> Had a family emergency and didn't get to read the flotation thread until
> now. Some interesting ideas. A couple of things that weren't mentioned
> that really increase flotation:

> 1- put your front bulkhead as close to your feet as possible and your rear
> bulkhead as close to the back of the seat as possible. This will limit the
> volume of water allowed into the cockpit in a capsize plus it will give a
> larger air space inside the water tight compartments.

Good ideas if you don't mind losing storage space behind your backband and don't plan on having anyone with longer legs that yours use your boat. On the Outer Island that I'm building I'm thinking of putting a block of foam up against the front bulkhead instead of using footpegs, so it will only work for people with legs as long as mine. You can also put foam padding on the inner sides of the hull where your legs don't go -- basically filling up unneeded space that could get filled with water. Also serves to make your cockpit more snug for better fit.

> 2- the use of a sea sock will do the same thing. Plus when you reenter
> with a sea sock most of the water is displaced and pumping out the cockpit
> is minimized or eliminated. Some people fear the sea sock getting tangled
> in their legs when wet exiting. This can be eliminated by using a simple
> system ( D-rings and clips) to attach the sea sock inside the kayak.

I built my Arctic Tern without hatches or bulkheads -- I was a bit anxious to get paddling this spring and went with a sea sock for the time being. A sea sock is not something I would recommend to anyone except skin-on-frame kayakers, for whom bulkheads are usually not an option. My biggest beefs about sea socks are:

1) TOO HOT! They add an extra layer of insulation down there, which can be very uncomfortable on warm days.

b) No good place for storage inside the cockpit. All of my stuff (pump,paddlefloat,sponsons,sponge,etc.) are kept on deck since there's no good way to secure them inside the sock.

iii) They move around when entering the cockpit and require a bit of adjustment (kind of like when your shorts ride up...) to get situated.

One tip for those who do go with a sea-sock, though. I used John Lockwood's idea of stuffing a false foam bulkhead down into the foot-end of the sea sock. This keeps the thing from draping onto your legs. Still, there is some moving of the bag in the butt-area, so getting in and getting the bag situated around you is still a bit of a nuisance. You don't want these kind of nuisances when trying to re-enter your boat in waves or launch from a beach with a bit of surf.

Also, with a sea sock, it takes longer to get prepared at the launch site. I put on the sea sock and stuff the false foam bulkhead in, which is a pain. Then I get a big air bubble between the inside of the boat and the sea sock, so I usually enter the boat on the beach to force my legs in and force the air out. Too much hassle.

> Just a couple of thoughts, Ian

Just a couple more thoughts, Dean