Reserve bouyancy in all ski's

Hi Rob, when you test ski's in the future can you include manufacturers claimed figures for reserve bouyancy and expected lifespan before inspection og the medium used may be needed in their ski's as supplied to dealers?

With the growth in open water racing and downwind events reserve bouyancy has to be important. When one purchases a ski, choices are probably made around comfort, performance, what the elite paddlers are using and cost. Hidden away from view is one of the most important features of a ski and as a result buoyancy is never considered.

In a number (almost all) of mishaps a "bouyant" ski has played an unsung but big part in the outcome. Some were the result of sharks biting the ski, incompetence, weather changes and medical episodes.

Staying with a ski in open water increases the chances of rescuers spotting a paddler. Should the ski sink the chance of being spotted on a typical "downwind day" is dramatically reduced when searchers are looking for a long floating object rather than a bobbing head.

I suspect there are ski's on the market with inadequate bouyancy and I could easily conjure up scenarios where a flooded ski attached to a delirious or otherwise paddler could become a big liability

along this line of thought.... I stuffed some of those "air pillow" cellophane tubes used for packing fragile items for shippingin the nose of my evo (it has a hatch) bout a year ago, check em now and again and for the most part they still maintain integrity.10 outta 12 in one year ! they are flimsy enough that given a rise in temp the bags would split before the hull seam if some got stuffed up in the nose and for little extra weight and no cost(assuming someone shipped you something fragile and well packed)there is a little insurance in case of a hull breach, might be a cleopatras needle standing up with the tail full of water but maybe enough buoyancy to help if you should god forbid need it Sandy