Confession

I have practiced reentry with my outback in a lake near home. However, I continue to have some concerns about getting back on the yak in the salt due to the width of the boat. I mean it's gonna likely be a heavy swell that kicks me out of my kayak... I have never fallen in. So in heavy swell would it be easier to remount a kayak that is narrower? I am likely overthinking this.

It's actually easier to get back into a wider kayak from the water, because the far side of the kayak doesn't kick up as much when you heave yourself over the near gunwale.  A wide kayak like an Outback will tend to lay flatter on the water while you're climbing back in than a narrower kayak.

On nice warm days, after you're done fishing and you've taken your gear off your kayak, occasionally practice flipping your kayak upside down, flipping it back upright, and climbing back into it, so the process becomes second nature.  Then if you end up in the water on a cold nasty day in the surf zone, you'll be prepared to climb back into your kayak in seconds without even thinking about it.

During a day of spearfishing, I climb back into my kayak repeatedly while wearing a drysuit, 13-16 pounds of weight on my back, and about 3.5 pounds of weight on each ankle.  If I ever end up in the water while fishing (and it hasn't happened yet), getting back on my kayak will be a snap.

It's actually easier to get back into a wider kayak from the water, because the far side of the kayak doesn't kick up as much when you heave yourself over the near gunwale.  A wide kayak like an Outback will tend to lay flatter on the water while you're climbing back in than a narrower kayak.

On nice warm days, after you're done fishing and you've taken your gear off your kayak, occasionally practice flipping your kayak upside down, flipping it back upright, and climbing back into it, so the process becomes second nature.  Then if you end up in the water on a cold nasty day in the surf zone, you'll be prepared to climb back into your kayak in seconds without even thinking about it.

During a day of spearfishing, I climb back into my kayak repeatedly while wearing a drysuit, 13-16 pounds of weight on my back, and about 3.5 pounds of weight on each ankle.  If I ever end up in the water while fishing (and it hasn't happened yet), getting back on my kayak will be a snap.

Completely disagree with you here. A wide kayak offers a bit more stability but it doesn't make it easier to self rescue in. I've crawled in and out of a Cobra F'n'D, Malibu X-13, Jackson Coosa, Old Town Predator 13, PA 14, Revo 13, Adventure, and an Outback. The Outback, Predator, and PA are the most difficult due to their stability combined with a high ride height. The Addy and X-13 were the easiest because they tip slightly and sit low in the water allowing me to thrust myself on to the open deck with relative ease. Then if you add anything on your PFD such as a radio or dive knife they snag on the gunwales of the more stable rides since the angle of re-entry is far sharper.

Completely disagree with you here. A wide kayak offers a bit more stability but it doesn't make it easier to self rescue in. I've crawled in and out of a Cobra F'n'D, Malibu X-13, Jackson Coosa, Old Town Predator 13, PA 14, Revo 13, Adventure, and an Outback. The Outback, Predator, and PA are the most difficult due to their stability combined with a high ride height. The Addy and X-13 were the easiest because they tip slightly and sit low in the water allowing me to thrust myself on to the open deck with relative ease. Then if you add anything on your PFD such as a radio or dive knife they snag on the gunwales of the more stable rides since the angle of re-entry is far sharper.

Interesting.  You've re-entered more models of kayak than I have, which gives your opinion a lot of credibility.  I wonder if our difference in opinion is because we have different styles of re-entering a kayak.  I put my hands on the near gunwale, kick so I'm laying relatively horizontal in the water, and then in one quick motion I pull the gunwale under my hips, or I pull myself over the kayak (depending on your perspective), and end up laying across the kayak with my head hanging over the far gunwale.  I find it easier to do this in a wider and more stable kayak because the far gunwale doesn't tend to come up and bonk me in the face.  To me, re-entering a wide kayak feels a bit like pulling myself up onto the side of a swimming pool.  Post a description of your style of re-entering a kayak, which you describe as "crawling" into the kayak.  I'm wondering if slower or less dynamic styles of re-entering a kayak may be harder in a high and wide kayak, and easier in a low, narrow, and somewhat tippy kayak.

I too agree that the lower riding kayaks tend to be much easier to reenter than the high sided wider kayaks.  The Outback sits much higher in the water than most other kayaks, and can be a challenge to get above the gunwale before it tips the kayak on top of you. 

The easiest kayak I have reentered even in the surf zone, is my T-13.  It sits nice and low, and is easy to grab the other side as I pull the kayak under me in a reentry.  I find it easier than my Revo to reenter.

Pmmpete..I too kick swim pushing the kayak from the closest gunwale, and then pull it under me and grab the opposite side as I get my body across the seat area.  Turn and sit.  Done! 

The easiest kayak I have reentered even in the surf zone, is my T-13.  It sits nice and low, and is easy to grab the other side as I pull the kayak under me in a reentry.  I find it easier than my Revo to reenter.

The kayak I have re-entered the most is my 13' Trident, which I use for spearfishing.  Maybe other kayaks seemed easier to re-enter because I wasn't wearing diving weights when I re-entered them!

That's pretty much the same method I use. I don't pull as much as I thrust myself up with a big kick or two though. On narrower boats I prefer having a hand on both gunwales. That's not always possible on wide boats. Also narrow boats are easier to right if they completely capsize.

Because the outback is so high for me I had to use a different technique to get back in by slightly pulling myself in then dropping in the water to dunk myself and using the buoyancy to pop me out of the water, so I could climb in. With the revo13 I could jump out and pull myself in many times in a row with ease.

Also I thought it was easier for me in the salt than in fresh water. Maybe it was the  adrenaline rush

I use one of these....it greatly reduces the energy to get back in your kayak

http://kayakselfrescueladder.com/

I use one of these....it greatly reduces the energy to get back in your kayak

http://kayakselfrescueladder.com/

For me that is entirely too much time to be spending in the water and I guarantee that in bumpy seas and blowing winds you will be making several trips around the boat as I see that handle not staying in one place on top of the hull.
Additionally the last thing I want is more gear and lines on the deck.

I use one of these....it greatly reduces the energy to get back in your kayak

http://kayakselfrescueladder.com/

For me that is entirely too much time to be spending in the water and I guarantee that in bumpy seas and blowing winds you will be making several trips around the boat as I see that handle not staying in one place on top of the hull.
Additionally the last thing I want is more gear and lines on the deck.

Valid point indeed. I have mine stowed so it does not get in the way but is easily accessible. I have practiced with it many times. But like alot of things, what works for one person may not work for another. The biggest advantage with it for me is flipping my kayak back over fully rigged and loaded with gear, Im 150lbs. soaking wet so the ladder gives me extra leverage to flip my tank back over.

I use one of these....it greatly reduces the energy to get back in your kayak

http://kayakselfrescueladder.com/

For me that is entirely too much time to be spending in the water and I guarantee that in bumpy seas and blowing winds you will be making several trips around the boat as I see that handle not staying in one place on top of the hull.
Additionally the last thing I want is more gear and lines on the deck.

I would agree there is a margin of diminishing returns using one of those. There is value in that for those that lack the strength to get the boat flipped back over and get back in when conditions are not life threatening. Especially I can conceive this would be useful on wide boat such as a PA or if there is a whole lot of other rigging or a sail. Not as a substitute for practice and knowing your limits. IMHO a person shouldn't be in the salt in bumpy seas and wind to begin with if they cant easily do reentry without it.

I had every confidence of re-entry with my T-13... I don't feel that same confidence with my outback. I am curious about the comparison of the stability and ease of re-entry when you compare the T-13 and the Adventure?

I had every confidence of re-entry with my T-13... I don't feel that same confidence with my outback. I am curious about the comparison of the stability and ease of re-entry when you compare the T-13 and the Adventure?

I feel the T-13 and Addy are very similar. They both ride low to the water and are fairly narrow. Feel confident in re-entering both.

 "bumpy seas and wind"

Good thing we rarely see these in the PNW