In response to your questions JB, my boat is a sit-on-top and I love it. I have come to find that my exposure to others is in practice, essentially no more troublesome than were I paddling my conventional kayak or my canoe. From a distance, most people probably see what they expect to see around these parts, a man paddling a kayak. Yes, I am pretty much fully exposed which is my intent, both to the sun and to the natural world around me which is why I sought for a sit-on-top for this, my third paddling boat. I was also looking for something that I could take into the surf at the beaches. I chose this particular Perception model because it has the underwater lines and nearly the same center of gravity when occupied as a conventional Kayak. I am very pleased with it. It is fast, nimble, and responsive: qualities that most sit-on-tops are not known for. As John mentioned, Dave in his conventional kayak did not have to cover, John and I had to cover only briefly as we approached the bridges and the one or two other paddlers that we encountered more closely. For me, a small terry bath towel draped over my loins, sometime spread to cover my hips but generally just tossed over my privates is sufficient in these situations. I feel little need and make no effort to hide my nudity, just the courtesy of covering on occasion what some others may prefer not to see.
In retrospect, that was one awesome day in April, our memories of which gave us all here in the Northeast the juice to endure our following two months of not so certain spring and early summer. It is now just today that I have finally had to re-install our room air conditioners from their winter storage. My wife has a chronic illness that summer heat and humidity makes difficult for her. Fortunately, the air conditioners the trick and yesterday was the first day that she felt the need. Three days ago, we still had the heat on for a couple of hours in the morning. Go figure! But a great summer to come, and yes, I hope to write in the coming weeks about some of the plans for our summer that John and I have been discussing, first on that Middlesex Fells hike and then on our Sudbury/Concord paddle. More to come....
-Dan
