: Within reason this is all true, but an 18" wide kayak isn't
: going to feel stable to anyone new to the sport, even if it had
: dead flat sides and had an 18" waterline beam.

: Bill H.

It isn't likely that someone will think an 18" kayak will be stable.

It is much more likely that someone will automatically assume that a 26" kayak will be stable. It won't be if it has fine ends, a lot of flare and is 8' long.

It is even more likely than someone new to the sport will assume that a 24" kayak has to be more stable than a 22" kayak. That is a common misconception.