I had never considered the battery being completely submerged ST.......an excellent point. That would be a heap-o-water however (i'm visualizing that movie with Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine  ;) ). I will take my chances with the 12 volt system thinking its better than not even though less than perfect.

You have mentioned the flotation bags twice now......the first time escaped my attention (Sometimes I need to hear things more than once). WW paddler strategy which would be very wise indeed for my particular application.....that is if I should ever actually muster up the courage/expertise to undertake the trip. As of now I am rather cowardly and shy away from anything resembling heavy water unless a reasonably accessible shoreline is not far off and then I do rather well. Better a cowardly dog than a dead lion (somewhere in proverbs perhaps?).