: :: . . . A viewing box works because the window at the bottom
: reflects the

: It's difficult to get close enough to a horizontal window or
: viewing box to cut off the reflection of the bright sky in a
: kayak. What may work is a window in the bottom, between the
: legs, made so at an angle so you are looking into it more or
: less at right angles to the glass. Your body will tend to shade
: it, and you will then be looking in the direction you are going
: which will probably be more interesting, too. The boat will have
: to be rather beamier than usual in a kayak to allow space for
: the legs, of course. It will have to be below the waterline and
: arranged so air is purged.

I did a quick test yesterday. I tried looking in the water and couldn't because of the reflection of the bright sky. But then I held out my dark paddle. When I looked at the reflection of the paddle I could easily see underwater because the paddle was so dark the light from underwater could easily overpower the light reflecting from the paddle.

So I think that placing the window so that you see the reflection of the underside of the deck, and painting the underside of the deck black, would work very well for seeing underwater. Now I have to do some experimenting (measuring) to see if my kids' legs will take up the entire bottom of the boat, making it impossible to see out the window.

But if you were to puta window in the bottom of a strip built kayak, how would you do it?