[gundoctor]

Big Lou and Mont both use OK Drifters I think. Lou and Mont are both big men, 6' 7" or so. Mont has lost some weight, so I don't know how big he is now, but Lou is well over 300#.
IMHO, a sit inside yak can be a death trap in the surf. If you get dumped, you can become disoriented by the waves tumbling you around and drown before you can get out of it. A sit on top yak just dumps you off and you got to go catch it. Sit inside yaks are more stable, but not enough more that you won't get dumped.
Remember the most important thing to have after you get the yak is a good life jacket. I think its even more important than a paddle.

BTW: The Drifter is a very fast yak. Weight is not so much what determines yak speed, length is more important. The longer the faster.

 

[gundoctor]

When I'm deploying baits, turning has never been the issue. Getting up enough speed to make it over the bars and out through the breakers HAS been the issue several times. Bait deploying is basically a straight out and back ride. If you are going to be trying to cut in and out surfing waves, then short and nimble would be become important. But for deploying baits IMHO, stability is the most important factor, with speed being a very close second. Other people like short nimble boats, but I get my bait out better with my longer & faster boat.

Now here is the best advice you'll get on this:
Try out several different yaks and see which one YOU like best, before you plunk down several hundred $$$ to buy something you may not like. Some places will rent you a yak and apply the rent to the purchase if you decide to buy. Some time they will also let you try several different models to decide which one you like best. Before you decide on a yak, try it in rough conditions. If it works well for you in rough conditions, smooth conditions will be a piece of cake.