Hi John - basically "recreational" experience. I've been out on a couple guided sea kayak trips over the years, but mostly paddling short plastic boats on inland lakes, and in and around protected areas of Long Island Sound. I definitely do intend to get some instruction / take some lessons.

Sounds good - most instructors will be teaching some re-entry techniques that are easier with a longer cockpit, so that's something to keep in mind.

Ideal paddling scenario might be a day trip to the Thimble Islands - crossing some open water then poking around to see what the turtles are up to.

Are you joining a local paddling club or do you have paddling 'buddies' locally? I still can't believe how foolish I was when I started sea kayaking - I didn't know what I was doing, and went paddling with a couple of even less-capable companions. A weekend class with Leon Somme and Shawna Franklin (BodyBoatBlade) got me on the right track before I became a story in the 'Deep Trouble' books. (I recommend those books highly- Matt Broze of Mariner kayaks is one of the authors.Good sobering reading for all of us.)

I don't anticipate needing to haul a lot of "stuff" like camping supplies, but I do like to have "spares" along.

Even a smaller boat (like the Frej or Romany) will have plenty of room for overnight gear, and still handle properly, so that shouldn't be an issue. Most 16' kayaks have about the storage capacity of two backpacks. Try not to let the 'foot room' requirement lead you to a 'HV' 'Freightliner' 'Expedition' design.

Definitely deck safety lines

Definitely, and good end toggles that won't break your hand or amputate fingers as well...

maybe a compass, bilge pump, spare paddle, flotation, etc.

Those would be a 'definite', not 'maybe' for me..Check your Coast Guard requirements for small craft.

I'm even considering options for nav lights.

You need (legally) some sort of light if you are out after dark or in fog, but your visibility in a kayak is so low (too close to the water- you may have noticed kayaks when you were boating in your sailboat?) that probably lights are not very useful. Check your Coast Guard requirements for small craft. If you choose the 'wood look' your daytime boat visibility will be low (compared to a boat with a bright color deck/hull) so having a high visibility set of paddle blades (i.e. not black) is even more important.

Fit-wise, definitely don't want to rattle around, but I've been in rental boats where the lack of foot room just makes the experience cramped and unpleasant. I've recently tested out some production boats, and found that a 32x16 cockpit feels a bit too tight.

Being able to move your feet around a bit can help prevent cramps/stiffness, but in a boat with foot pegs, your foot has a pretty small 'target'. You can consider a bulkhead as footrest if the boat is 'just for you'...
Being able to put your knees 'up' in the center of the cockpit while paddling can help get more leg drive into your stroke.
For me, the cockpit length (and coaming inclination, and seat position) determines whether I can do a 'bum first' entry - which I prefer. It also makes getting out of the boat easier - it's embarrassing to roll on your face when getting out!