[Paddlewise] Ocean play boats

I need help with my next boat purchase and thought I'd draw on the
collective wisdom of the paddlewise group.  

Let me set the stage a bit.

This weekend, I was exploring some cool rock gardens around Yaquina head in
Oregon. I love this type of paddling.  I use my Plastic Sea Lion when I play
in the rocks since its more maneuverable than my Glider and it doesn't make
me cringe when I slam into a rock (cheap plastic boats are great for that).

Unfortunately, the sea lion totally sucks in the surf.  It loves to pearl.
And with its high weight, cranking it around to get positioned in the waves
is really hard.  I put up with it, though, since I really don't have a
better boat to use in this situation.

Well, this weekend, I realized that my use of the Sea Lion in breaking waves
isn't just hard -- its dangerous.  A big wave (probably 8 feet, though it
looked like 20 --- if you know what I mean) grabbed me and started to hurl
me to shore.  To my horror, the Sea Lion immediately started to pearl
setting me up for a very ugly face plant (and possible serious injury in the
shallow water).  I violently wrenched the boat into a broach and layed down
into the breaking wave to side surf  through the  chaos.  The maneuver
worked, but the violent gyrations and intense bracing injured the muscles in
my upper arm.  

My arm will heal, but I'm too old to batter my body like this.  It can't be
the conditions (afterall, I can't imagine staying away from the sruf zone),
so it must be my boat.  I need a sea kayak that cruises well, is highly
manuverable, and doesn't pearl so easilly.  I need a "sea kayak playboat"! A
boat that cruises OK but is maneuverable for surf, rock gardens and sea
caves.

I've been "talking" to Matt Broze about the coaster and have almost decided
to head up to Seattle and buy one.  But, I want to get other opinions first.
Do any of you out there use Coasters?  What do you think?  I'm short stubby
and fat (5'8" and 225 pounds) but I think I will fit.

Anyone in the Portland Oregon or Corvallis areas have one I can look at?
I'd love to sit in one and make sure I fit before taking the road trip up
north to try one out.  Better yet. Does anyone in the Northwest have a used
one they'd like to sell?

Any other "sea kayak play boats" you'd recommend?  I've heard the pintail is
nice for this type of paddling.  Any other strong, ocean play boats you'd
recommend?  

thank you,

--Tim
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