Tom Miner

If anyone is interested Contoocook River Canoe Company in Contoocook NH (http://www.contoocookcanoe.com/) has the NDK line since Bill Zellar (Country Canoeist) retired. They have replacement NDK hatch rims and sealant in stock. The front and rear hatches on my 2-year old Explorer have cracks similar to those pictures of John's boat but one crack on my rear hatch involves the set screw which does not look like it will patch well (with Aqua-Seal). Consequently rim replacement may be my best option. Tom

Wayne Horodowich , one of the excellent speaker/instructors at the 2003 Gulf of Maine Sea Kayak Symposium last year said that the foam paddle floats were standard issue in certain Canadian waters where temperatures were just too cold to make an air tight lip lock on a blow-up padde float. Having been so cold that almost nothing works, including my lips, I can see where the foam floats could be a life saver. Personally, I paddle when the weather/water is tolerably warm and so use an air bag paddle float. If I paddled in the winter, I would use a foam float for obvious reasons. Tom Pumkin/white Explorer

Here was one link from a previous message however I do not recall any discussion pro or con. http://www.strazkayaks.com/ Tom M

I like the "button" with the cold! Good one. This was too easy: "...there is yet another near the shore of the town, and which from its diminutive size received the name of Button Island." From: 1893 History of Hingham, Vol 1 Part 1 p.3, The Geology of Hingham by Thomas Bouve Google works! Tom

NDK Explorer - all compartments dry Rear compartment leaked before sealing skeg cable fitting w/ silicone Tom Miner