: Recessed cockpits were started by Valley Canoe in England. The intention was
: so you could reenter the kayak in an assisted or self rescue and avoid
: snags of the PFD or any other safety stuff attached to it. They were into
: the hard core kayaking long before Americans even knew how to do a rescue.
: All the other side benefits like ease of rolling etc. just fell into
: place. I think it's also good industrial design like recessed hatches and
: bungee fittings. (All came from Valley Canoe)

Btw, in case anyone doesn't know, Valley Canoe makes kayaks

Bill H.