Patent Publication Number: US-7721670-B2

Title: Kayak having deck fairing

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/863,519, filed Oct. 30, 2006, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. The Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to kayaks. More specifically, the present invention relates to an open cockpit kayak having inflatable (or air filled) sections forming sections of the upper surface of the kayak. 
   2. State of the Art 
   Kayaks are available in various different designs, such as closed cockpit and open cockpit designs.  FIG. 1  shows a typical whitewater kayak  10 . When referring to whitewater kayaks  10 , we refer to a boat which has a design optimized for whitewater navigation. Whitewater kayaks  10  are typically of rotomolded plastic or composite construction, and the user typically sits inside the hull of the kayak such that the kayak encloses the legs of the user. The user typically wears a spray skirt  26  made of neoprene, nylon or similar material which surrounds the user&#39;s torso and is affixed around the coaming  22  (a raised rim) of the kayak cockpit  18  to seal out water. 
   The upper surface  14  of a closed cockpit kayak  10  is enclosed except for a cockpit opening  18  at the seat. The user sits in the kayak hull with their legs enclosed within the kayak  10  and their torso extending from the opening  18  in the upper surface  14 . Whitewater kayaks  10  are highly maneuverable kayaks, and the enclosed upper surface  14  allows a person to roll the kayak more easily if inverted in the water. 
   Whitewater kayaks  10 , however, require additional skill as a person can not exit the kayak easily and quickly in case of an emergency. The failure to exit a whitewater kayak  10  in the event of being pinned against an obstacle, broaching, or the failure to roll upright can result in serious injury and/or death. In order to exit a whitewater kayak  10 , the user must have a free hand to pull the grab-loop of his/her spray skirt  26  to remove the spray skirt. The user may not always have a free hand available, especially if the user is already using both hands to steady themselves or keep their head above water. It is also possible for a kayaker to be stuck in a position which does not give them immediate access to the grab-loop, such as having their torso pinned against the stern deck. Should removal of the skirt  26  prove to be impossible, exit can be extremely difficult. 
   Egress of a whitewater kayak  10  typically requires: 1) a free hand to pull the spray skirt grab-loop, 2) removal of the spray skirt  26 , 3) removal of the user&#39;s lower limbs from within the kayak hull, 4) the user having “clean” gear (such as bare feet, socks or booties that don&#39;t have laces, straps, buckles, etc.) that won&#39;t get caught on foot pegs, outfitting or hardware inside the kayak  10  and thus prevent the user from exiting the kayak. 
   Egress typically results in the flooding/swamping of the kayak  10  and an increased weight/momentum/wetted surface area of the kayak which increase the hazards and difficulties associated with recovery of the kayak in moving water. A swamped kayak as such also poses greater danger to those downstream from it in moving water. 
   Even when a kayaker is successful at exiting the kayak  10 , further complications arise, such as the kayak filling with water which must be drained in order for the kayak to be operable again. This generally requires the recovery of the kayak  10  which can be difficult since such swamped kayaks tend to be much heavier than un-swamped kayaks. A swamped kayak  10  is also more likely to become pinned on rocks and require mechanical advantage to un-pin. An additional hazard is posed by the increased weight and momentum of a swamped kayak  10 , as the kayak can be dangerous if the user is downstream of the swamped kayak and becomes caught between the kayak and a rock or obstruction in the river. 
   After egress a user must typically perform the following steps required to resume paddling and use of the kayak  10 : 1) the kayak  10  must be recovered, possibly requiring a high degree of strength or leverage to un-pin the kayak, 2) the kayak must be drained, generally requiring a somewhat dry, level surface, and 3) the user must re-enter the kayak and re-secure the spray skirt  26 , which is also fairly difficult without access to a dry, level surface. 
   Unintentional egress of the kayak  10  can also be caused by the failure of the spray skirt  26  when water pressure builds on it in areas such as the base of waterfalls. Water pressure may build on the skirt  26  to the point where it fails, forcing unintentional egress. This typically happens in jump hydraulics (commonly referred to as “holes”), upon landing from waterfalls or any situation where sufficient pressure forms on the skirt  26 . 
   Because of the confined nature of typical whitewater kayak  10  designs, special low-profile gear must be used on the feet and legs which avoids shoelaces, straps, buckles and other loose components which might get caught in the internal outfitting of the kayak and thus prevent the kayaker from exiting. Such gear, while a necessity for safe use of the kayak  10 , is usually poorly suited to hiking and traversing the rocky and rough terrain which is typically found around whitewater rivers, and recovery of the kayak  10  typically requires such hiking. After the kayak  10  has been recovered, it must be drained of water which typically requires moving the kayak to the river bank to provide a solid surface on which to manipulate the boat. Some rivers do not always have easily accessible banks either due to the extreme width of the river, the steep angle of the banks (such as sheer canyon walls), heavy vegetation overgrowth, etc. 
   Kayaks  10  pose additional dangers. A person can easily hit their head or body on the rigid upper surface  14  of the kayak  10  as they reenter the water after passing over a waterfall or are otherwise tossed about by the water or as they bump into the rocks. Whitewater kayaking involves the navigation of rivers and streams with high gradient, occasionally requiring the user to cross waterfalls, ledges and other drops which involve a period of freefall and subsequent impact upon landing. The whitewater kayak  10  does little to absorb or transfer the energy produced in such drops away from the boater. Injuries commonly result from these impacts in the form of broken ankles, legs and other bodily harm resulting from the full weight and momentum of the kayaker being transferred to the lower limbs. 
   Additionally, the upper body is subject to injuries resulting in the abrupt impact with the hard plastic deck or cockpit coaming  22 . Injuries typical to such impact include broken ribs, broken nose, jaw and tooth injuries, concussion, broken back, etc. If a person goes over a waterfall in a kayak, the kayak points downwardly as it enters the water, often causing the person to hit their head or body on the upper kayak surface  14  as the kayak reenters the water and decelerates from the drop. The person may also injure their feet, legs, and lower body as the force of impact is transferred through the kayak  10  without mitigation. A person may also become trapped in a kayak if the kayak shell becomes collapsed due to water pressure, a collision with a rock, etc. 
   The inclusion of the cockpit opening  18  in a whitewater kayak  10  poses a structural problem, as it reduces the structural rigidity of the kayak  10  along the length thereof. This frequently leads to kayaks  10  folding across the cockpit area during a broach and pin situation. This structural problem tends to be amplified when the spray skirt  26  is removed and the kayak  10  is allowed to fill with water. Thus, kayakers are frequently forced to keep their spray skirts  26  secured in such situations in order to prevent the kayak  10  from folding and collapsing onto their legs. Exiting a folded kayak  10  is difficult if not impossible without significant force or mechanical advantage. This situation is referred to as “deck entrapment” by whitewater kayakers. 
   The open cockpit  18  is also disadvantageous as the hull of the kayak  10  is open unless sealed by the skirt  26 , creating the potential for rapid flooding and swamping of the kayak which significantly decreases the kayaks buoyancy. Thus, the design of whitewater kayaks  10  results in some significant dangers. 
   Sit-on-top kayaks  30 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , have been made which have a sealed hull and a generally open seating area in the upper surface  34 . The upper surface  34  includes an extensive recess  38  in which a person sits to pilot the kayak  30 . The recess  38  typically includes a seat portion  42  and channels for the pilot&#39;s legs and feet  46 . Thus, in a sit-on-top kayak  30 , a significant amount of the upper surface  34  of the kayak is concave where the upper surface of a closed cockpit kayak  10  ( FIG. 1 ) is convex. 
   Sit-on-top kayaks  30  are typically optimized for flat, calm water (Class I or lower navigation). The hull is watertight for the most part and the user typically sits inside of a depression or recess  38  formed on the deck of the boat which has been designed to act as a seat and foot holds. Further security and control can be provided to the user by the addition of thigh straps which go around the legs of the boater. While the Sit-on-top design addresses some of the problems mentioned above, such as providing easier egress from the kayak, it does not address all of them and presents new ones as well. For example, sit-on-top kayaks are not well suited for whitewater use. 
   Sit-on-top kayaks  30  have inherent performance problems. The concave nature of the deck  34  acts as a basin and can trap water, decreasing the buoyancy of the kayak until the water can be drained. This draining is usually accomplished by the addition of drain holes in the bottom of the recess  38  (sometimes called a “self-bailing” design). It will be appreciated, however, that even a kayak which drains in seconds can quickly become un-maneuverable on a river where water is coming constantly over the deck, as may be a common situation in whitewater usage. This concavity also adversely affects the resurfacing characteristics of the boat after it has been partially or fully submerged, such as when the boat goes through a hydraulic jump or submerges after landing from a drop. 
   The deck profile of sit-on-top kayaks  30  also adversely affects the kayaker&#39;s ability to self-rescue, which is typically accomplished using a skill known as an “Eskimo Roll” or simply a “roll”. The roll is accomplished when the kayaker positions themselves underwater to pull a stroke perpendicular to the kayak, essentially pulling themselves up from out of the water and back into an upright position. If we imagine a line running through the central axis of a kayak from the bow end to the stern end, we might call this the “long axis” of the kayak. In a conventional kayak, this imaginary “long axis” runs through the body (pelvis) of the kayaker, close to the kayaker&#39;s center-of-gravity. In a SOT kayak, this axis runs below the kayaker&#39;s body, much further away from the kayaker&#39;s center-of-gravity. The closer a kayaker&#39;s center-of-gravity is to the long axis of the kayak, the easier the kayak is to roll. 
   Something similar to this can be observed in figure skating when the skater performs a spin. The closer the skater pulls their limbs in to the axis of their rotation, the faster they spin. Similarly, the more they open up the slower they spin. The lower ability to roll a sit-on-top kayak  30  combined with the relatively insecure seating position, poor water-shedding characteristics, and non-streamlined cross-section profile of the deck make sit-on-top kayaks considerably more difficult to roll than conventional whitewater kayaks. 
   Finally, the characteristics which make sit-on-top kayaks  30  so easily escapable also make it difficult for the boater to remain seated on the kayak and in control when navigating the violent currents associated with whitewater. 
   Thus, the concave upper surface  34  of a sit-on-top kayak  30  makes the kayak less maneuverable in certain situations, such as rolling the kayak upright when inverted in the water. Additionally, a person may still hit their head or body on the upper surface  34  of an open kayak  30  if they are tossed about by the water or collisions with rocks. 
   Some inflatable sit-on-top kayaks have been made in a shape similar to rigid sit-on-top kayaks. These inflatable kayaks, however, are frequently more difficult to navigate as the inflatable hull does not maneuver through the water as crisply as a rigid hull. An inflatable hull is less rigid, and may therefore lose maneuverability as compared to other types of kayaks. 
   There is thus a need for a kayak which overcomes the limitations of available kayaks. Specifically, there is a need for a kayak which achieves the maneuverability of a rigid closed cockpit kayak without the difficulties and dangers associated therewith. There is need for a kayak which may be more easily mounted and dismounted by a person, which is highly maneuverable in the water, and which reduces the risk of injury caused by a person hitting their head or body on the upper kayak surface while using the kayak. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved kayak. The inventive kayak allows the user to sit inside a depression molded into the deck of the hull, and the deck profile is filled and streamlined using foam or inflatable inserts that also provide protection and energy absorption in the event of an impact. 
   According to one aspect of the invention, a kayak is provided with a generally rigid closed hull having inflatable or partially inflatable or air filled inserts which may be placed into a recess formed in the hull. The inserts allow for control of the shape of the kayak. The kayak may be provided with an upper surface shape which is similar to that of a sit-on-top kayak, providing the maneuverability of the whitewater kayak. The shape of the insert makes the kayak easier to roll, for example. Additionally, the inserts allow for a kayak in which a person sits on top of the kayak and is not enclosed in the kayak hull, but where the upper surface of the kayak is maintained as a generally convex surface similar to a whitewater kayak. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, a safer kayak is provided. The use of inserts provides softer areas around the pilot, cushioning any contact between the pilot and the kayak. The use of a rigid lower hull maintains the maneuverability of the kayak. 
   The present invention provides an inflatable hybrid kayak. The kayak design is a composite structure craft as it utilizes multiple materials of differing physical qualities to compose the main structure. The kayak may typically use a rotomolded polyethylene plastic in the hull for strength and durability, foam in the deck fairing to provide energy absorption in an impact and an inflated air bladder in the stern fairing for impact protection and to provide an air reserve in the case of an emergency. 
   The kayak typically consists of the following components: The kayak includes a rotomolded, plastic, or composite material (i.e. fiberglass/resin) hull which is constructed similarly to a sit-on-top kayak with depressions or cavities molded into the deck which accept the other components. 
   The kayak also typically includes a series of foam or inflatable components which fit into the cavities of the hull deck and in turn leave cavities which the boater can situate themselves within. These are typically foam or inflatable bladders depending on the specific engineering requirements of the particular kayak design. These components are fairings as they create a streamlined, water-shedding, convex deck profile above the deck of the hull that reduces drag and provides protection. 
   The kayak also typically includes the various straps and outfitting necessary to attach the fairing to the hull, a seat, and a pair of thigh-straps to secure the user within the kayak. 
   These and other aspects of the present invention are realized in a kayak as shown and described in the following figures and related description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various embodiments of the present invention are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  shows a side view of a kayak known in the prior art; 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a kayak known in the prior art; 
       FIG. 3  shows a top view of a kayak of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  shows a side view of a kayak of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  shows a partial cut-away side view of a kayak of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 6  shows a partially exploded perspective view of a kayak of the present invention. 
   

   It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the invention in greater clarity. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The drawings and descriptions are exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. For clarity, not all structures are shown or discussed in each figure. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 3 , a top view of a kayak  70  according to the present invention is shown. The kayak  70  includes a generally rigid hull  74 . The rigid hull is advantageous as it creates a kayak  70  which is generally more maneuverable than an inflatable kayak. The kayak  70  allows the pilot to sit on top of the kayak  70  rather than being enclosed in the kayak. In order to eliminate limitations found in existing sit-on-top kayaks, the kayak  70  includes various additional features. 
   The kayak  70  could be said to have two decks, one formed by the upper surface of the plastic hull which is basically concave and into which the fairing is seated, and one formed by the upper surface of the fairing which is basically convex. Though the fairing can be removed, the kayak is not intended to be operated in whitewater without those components installed. The secondary (lower) deck acts as more of a horizontal bulkhead in practice than a deck per se. Thus, the kayak may be thought of as having a primary (convex foam) and a secondary (concave plastic) deck. 
   A rear air chamber  78 , or stern fairing, is disposed behind the pilot. A recess is preferably formed in the kayak  70  to receive the rear air chamber  78 , and straps  82  are typically used to secure the rear air chamber to the kayak. The kayak deck cavity (recesses  118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130 ,  FIG. 5 ) is designed to accept an inflatable air bladder or a foam block in the stern. This rear air chamber  78  provides protection to the user&#39;s head and torso in the event of an impact in which the boater&#39;s head and torso might be thrown onto or against the stern of the boat. Although the rear air chamber could also be formed as a foam cushion, the advantage of using an air bladder over foam would be to provide the user with an air reserve that could be used in an emergency. Thus, a port or tube  84  could be provided to allow the user to draw air from the rear air chamber  78 . 
   It should be noted that the rear air chamber  78  and its corresponding cavity in the hull could be eliminated by providing a rear hull portion with a convex deck profile. Such a portion could also be formed to include a storage hatch or other useful features. Eliminating the air chamber  78  would not, however, provide the same measure of impact protection to the user. 
   A front bow fairing  86 , which could be a foam block or an air chamber, is disposed in front of the pilot. The kayak hull&#39;s deck cavity is designed to accept a large foam block or inflatable bladder which fits between the boater&#39;s legs. This bow fairing  86  serves several functions. First it acts as a crush zone for the head and torso in the event of a so called “Piton” impact where the body would fold at the waist causing the user&#39;s head and torso to be thrown forward and down. Second, to a lesser extent the bow fairing would also stop the user&#39;s pelvis from sliding forward in a “Piton” impact. The bow fairing  86  also provides the bulk of the streamlining for the bow primary deck profile. It can be designed to go underneath the boater&#39;s legs or not depending on the specific design of the kayak hull. 
   Thus, the front air chamber  86  may have a raised center section  90  such that the pilot&#39;s legs are placed around the center section. A recess is typically formed in the kayak  70  to receive the front air chamber  86 , and straps  94  are typically used to hold the front air chamber  86  to the kayak. Of course, other attachment mechanisms such as clips, clamps, bolts, etc. could also be used. 
   A seat  98  is provided to accommodate the pilot. The seat  98  may be molded in to the hull  74 , or advantageously may be formed as a separate padded seat attached to the hull. In such a case, the hull  74  will typically have a recess formed therein for receiving the seat  98 . The seat  98  may be formed of foam or expanded plastic for comfort. If constructed of foam, the seat can be utilized to absorb energy in the event of an impact and provide further protection to the user. 
   The pilot&#39;s legs extend across the front air chamber  86  and the pilot&#39;s feet are placed in foot wells  102 . The foot wells may be molded into the hull  74  of the kayak. Additionally, a larger recess may be formed in the hull  74 , allowing an insert or foot block fairing  104  containing the foot wells  102  to be placed therein. The foot block fairing would typically be constructed of MINICEL®, EPP (expanded polypropylene) or even EPS (expanded polystyrene) material. The primary purpose of the foot block fairing  104  is to provide a point of contact for the user to control the boat. An additional purpose of the foot block fairing  104  is to provide an energy absorbing crush zone which helps reduce the likelihood of injury in the event of the boat landing on a hard surface with the bow pointed downwards, which is sometimes called Pitoning or penciling a kayak. 
   Straps  106  are included which are used to secure the pilot to the kayak  70 . Typically, the straps  106  pass over the pilot&#39;s legs. These leg straps  106  aid in allowing a user to quickly exit the kayak. Additionally, exiting of the kayak can be accomplished hands-free. The user simply leans back and pushes off the footholds. As the user&#39;s body straightens out, the pelvis is lifted out of the seat depression while at the same time the legs straighten out, moving them free of the leg straps  106 . Because the kayak does not have an open cavity and the plastic hull is relatively water-tight, the kayak does not fill with water and become swamped when the boater exits. 
   A pair of quick-release buckles  108  can be added to the leg straps  106  where they connect with the hull  74  right below the user&#39;s hands. When pulled, the quick release buckles  108  would release the thigh straps entirely. This would provide for an additional margin of safety and provide the added advantage of being closer to the boater&#39;s body than a spray skirt&#39;s grab-loop which is typically located by the user&#39;s knees. The quick release buckles  108  would increase the user&#39;s ability to safely exit the kayak if the user is forced into a position where their torso lies against the stern deck of the kayak. Because the user&#39;s legs are situated above the hull, there would be little if any possibility of deck entrapment per se. 
     FIG. 4  shows a side view of the kayak  70 . The side view illustrates how the rear air chamber  78  and the front air chamber  86  form part of the upper surface of the kayak  70 . The air chambers  78 ,  86  form a convex surface similar to a closed cockpit kayak as shown in  FIG. 1 , avoiding the concave upper surface of the typically open cockpit kayak as shown in  FIG. 2 . Providing a convex upper surface allows for a more maneuverable kayak, allowing a pilot to more easily complete maneuvers such as rolling the kayak upright if inverted in the water. By providing a shape which is similar to that of a typical closed cockpit kayak, the present kayak achieves a similar level of maneuverability. The typical waterline is indicated at  110 . 
   The use of the fairings (rear air chamber  78 , front bow fairing  86 ) to fill in and streamline the deck profile (filling in the cavities which are molded into the hull) reduces drag during a roll and prevents water from completely filling the hull cavity. Since the user is seated below the primary deck lines (the top of the overall kayak), the effective “long axis” of the boat is moved up closer to the user&#39;s center of gravity. This also improves the ability to roll the kayak, as well as helping to keep the user secure within the kayak in turbulent water. 
   It should be noted that the fairing need not keep water from entering the kayak entirely, as the kayak may have drain holes in the hull. Rather, the fairing minimizes the amount of water which enters and remains in the hull cavities as the fairing (rear air chamber  78 , front fairing  86 , etc.) occupies the hull cavities and eliminates spaces where water could accumulate. Thus, the water that does enter the kayak would be drained by the use of holes in the hull, making the kayak  70  a self-bailing design. The sealed hull and generally water-tight design of the kayak prevents the kayak from filling with water and becoming swamped. 
   The design of the kayak  70  also has structural advantages over available kayaks. Without a discrete cockpit opening, the hull achieves greater structural strength along the length of the kayak. This may be further enhanced by the use of sidewalls surrounding the cavity or cavities formed in the hull. 
   As discussed, the fairings, including the air chambers or foam blocks  78 ,  86  also provide improved safety. When kayaking, it is not uncommon for the pilot to collide with the kayak  70 . A sudden bounce or drop over a wave, collision with a rock, etc. will frequently knock the pilot into the kayak  70 , often into the areas in front of or behind the pilot. When a pilot takes the kayak  70  over a waterfall the pilot may be forced against the back of the kayak as the kayak enters the water front first. Alternatively, the pilot may be forced against the front of the kayak  70  as the buoyancy of the kayak suddenly decelerates the kayak. The present invention helps eliminate injury due to collision with the kayak  70  by providing front and rear air chambers  78 ,  86  in front of and behind the pilot seat  98  so as to cushion a collision between the pilot and kayak. 
     FIG. 5  shows a partial cut-away view of the kayak  70  of the present invention, illustrating how the air chambers  78 ,  86  may be fitted into the rigid hull  74 . The hull  74  may have a rear recess  118  formed to receive the rear air chamber  78  and a front recess  122 , seat recess  126 , and foot recess  130  for receiving the front air chamber  86 , seat  98 , and foot insert  134 , respectively. The recesses  118 ,  122 ,  126 ,  130  may be connected into a generally continuous recess which varies in shape and depth to accommodate the desired sizes and shapes of air chambers  78 ,  86 , seat  98 , and foot insert  134 . A foot insert  134  may be used for a variety of purposes, such as forming different sizes of foot wells  102  in a standard kayak hull  74 , providing a crush zone for frontal impacts, etc. 
   The seat  98  may include a back rest  138 . The back rest may be formed as a separate structure which attaches to the hull  74 . Alternatively, the back rest  138  may be formed as part of the seat  98  or rear air chamber  78 . If the seat  98  is formed as an integral part of the hull  74 , the back rest  138  may also be formed as part of the hull, or as a separate structure or part of the rear air chamber as discussed. 
     FIG. 6  shows a partially exploded perspective view of the kayak  70  of the present invention. It can be more clearly seen how recesses  118 ,  122  can be formed in the hull  74  to receive the air chambers  78 ,  86 , as well as the other structures. It can additionally be more easily seen how the front air chamber  86  may have a raised section  90  to form recesses for the pilot&#39;s legs. 
   As an additional advantage, the straps  106  used to secure the pilot&#39;s legs while using the kayak  70  may be used as shoulder straps to aid in carrying the kayak when necessary. It may periodically be necessary to carry a kayak, such as when carrying it to or from the water or carrying the kayak around a section of water which is too difficult or not navigable. The straps  106  may be used for carrying the kayak in the same configuration as they are used for using the kayak, or they may be provided with clips or adjustment mechanisms for moving the straps or otherwise making the straps more convenient for carrying the kayak. 
   It is thus appreciated that the kayak  70  provides several advantages. The air chambers  78 ,  86  provide impact cushions and also form a generally continuous and convex upper surface which increases the maneuverability of the kayak  70 . The air chambers  78 ,  86  prevent swamping of the kayak  70 . Additionally, the air chambers  78 ,  86  may be used to regulate the buoyancy of the kayak, or to regulate the amount of leg or back support by varying the amount of air therein. The air chambers  78 ,  86  may also be removable and provided in different sizes or shapes so as to allow the kayak  70  to be customized to different pilots. The air chambers as discussed may be formed as bladders, such as rubber or reinforced vinyl chambers, and are typically provided with a valve to facilitate inflation of the chambers. 
   The air chambers  78 ,  86  may be attached to the kayak with straps as shown. Alternatively, the kayak  70  may include clips or other fasteners for attaching the air chambers, or for attaching a base which connects to the air chambers. The present invention may be additionally advantageous by providing additional storage or other conveniences. The recesses  118 ,  122  may be made deep enough to allow for a storage container or the like to be placed below the air chambers  78 ,  86 . A storage container may be attached below an air chamber, and may or may not be attached to the air chamber. The straps  82 ,  94  could be used for attaching the storage container. 
   The air chambers  78 ,  86  may be pre-filled or may be filled by the user. An air chamber which may be filled by the user will typically include a valve as discussed, and may allow the user to adjust the amount of air in the chamber while kayaking. 
   There is thus disclosed an improved kayak. It will be appreciated that numerous changes may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims.