I had initially steered him away from SOF's even though that was my first boat style (MANY years ago) and I still own two. I was concerned about durability, as the young fella has a habit of crashing into nearby paddlers at full speed when he gets distracted. I know that SOF's are fairly durable, but my concern is that he might tear the boat open on someone else's deck fittings. From a tactile standpoint, SOF might be much more satisfying for him though. Perhaps we'll work on a better guidance system then...
Thanks for the help!