Here is another reason not to buy a kayak, even with this man having years of paddling experience this person flipped his kayak and drowned in Falls Lake NC 1-31-2011 he was 35 years young.
Actually, my understanding of the 39 year old gentleman that drowned at Falls is that he was relatively new to paddling, having less than 2 years of experience.
He was paddling and fishing on water that is just above freezing (I believe I read water temp was 36F), alone, without a dry suit. Divers recovered his body using sonar. That implies that he was not wearing a lifejacket.
It seems that there were many other factors at play, and that there were significant risks being taken without proper gear and/or precautions.
You don't have to like kayaks and are certainly entitled to your opinion. Lets just try to be reasonable when making generalizations.
By the way, I did not know the person, but he was also a member of a local kayaking group that I am a member of. This soon after the incident, I'm sure that his family and friends would appreciate a more sensitive approach to discussion of the event that left his 5 year old daughter without a father.
Personally, I canoed a lot growing up, and own a small fleet of recreational sit on top kayaks. I've also owned a few sit in kayaks. Generalizing all kayaks as less stable than a canoe is hardly fair. I find many of the recreational sit on top kayaks available today are FAR more stable than any canoe I've ever paddled. For me, wet re-entry on a sit on top kayak is easier, as is paddling after a capsize... as the sit on top kayak isn't full of water like the canoe would be.
Sounds from your post that your negative impressions were of sit in kayaks.