[Paddlewise] Subject: Pros and cons of bulkheads

Marcia asked (snip):
>In my search for a new kayak I'm considering the Mariner Elan.  It doesn't
appear to be available with bulkheads.  I've never had a boat without
bulkheads and wonder about the pros and cons of them.<

You must have front flotation in order to consider yourself seaworthy. A Sea
Sock will give you a degree of protection and an effective water
displacement strategy for self rescue as an added bonus. However, paddlers
either love them or hate them. I'd imagine California can get kinda hot,
so...

For day trips, a float bag upfront is a no-brainer, but buying and using one
that also operates as a gear bag is again, one of those things you love or
hate.

I also imagine that BCU courses and assessments (or whatever germane scheme
is being taken by the paddler in a non-bulkheaded kayak where there's lots
of water-play) must be a time when the instructors all groan, "Egad, one of
those boats again with no front bulkhead."

I also know a well known west coast paddler out of Tofino that swears by
non-bulkheaded boats. He does a lot of rockgarden work, and simply wants the
strongest hull possible (so uses the flotation/gearbag route). Another
paddler who did the first kayak circumnavigation of Haida Gwaii also
insisted on a boat without a front bulkhead, so as to have a stronger front
hull/deck due to the heavy impact potential in surf.

I'm on the digest version of PW, so maybe you already got some response.
Take care. Decisions, decisions.

Doug Lloyd
Victoria BC

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"Whatever can be said at all can be said clearly and whatever cannot be said
clearly should not be said at all."
Ludwig Wittgenstein
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