Brian,
I'm doing the outfitting on my current project. I thought the perception style of netting on the deck (fore and aft of the cockpit) looked okay, but the stretchy material seemed insufficient...thought about using regular hammock netting, tied to the standard bungie cord rigging...but after laying the stuff on the deck to see, it looked ugly...actualy it's not ugly, but it hides the strip pattern too much...then after further research, the general consensus is that good packing and judicious gear selection should pre-empt the need for stowing gear on the deck. Spare paddle, paddle float, pump, these things I understand need to be easily accessable; those deck bags (Seal Line?) for camera, water, sunscreen, etc.; compass (I don't want one permanently installed) tied to the deck rigging on the fore-deck...would you consider these things "neccessary" for deck stowage? How do you keep your map on your boats? I'm of standard stature, it is kind of a reach for me to access stuff on the fore deck....A woman at the local "extreme sporting goods store" said that she stows her paddle float under her thighs as a thigh pad... she also reiterated Doud's thought that things on the deck have a likely possibility of being washed off. For a purchase for the paddle in case of wet re-entry, she suggested webbing instead of bungie cord...I think the webbing looks kind of ugly... and the bolts/screws/grommets won't fit too well with pad eyes. I'm thinking of using bungie cord, but doubling up on the sides where I might be securing the paddle for that purpose (wet re-entry). Do you use a drogue? If you have, or have seen one in use, how are they secured to the boat? Kite surfing is popular these days...kites and sails, I've seen hand-held versions in the magazine ads, no kite pictures though...have you had the opportunity to use either? If so, how did it work? How did you rig them? I'm of the impression that some kind of quick release is neccessary, and a connection to the bow, line running back to the paddler (maybe wrapped around the coaming under the sprayskirt lip) might work, but I'm also concerned that the force of the kite's pull will yank out the padeye or whatever mechanism is used to secure the kite or drogue at the bow....sorry to ramble. Okay, so some kind of deck rigging is needed...the standard "X" box pattern between padeyes the method, lots of fore deck on my boat...kind of screams for more extensive rigging on the fore deck, but very difficult to reach the pad eyes closer to the forward hatch...I could do it before I install bulkheads, but they will need to come off for varnishing at some point anyway...
You've a couple of boats in your fleet. Do you rig them all the same, or are they rigged for the puroposes each boat is designed for? This boat I'm putting together is an expedition single (if I can, maybe I will) though I don't have an expedition planned....my feeling is that you can take the expedition boat on a day trip, but a day boat might not do for an expedition. Suggestions? I've bought the padeyes (I have 12), still need to get the bungie cord...haven't drilled any holes yet. Thanks for reading this.
Bill Cruz
PS
I'm going to make my own paddle...I might use a pattern from something in the store, or just eye out the shape...the thin blade traditional styles look very cool, but I'm wondering if they help push the boat as well as a wider blade...I've got Kulczycki's book with the two styles he suggests...what are the special features of your "storm paddle", that make it different from your regular "sunny day paddle"?

: My storm paddle lives on the foredeck of my boats. A loop at the bow and
: cords with sliders (Greenland style rigging) secure it. The aft deck
: rigging only gets used if I need to carry a spare euro paddle for others
: to use.