Help with what Mirage kayak to buy.

I am looking at buying a Mirage kayak. I am favoring the Revolution 13 but have not ruled out the Revolution 16 or the Outback. The main use of the kayak would be in the Puget Sound, I can launch just 2 miles from home. I live just across from Kayak Point Washington State. I can pedal a bike at average speed of 15 mph. So here is my question what would be the difference in cruising speed of the three boats on flat water? What would be the difference in cruising speed going into a 12 knot wind and chop? If traveling with a group of paddle sea kayaks (a kayak club) would a Outback be able to keep up even with a headwind? Which boat would you rather be in if traveling with a 12 knot wind and chop to your side? Do any kayak clubs let pedal kayaks travel with them?
I am 57, 180 and 5'11". I most likely will build a trailer to haul it on but may haul it on the roof of small car.

You've got to try them all to be 100% certain. Demo Day at a local dealer is the best way.
However, having pedaled an Outback and a Revo11 in the same conditions, they do behave differently:

The Revolution 11 and 13 have a nice sharp bow angle which cuts through the waves well; whereas the Outback's bow crashes into waves and has a moderate amount of hull slap in anything but the calmest of water. If I remember correctly, the Revo11 (when cutting through said waves in your weather conditions) sometimes generates ocean spray that comes back in your face if you're pedaling into the wind. The Revo13's longer bow cuts down on this a bit. The outback had even less of this ocean spray, but the concave shape of the bow hatch sometimes funneled water into the mirage drive area (drains quickly enough though). The Outback is darn stable in those conditions though, and it makes an excellent fishing kayak.

Before the 2015 model seats, the Revos were a far wetter ride as waves would crash over the side and create a puddle in the seat area. The Outback was far drier in comparison. However, now that they all have the new seats, lower deck, and draining scupper, this might be sufficiently mitigated (I have not yet tried a 2015 Hobie).

I have turbo fins for both of my kayaks, and the Revo11 is definitely faster than the Outback. The length of kayak usually helps the cruising speed and so I believe the Revo13 would be faster. Revo 16? probably faster still, but I cannot quantify since I've never seen one in my area.

Seems like I'm rambling now, but suffice it to say if you're not fishing, go with a Revolution. Since speed is a concern, it's a tossup between Revo13 and Revo16.

Thanks for your reply. The Outbacks hull slap is something I have read before. It might make me crazy on a long ride home into the wind. So the Revo would be better for this.
Many years ago I had a Seaspray sail boat that was named that for a reason, the salt would build up on my glasses from the spray. So the Outback would be better for this.
But the Revo with more speed would get me further and I would see more so I am thinking I will get the Revo 13 or 16
A local dealer has a 2014 Revo 11 and a 2014 Outback I can demo. I will try them after I get my dry suit.

Personally I think the Revo13 is the jack of all trades. If I had to settle for only one kayak, that would be it.
If you get to demo the Revo11, and the Outback, you will get a good idea of what to expect from the Revo13.
The Revo16 is really a renamed Adventure Island minus the sail and amas, so I think it would be worth its own demo. The narrow width and 16ft length makes me assume you would keep up even better with the paddle-powered touring kayaks if that is your intention.

I've "lived with" the Revo's the Outbacks and the PA's for several years- own all three and I JUST bought a 2015 Outback..., for comfort, space and overall performance, I'd have to go with the new Outback..

The Adventure/Revo 16 is likely to be the fastest - I have owned Outback, Adventure, Adventure Island, Outfitter and Oasis and still have my Adventure (Island) and Oasis.

I have never tried the Revo 11 and 13 but hear good things about them.

I always harp on about the sailing capability of the Adventure/Revo 16 - the sail option is available on all the Mirage drive hulls I believe but the Adventure/Revo 16 is blessed with a daggerboard slot which significantly increases its sailing ability over the non-daggerboard boats.

I dunno about the 12 knots (because I have no real idea how much wind that is) but if I had a good gentle to low-fresh breeze on my beam I'd be sailing my Adventure for sure...

As to keeping up with paddlers: usually I find that the problem is the other way around unless they are seriously fit paddlers and the conditions are gnarly - if they are recreational types you will probably find yourself in the lead most of the time.

12 knots is 13.8 MPH or 22 km/h. That's pretty much "average" for me here in Oklahoma, on inland lakes not a big deal at all. Don't know what that does on open water.

I've only used the Outback, so can't compare to the others, but I don't notice any real difference between calm at 12 knots. I eagerly await days with winds in the 16-20 MPH range, that's where I get the best waves on the lakes (wider / taller swells) to play in. Still no problem at all going straight into the wind. I've been out above that, even up to 30+ MPH, not as much "fun" for me as the waves get more steep-sided and close together, but I still don't have any trouble moving into the wind with the Mirage drive.

As Stobbo said, my most common experience when paddling with others is I have to idle along so they can keep up with me, though I'm rarely with any super-fit sea kayakers. On several occasions I've been headed upwind in winds strong enough that a paddler couldn't make any headway at all. I reached out and grabbed their bow handle and continued on my way, towing them into the wind! I always love their first-time reaction as we accelerate, a surprised "oh!" and a grin!

Oh yes, the Outback is a very wet ride into waves. One reason I enjoy it so much, it's great on miserably hot summer days. Not so much in winter though...