: Douglas-
: Good choice on the flotation!
: I've been using flotation bags from (no longer in business) Mariner
: Kayaks in our boats here. Once nice feature of those bags is the
: long fill tube (4 ft on the bow bags, 2-3 ft on the stern bag) -
: you can top them up easily.
: George Gronseth (Kayak Academy) sells bags of that type @$55 - I
: picked up a set last week.
: Arranging an extension to the tube, or replacing the tube with a
: longer one, should be easy work if you can build a kayak.

: BTW, there's an excellent article on flotation by Matt Broze at
: http://www.marinerkayaks.com/
: Pull down the 'Manuals' menu on the left sidebar.

: IMO, you are much safer without that bulkhead w/o hatch access.
: Even with a bulkheaded compartment, I'd put a float bag in there
: for day trips.

: Cheers
: John

I went the extra mile and purchased two of these:
Watershed Futa drybag

one in the fore, one aft, double duty for flotation / storage. Since I made my hatches on the generous side I can insert them 80% full, push them in, and then use the tube to inflate and hold in place. Considering adding internal tie-down spots just to make sure they stay in place. Very well made product, super durable. Cost $79/each if you shop around, no tax, free shipping (like i did)

In the past month I have done 8 trips varying from 1.5 hrs to 4 hrs in mild to moderate conditions, as well as a 3 hour, on the water, "how to save your @ss" session with a certified instrutor. The Futa's stayed in place. They were filled with air only, but I think I'm going to put my cold weather emergency stuff in there (dry outfit, emergency blanket, etc).

Nerd specs from Watershed:

Part float bag, part dry bag, but all business. The Watershed Futa Float Bag is the coolest dual-purpose bag we kayakers have seen. Intended primarily for kayak sterns, the Futa tapers to fit most boats and the ZipDry® closure ensures your contents are dry at the takeout.
Three external lash points and four deck attachment points keep the bag in place.

Over-the-top compression straps allow the bag to be sized down to fit contents and the stern of the boat.

A convenient carry handle on the side makes carrying your stow float easier when it's full.

Size: 18.5"W x 36"L (tapers to 6.5"), 1000 cu. in., 16 liters.