> . . . I like the look and feel produced by rounding off that
> area, but am wondering how it will effect the hull design? Looking at
> several plastic and glass kayaks, I noted that the sides were rounded
> also. . .

When looking at designs from fiberglass and plastic boats ALWAYS assume that they were designed ( at least partly) to make the boats easy to pull out of the molds. This may not always be the case, but it is true enough, often enough, to make a good working premise.

My two cents.

Paul Jacobson