Storage and buoyancy device for small watercraft

Claim 1

A hull for a small watercraft comprising a depressed rider's area open through the rear of said hull and bounded by a pair of longitudinally extending gunnels an elevated rider's seating area formed at the rear central portion of said hull centrally of said depressed rider's area and adapted to accommodate at least one rider seated thereon, a storage area formed at the upper end of at least one of said gunnels and extending from the rear end of said gunnel to a point disposed forwardly of said rider's seat for providing a substantial length for said storage area along at least one side of said hull, an opening at the rear of said hull communicating with said storage compartment, and selectively openable closure means for closing said opening and for affording access to said storage area when opened and through which the storage area is flooded for changing the buoyancy at one side of the watercraft to assist reentry if a rider becomes displaced from said watercraft.