

The boat has a tendency to pierce waves, rather than ride on top of them; this keeps the pace up, but you have to get used to the fact that about half the boat in front of you disappears under green water every few seconds, when paddling in waves. You might not need the rudder on rivers or lakes, but should add it when paddling on the sea.