I do know that I won't really see what the boats are truly like until I can make my way to Port Townsend to try them ... but doing comparisons, crunching numbers, and charting things in a spreadsheet just makes me happy, and is something I enjoy while biding my time.

"The best plans don't survive the first contact with the enemy" - a quote typically attributed to Eisenhower, but actually created by Helmut Von Moltke.
The stats on paper are only loosely related to the actual experience on the water, and as bsoderholm said, John Lockwood of Pygmy designed several models superior to the (a bit obsolete) Golden Eye.

OTOH, you will learn less than you expect from actual visit to Pygmy and paddling the boats. The test paddling is done with a small yacht basin, a tiny space that is completely sheltered from wind, waves, and provides next to no information how the boat behaves in more realistic conditions.

The good news is that Lockwood designs really, really good boats, and no matter what you choose, it will be an excellent kayak.
I would second bsoderholm and go with Coho if you are looking for an excellent, all purpose sea kayak. If your body size is on the smaller side, I'd look at the strong tracking version of Murrelet, though Osprey is pretty good, too, and being somewhat shorter and lighter, it's easier to store and transport.