: John - with all due respect that flexing stuff is total nonsense. I have
: built 6 strippers and three S & G's all with solid bulkheads and they
: are only stronger because I have them in. and... I'm not alone. If you
: show me a stripper kayak that flexes enough to cause any problems with a
: solid bulkhead, I'll give you my house.

: Use solid bulkheads if you want.

Hi Jay
It looks as if I have been outvoted. I think I read the advice I gave in both Nick Schade and Ted Moore's books. My previous kayaks were one of plywood and one fibreglass. The plywood one had plywood bulkheads and always seemed to spring a leak on the bottom, but that may have been due to my poor workmanship. I was 13 at the time. The fibreglass one was a slalom and used hard in whitewater. At times the bottom would move up an inch or two or three as I bounced over the rocks. It survived, but had no bulkheads. Strip kayaks seem a bit more rigid than fibreglass and so more susceptible to a break. However, as I am relatively inexperienced in sea kayaking and haven't yet been dumped on a rock in a strip kayak I can't form my own opinion yet. When I read the advice I gave it made sense. When I hear your experiences it tells me that the kayak is strong enough to withstand a good jolt. In the meantime it appears the jury is still out, so I will wait until I bottom out on a rock and see. I hope your house remains safe for my bottom's sake. :-)
Cheers John K