Front buoyancy

The RH340 has a space up front fore of the small footrest "tank". It is essential that this space is fitted with extra buoyancy - it helps a rescuer to empty your kayak and enables you to successfully complete a re-entry and roll. Although an airbag is the usual addition to the space these are expensive and they do have a tendency to deflate after a while (and it is impossible to see what is happening in there so you do not always know a deflaton has taken place). On my Rockhoppers I have put three cheap plastic footballs in this space (£2 or £3 each). They will not deflate unless they burst. You do have to pull the foitrest right up as close to the seat as possible to get them in but they do squash through the gap... Julian.