: Heck, add a 4 or 5" wide band of glass under your bulkhead and don't worry about it.

Sounds right to me. Based on threads some time ago, I had tenuously decided that a layered set of 6" and 4" under the rear bulkhead to provide progressive stiffening as a rock slides along the bottom would do the job.

: Speaking of foot pumps--Pete said you'd been to one of the WKC pool sessions
: with him this spring. Did you check out Bill McKenzie's foot pump system
: with the FG pickup line running along the keel and under the seat? Wow!!

Yeah, we went to a bunch of pool sessions where I picked up a roll that's working well for me. We talked about the fiberglass channel. At this point I'm not sure where to place the pump in relation to the foot pegs and what to do about adjustments for a second paddler (me of course). The channel being a fixed structure complicates adjustments. Got to keep it low enough not to be wedgie as well

Ted