: On your camera compartment do you have any possiblity of a foot entrapment
: issue? I was wondering if it's a good idea or possible to make a
: small/flatish storage compartment under the deck in front of the cockpit
: with a lid (w/ a window for charts) big enough for smaller items but not
: too big/deep. Don't know what I'd store in there besides charts and
: mini-sized camera but....?

The compartment does make it a bit tighter too get in and out of the yak. If I could make a change it would be to move it a bit further back to accomodate the legs more. Once inside, there are no issues with space, there's lots of it. I store energy bars in it, gloves and whatever else I need while out there. I just had the idea that for charts I could build a low shallow plexiglass compartment ont eh foredeck to hold open maps that could be used while paddlign, without touching. It could be as wide as the deck and as deep as the maps, perhaps less than a half-inch high, opening at the cockpit end and sealed water tight. Great, now I have another kayak idea to keep me busy this winter. It just happens that I got a huge piece of plexiglass at a church rummage sale last week. Someone was using it as an easel back with a clip to hold pieces of newsprint. I know the value of plexiglass so I scooped it up for a buck. Now I have a use for it.

Ideally, you can modify any wooden kayak to hold a storage compartment. Just decide what you want it for and build around the object you have in mind, bearing in mind it has to be watertight and convenient to gain access to.