[Paddlewise] No bulkheads ???

I am considering buying a smaller 2nd kayak for day trips and light surfing 
that has no bulkheads and no hatches.  Using airbags for floatation and not 
having hatches appeals to me for a couple of reasons. One, I like the idea of 
being able to checking the integrity of the floatation easily.  I once had a 
bad experience with a leaking hatch (the hatch itself not just the cover) 
that started filling up the kayak in the middle of a paddle.  The problem was 
not apparent from a visual inspection. Second, I think I'll get a drier ride 
without a front hatch.  Although I know this depends on the design of each 
model, the kayaks that I liked from a handling standpoint did not have what I 
considered "flush" hatches.  I have also had problems with hatch cover 
deterioration so that was just more reason to prefer the hatchless system.

What concerns me is that if I like this new kayak as much as I think, then I 
will want to start using it for overnighter's and weekend trips.  My 
experience with packing says that no matter how "stuffed" the cargo area, 
there will still be considerable voids between bags. I worry that in a 
capsize the voids would fill up with water and consequently there would not 
be enough floatation for a self rescue.  Filling up the cargo area with 
filled dry bags and no air bags strikes me the same as filling up the cargo 
area in my bulkheaded kayak and not worrying about having the hatch covers 
on.  I know the two situations are not really the same thing, but I just get 
this "bad" feeling about my dry bags full of gear serving as my floatation.

Am I being paranoid about this?

Is there some way to be pretty sure that I'll have enough floatation from the 
dry bags without the air bags   
a) before buying the kayak  ?
b) without putting a gear load in the kayak and swamping it to see if it 
floats when I climb back in ?

Will partially inflating an air bag really fill in the smaller spaces between 
bags?  (I know it will help in filling up the larger spaces at the kayak ends 
or between the bags and the deck)

Do I need to have a "web" or strap of some type where the bulkheads would 
normally be located to make sure bags to not come out?  (If I can get it in 
what keeps it from coming out?).

For those of you who have kayaks with no bulkheads, did you find any 
unexpected problems or benefits from not having the bulkheads. 


Mark J. Arnold
MJAkayaker_at_aol.com
 

 

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************