+1 on the inflatables.
I originally balked at the idea because of my own pre-conceived notion of inflatables. However, after considering the type of kayaking we would initially be doing (small lakes and class I or II rivers at most), I decided to go with the
Sea Eagle 365 from Costco. I figured for under $250 I could "test the waters" so to speak and not have an arm and a leg invested.
I have to say I am very pleased with my purchase thus far. The Kayak stores under the bed, it takes < 10 minutes to set up/inflate, and it is perfect for what we like to do. We have only had it for a few months, so I can't speak to the durability much. But, so far, so good.
Of course, I agonized over the decision to go with this kayak versus some of the more expensive models. But, I figured for $229 (including shipping,) I could always upgrade later (which I still might do:)