The recessed cockpit can make entry into the cockpit more difficult, but once in, you will probably feel more secure. I think the lines of many kayaks are improved by recessing the cockpit. In my opinion it makes the cockpit less of a disruption to the overall deck shape. I think the recess is probably the easies way to eliminate the point at the front of the cockpit.

That said, do what you are most comfortable with.

> Thanks for the help, Nick. Now you've raised other questions. I had
> considered recessing the cockpit solely to avoid having a peaked coaming.
> But maybe there's a better, more direct way of doing that (like raising
> the sides of the coaming?). Lowering the cockpit would introduce all kinds
> of design questions that I would need answers to. Would a recessed cockpit
> make entry more difficult? Would it give a paddler a less secure feeling
> (I'm 5'10" and 180 lbs.) And then there's the aesthetic concerns: how
> that will change the lines of the kayak in profile, where to begin
> recessing to keep fluid lines. I'm beginning to think this is more than I
> want to handle.