http://www.shearwater-boats.com/kayakkits.html

Merganser 17 is a fine choice, I made a 16. The Tern is nice handling kayak. The 17LT is stable.

The coaming recess on the Merganser takes the better attributes of the paneled deck another step further than the Tern as the thigh bracing is integral to the recess and angled down/in. You can reduce the sharp peak of the forward edge on the Tern coaming by building up the spacers to a faired curve but the Merganser coaming is one piece requiring few clamps to install,,it doesn't require much bending into place. It has the narrowest foredeck of the three and good foot room given the comparatively less volume of the other two kayaks.