Dont go cheap on them, you get what you pay for. I used to do some class 2 and 3s when I was younger, but I would be nuts to do that at my age now. But if you just want to tool around a lake, it does not matter too much.
So mostly flat water kayaking then? If its the bay you'll be on, maybe a sail kit would be worth looking into. A long trip from St. Mary's City or Crisfield up the bay with the prevailing winds to Havre de Grace by sailing kayak would be pretty awesome.
Damon, by Borf's great bushy beard, if you were to buy digital goods over a fucking kayak, then I would make it my personal mission to repeatedly slam any and all of my ships into your purchase(s) until I felt my point was sufficiently emphasized.
Try to get 2nd hand kayak and gear and once you got some skill get the real stuff? Get yourself a new wetsuit & Helmet Just get a cheap 1 seater for SC so you get the game package and the funding goal goodies. With a 1 Seater youll get a round and with the amount of multi crew ships around in the borg youll have plenty of possibilies to be on one. YOu are always welcome to be part of my Starfarer crew. Ill share my profit equaly with my crew. Buy yourself a real ship with ingame credits for yourself. Since there is no LTI anymore, not really a point of getting a bigger ship. ( My opinion ) And with TNGS ending and some other ships in the pipeline there might be a sale coming up I guess.