: The argument that small
: "ocean" cockpits are more seaworthy does not really stand up
: when one looks at the huge cockpits currently found on white water boats.

You shot this down yourself with the following statement:

: As a side note, I understand that white water boats have large cockpits to
: avoid leg entrapment if the boat gets pinned and squashed on a rock. This
: was a big problem when these boats started to be made from roto-molded
: plastic. The earlier small-cockpit fiberglass boats would just shatter
: when on a rock, but the plastic boats don't.

: Even the latest British boats are now being offered with larger cockpits.

There's a very simple reason for this and it's not that keyhole cockpits are any better. They're doing it in response to market demand, specifically here in the US. If you want to sell a lot of expensive boats in the US, you have to be willing to accomodate big, fat, lazy paddlers. I don't mean to imply that everyone who uses a keyhole cockpit is any of the three, but there are a lot of people over here willing to dump big bucks on a 'glass boat to paddle around the local pond (or just cart around on top of their Lexus/BMW/Mercedes SUV) to impress their friends. What they don't want to have to do is work at it. There's a name for these people and it isn't "kayakers"; I think it starts with a "Y".

I'm not going to take sides on this issue, as I can see the benefits of both designs. My preference is for small cockpits, but the important thing is to set your boat up the way you like it, then get out and paddle it. Just don't get pissed at me if I laugh when you trip over your spray skirt.