I paddled the Pinguino Sport when it first came out last year. I was impressed with the boat. It has great stability, responds quickly to the paddle and is a ton of fun. It also looks like a much more streamlined boat then you would expect from a short wide boat. It gets up to speed quickly but is not fast and paddling it harder to get more speed is a waste of energy. LeeG's comparison to the Necky Manitou 13 is spot on. We have some Necky Manitou 13's in our fleet and they have become a favorite amoung beginner kayakers. IMHO the Pinguino Sport would fit the bill quite nicely for what you want for your wife.