Phat

I both backpack and wilderness paddle and would really encourage anyone who loves the wilderness to expand their horizons beyond just foot travel. You can get to places you just can't reach purely on foot, and although there is a lot of overlap to enjoyment of the wilderness from a boat vs. on foot, paddling definitely has its own, different pleasures as well.
As far as getting started, I agree with much of what's been said in the earlier posts. Here's a few suggestions that have worked for me:

1--If there's an outdoor club that runs paddling trips in the area, that's a great way to start. In our area (Upstate NY), the local chapter of the Adirondack Mtn Club has weekly evening paddles (a couple of hours), week end day trips, and the occasional overnight. If you can find anything similar near you, it's a great way to start paddling, learn from more experienced paddlers, and often you'll hear about boats for sale, trips folks are planning, and maybe even get to try out different types of boats.

2--As far as getting a boat, I tend to agree with some of the others who've said not to worry too much about which boat at first. All boats are not created equal, and there is definitely a wide range of boat quality, from really elegant, high performance boats that are an absolute joy to behold and paddle (I'm a big fan of Bells) all the way down to others that more resemble trying to move a floating box car across the water.

3--That being said, at first, I'd also agree that the best thing is to just get a half way decent boat and start learning to paddle, so you can learning what your interest is in the whole enterprise and start to build your skill. You don't need the equivalent of a floating sports car to do that. One general recommendation I'd make though is to try to get a boat that's weight won't be a big disincentive to putting it on the car and going for a paddle. Generally, a decent plastic (Royalex is a common type of plastic material) tandem boat (15-17 ft) can be found from the 50- 70 pound range. See what you can comfortably handle just in terms of weight--getting it on and off the car, down to the water, and for the occasional carry (oh, I mean portage for you north of the border guys). The aluminum Grummans are pretty indestructable, but they're really heavy, generally heavier than the plastics. Kevlar and/or carbon fiber are the lightest, but much more expensive than other layups. As you get better and more into the activity, you can grow into a more high performance boat that suits your style and interests.

4--A lot of outfitters will rent you a boat and be willing to put the money toward a purchase. Also, some are close enough to water to let you try different boats out on the water. You might need a bit of experience/lessons before you can check out a boat on your own. Some also have used (rentals, returns, etc) for sale at good prices.

5--Bill Mason, one of the guru's of North American paddlers and a Canadian by the way, has an absolutely wonderful series of books and videos on paddling--both the techniques and the joys of paddling. His basic instructional video (Path of the Paddle, I think) is a terrific instructional video and is guaranteed to make you want to immediately jump in a boat and get on the water, even in the middle of winter in minus zero F. temps. He passed away at a relatively young age (in his 60's) but his kids (Becky and Paul) have also produced some books and videos too. While they're also good, I'd start with Bill's. Cliff Jacobson (or maybe Jacobsen) has also written some excellent books on wilderness paddling.

6--There is definitely a skill to canoe paddling. It took me a while to just be able to paddle in a straight line( I was slower than some), so lessons, instructional books and videos, mentors if you know more experienced paddlers, are definitely important at the start. Nevertheless, it's not rocket science, and it shouldn't take that long to be able to get out there and propel yourself in a generally forward direction.

7--From what I've seen, it's easier and quicker for new paddlers to learn the basics and start paddling in a half way decent straight line in a kayak (almost right away) than in a canoe, so many prefer to start with a kayak. I do both, and although they definitely both have their place, I'm a much bigger fan of canoeing. Also, the techniques are different (double bladed paddle vs. single bladed-at least for most canoes), and the basic paddling techniques don't necessarily transfer directly from one to the other. So, although given my druthers, I'd go with the canoe, you definitely have a choice.

Hope that's helpful for starters. Feel free to post more questions or pm me if I can be of any more help to you.

Gerry Magnes
Schenectady, NY

PS--After writing all of that, I reread your original post and realized that it was more focused on finding a boat than on learning to paddle. Hopefully some of it is still of use to you. Feel free to disregard the unsolicited instructional advice.