Howdy everyone, in the previous post i put up a question in regards to a possible boat (Tracer 165), however I think it may be easier to get input by asking the following question: what boat would you guys buy for the following situation:

Budget for boat: $1500
Use: hopefully very heavy, as a I have a knee injury and have to keep it easy on the running I was looking into kayaking to keep me in shape.
Where: mostly the Long Island Sound (on the Atlantic Coast but a bit protected), as well as large local lakes (CT).
On the side:
-I do not object to buying a used boat, if I can get one from a reliable source
-Having done a bit of swimming in the past (nationals) I can certainly keep myself afloat, would however still like a kayak that allows for rolling.
-This kayak will most likely not be used for racing as i am new to the sport it would however be nice if i could get a bit of speed on it.
-I am willing to learn so i do not need a boat that will give me immediate satisfaction but rather a boat that once i have learned to use it will keep my interest.
Myself: In regards to my built I am 5'11'' 185 pounds and athletic, wide shoulders in case it matters.

Thanks for comments everyone and please not that I will certainly try to use the kayak before buying it to ensure that it does fit for what i want, as i can however not try every boat on the market it would be great if i could get suggestions on what boats to focus on.

Feef

The Tracer 165 looks like a great boat. I have never paddled it but the Thermomolded construction will bring the price down quite a bit from a glass boat.

As far as similar boats, you should take a look at the P&H Capella series. They offer a similar boat in both plastic and glass but offer several sizes so you can get a boat that should/could fit much better then the Tracer which is built for somebody between 130-200 lbs. That is quite a weight range.

If you are using it for multi-day trips and with you towards the top of the Tracer's weight range, you might find yourself paddling pretty low in the water.

Cheers,

David H. Johnston