[Paddlewise] Pongo and Rec Kayak Questions

Chris wrote about how much he liked his Pongo.  This kayak is also getting
popular in my area.  I have always considered it a "Recreational" kayak and
therefore not really suitable for open water paddling even on our bay. 
However my assumption is only based on the large cockpit size and the fact
that I have seen it listed in the "Recreational Kayak" section on some
websites.   I have paddled one for a few minutes in calm water, but have
never taken one out in rougher conditions.  

Does anyone (including Chris) have any experience with Pongo in rougher
water.   Does it take on large quantities of water without the spay-skirt? 
How does the available skirt hold on in breaking waves?  Does the high
stability make the kayak rock quite a bit when waves are coming broadside? 
(My experience suggests that high initial stability kayaks which rock quite
a bit are often capsized by the paddler's overreaction even though the
kayaks secondary stability would have kept the kayak upright if the paddler
did not "help" keep the kayak level).  Can they be reentered like a
sit-on-top or do they require some sort of paddlefloat/outrigger setup?

I do not want to unnecessarily discourage people from paddling where they
want to go, but I am concerned that a kayak with very good flat-water
stability and performance could lead paddlers to get themselves into
dangerous situations.  Of course the real problem may be more in the skill
level of the kayaker rather than the design of the kayak.  However, the net
result in either case could be life threatening. 

Should I be more concerned about people doing open water paddling in a
Pongo as compared to a typical touring kayak like a Current Designs
Gulfstream or sit-on-top like a Cobra Expedition?  Would a paddler with the
skills to handle a Gulfstream in rough conditions be in more danger of
capsize in those same conditions in a Pongo?   What other, if any,
recreational kayaks would pose difficulty for even intermediate level
paddlers if taken out into rougher water?

Kayaking is relatively new in our area, but is growing very fast especially
for recreational kayaks and small sit-on-tops.  I often meet new paddlers
who have lots of questions about the sport.  However I have very limited
experience with rec kayaks and small sit-on-tops so I am concerned that I
may be giving out the wrong information.  I would appreciate any comments
from other paddlewisers.

Mark J. Arnold
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