: The Governor here (Hawaii) has just signed a law that requires every
: "vessel" that ventures one mile off shore to have on board a
: EPIRB or VHF radio. So the search begins. Where better to begin than here,
: I am sure you fanatics 
have all the good ones picked out and know the
: best places to buy.
I love my Icom M1-V. It's almost as small as the HX-460S...thinner, narrower, but taller. Both have Li-Ion batteries...as Nick said, they last all day. Heck, with sporadic use, I charge mine once every 2 months!
It's going for about $190 at cyber-marine.com, and at defender:
http://www.defender.com/cgi-bin/Web_store/web_store.cgi?catalog=253665&frames=yes&store=yes
See also:
http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Technique/index.cgi/read/12948
Phil has the waterproof (not submersible, I think?) Uniden Atlantis. At under $100 for waterproof, non-NiCad (NiMh instead), it's a good value. A plastic waterproof case is $20. Heck, Penny still never paid me for mine...you can have it if you're interested!
Speaking of returning to Flathead Land, I was talking to Jerry's assistant at the Paddlefest. He was a FWP water safety officer the past few years. I quizzed him about VHF use, and he couldn't comment much. Most of Flathead County law enforcement uses the law enforcement bands, and not much VHF-Marine band monitoring. (esp. VHF-16) Lake County Sheriff always picks up my radio checks when I'm on the south end of the lake. I talked to one of the fishing charters and Pointer Scenic cruises last summer, and they said most of the commercial VHF users stay on VHF-68.
Glacier Park Boats pretty much stays on VHF-16 in the park...which would cover you on McD (both Apgar and the Hotel area), St. Mary, Josephine, Swiftcurrent, and Two Med...at least during touron season.
: Then when I return to Flathead Land, maybe a dry suit, hmmmmm. What do you
: think Shawn?
I love my drysuit!!!! If you don't sweat a lot in a rain coat, you might like the coated nylon Kokatat Meridian. If you're prone to sweating, go for the GTX Meridian or Dura.
Ask Yuhas--you might want a tuilik, too! I can get yellow neoprene that would match the new Romany! 
Shawn
