: I'm not really that worried about a visit on the water. I'd be more concerned
: with a visit while launching or landing.

Shawn, the cleanest and easiest workaround for using your new PFD --- and a totally legal way, to boot --- is to satisfy the letter of the law and visit your local Boats'R'Us store, buy their $4.95 Type II PFD, and store it in an area which you could realistically get to if you had to evacuate your vessel. That's all we have to have --- no Type IV throwables are required for kayaks. Just a Type I, II or III PFD --- or a Type V, but most or all of those have to be worn to be legal, and that might get a little bulky ---, which has been fully qualified to USCG specs at great cost in time, money and patience. You don't have to wear it --- or generally admit to owning it --- but its being there satisfies all your legal requirements at little cost. (I bought one to use as a static display a month or so ago, and paid $4.95 for it! As a matter of fact, if you pay the postage, you can *have* it!) Unless you're heading for Hawaii with Ed Gilet, Type II is all you need. If venturing offshore, a Type I would be prudent.

Lotus, by the way, is now Patagucci owned!

Jack Martin