Hi Simeon,

Please excuse the bluntness on the first post. It just hit me as bizarre.

I can see now that you are well immersed in the form vs. function dilemma.

Best,

Reg

: Wet neoprene is no problem - I windsurf, so unsightly bulges and wet neoprene
: are not entirely unfamiliar ;-)

: The part about wet neoprene which I don't like in this application is that
: every spray skirt I've ever used has dripped through once it's been wet.
: Dry kayaking in rough water is a rarity I know, but one can only try!

: I'm building a kayak of my own design based on elements of many of the kayaks
: whose designers (and builders) lurk on this board, of course with a large
: element of my own interpretation.

: I have used the skirt and coaming extensively in other kayaks, but one of the
: key elements of my design is a smooth flowing shape both above and below
: the waterline. This means that a straight coaming protruding out of the
: cockpit, while brilliantly functional will clash with my goals.

: The current plan is to build a flush coaming with recessed lip. This way I
: get the benefit of the neoprene escape (as Rob has suggested), but without
: the aesthetic of an external coaming.