Looksha

I am a big guy - 6'2 "but slim. I want a kayak that I can use for fitness and travel long-ish. The Penguin is a safe bet, but I was told that it is a just "average". I have a limited budget - no more than $ 3K. Whenever I ask someone (clubs, etc.) I get a different answer ...

Sorry to say that there really is no substitute for demoing boats to see where you fit in them and how they perform for you. I'm close to your size and experience, I found that most of the kayaks that are marketed to "big" have way too much volume for large, thin people. So do not try afarid kayaks that are made for "the average size paddler."