Maybe wed better open another thread for this, but there have been many...
Anyhow what that site was referring to are real external air bags, something so big that can keep afloat a flooded canoe with people in. Now, i didnt make it through the whole site (heavy, hopefully wasnt a sale pitch), so i dont know how the whole thing can go on a kayak without bothering the paddler, they were posting various sketches and different systems though.
Im not talking about internal flotation, there doesnt matter if its at the sides on the ends, if its airbags or compartments or whatever. Those things stay outside and apparently with their size they should keep the boat from rolling (in the same way, if you actually go upside down, its an exit and would be difficult to roll the whole thing back up) but, in a case like this with 3 guys in the same kayak ....

As for legislation im not saying theres the need for that, PFDs its ok makes sense, anything else its like saying that we need a law that says you have to have a sprayskirt, or flotation bags inside a SoF.
My point was simply that maybe, as something to deploy in emergency conditions, with the opportune modifications they could have their merits.

PS: yes that directive was an oversight and got corrected but there are single man rafts on the market, they are just not used by kayakers.

: Hi Acors,
: Sorry for hijacking the thread.
: I don't get the idea or reasoning behind this side flotation. If it's
: internal, wouldn't the use of bulkheads in hard-shells and airbags in
: SoF's eliminate any need for side flotation?
: If it's external, giving the hull more flair would do the same, yes?

: As for legislating them into use, I recall when the EU Small Craft Directive
: first came out, maybe ten years ago, where all small craft would "be
: required to carry a life raft suitable for the number of persons for which
: the craft is designed." It would have applied to kayaks as well as
: one-man dinghy's, and to my knowledge thare are no liferafts designed for
: one person on the open market.
: The Directive was modified.

: Mike Savage
: South West Cork