I'm not afraid of boats at all. I love boats large and small. I'm respectful of the ocean but not too afraid. The things that live in the ocean can be scary if on a kayak, but sometimes you have to just go for it. If a whale breeches at the right (wrong) time a bigger boat isn't big enough either. Dress for long term immersion, always wear a life jacket, carry a GPS and a VHF radio, and always go with a skilled partner. There is way more to it than just buying a kayak when it comes to the cold ocean around here.
What scares me is getting sea sick and being stuck on a boat I have no control over. If I get sick in my kayak I head in immediately. I never go out very far anyway and can pick nice calm days.
Eel
It's written in the good Book that we'll never be asked to take more than we can. Sounds like a good plan, so bring it on!