I finally managed to get a couple of reasonable pictures of my S&G Lightening 7. I also took a pic of the watertight compartment (S&G also) I added to the underside of the deck. I wanted to use the space above my knees as a place to store electronic equipment and/or food. I have the parts for the lid cut but not assembled so the lid doesn't appear in the picture. Two of the unseen improvements over my last kayak are the use of kevlar to line the cockpit and the insertion of a one inch layer of foam under the bulkheads to provide some shock absorption. I decided to use the kevlar not to strengthen the hull but to simply hold the pieces together in the event that I manage to break it in half again. I also used the West Epoxy 105 with a 207 Hardener to give the kayak improved flexibility to go with the added foam shock absorbers. I have found that the kayak runs off gravel beds in shallows and ice pans better, showing great flexibility and straighter tracking over these obstacles.
I named the kayak "Guardian Spirit". My nine year old daughter asked me to give it that name. Lydia's spirit is indomitably joyful so I figured if that's what she thinks it should be called then that's what it's going to be called. I gave her a ride in the back hatch this fall and she loved it. At first she was worried it might tip but the kayaks stability held true even during a quick turn. Once we passed through thousands of geese and ducks she forgot her worries and we chased them around the pond.

Robert