Your right Doug. It's fun pimping your kayak out. But there's alot of mods that you can do without putting you at risk out there. This bilge pump this dude shared in this post is badass. Personally, I would've put the outlet on a hatch (if angled) or in the inside where it would hit me in the balls if it turned on
. That'll wake you up and tell you there's water in there.
Here's another question......Can all you kayakers swim? Are you in shape enough to tread water for hours? Can you even get back on your kayak without help if you went over. You better plan on at least falling off your kayak. Unlike being on a boat with little to no water contact, you don't have much separating you from the open ocean. If you can't handle yourself separated from your kayak you shouldn't be out that far. Bilge or no bilge.
These are the one's that should refrain from popping holes under or near the waterline to modify their kayaks.