The rear hatch cover on my 3-year-old Eddyline seems to be getting a bit tighter from year to year. I no longer use it on day trips due to the difficulty of getting it back on. It can't be put on in the water at all---it has to be on land due to the pressure needed to push the cover down.
A friend just bought an '09 Eddyline with a rear hatch cover so tight we can barely get it on and off at all. Even when it's on it appears to be at least 1/4" too narrrow for the hatch rim.
Possibly; stretch them back out. It may be that the hatch covers are shrinking as they age and dry out somewhat.
You may try immersing the covers in a large bucket of warm/hot water or leave them laying out in the sun for awhile to soften them and make them more flexible, then pop them onto the boat and let them cool in place. You may want to routinely store the boat with the hatch covers in place, too.
This may help ‘stretch’ the covers back out a bit …
For what it’s worth, I’ve seldom seen main hatch covers that are easily removed or replaced while on the water, as most fit too snugly. Frankly, I’m not sure I’d trust a hatch cover that fit much looser than that. The smaller DAYHATCH, on the other hand, must be easily opened and closed while on the water, usually one-handed …
It’s the hatch combings …they tend to elongate over time…J/k…
are we taking plastic tupperware hatches or neoprene inner covers?..If this continues to be an issue I suggest calling the manufacturer…they can’t fix what they don’t know about…
on a common sense note; the hatch covers may be a subcontract from a supplier to Eddyline; they may have an issue…regardless, you can order new ones here:
I’ve tried that in the past It does work to leave the kayak in the sun. The cover will go on easily after that. But the next day it will be just as hard to get on as it will shrink once its in a cool environment.
It makes sense that the cover could shrink as it dries out.
Glad to hear this isn’t just an Eddyline problem.
It’s a bt inconvenient when touring because it’s a lot easier to load the boat in shallow water rather than on shore and then drag a 150-lb boat into the water.
I don’t think it is just an Eddyline issue, but mine do that too (Nighthawk 175), especially if I am not particularly fastidious about spraying them off after paddling (I only paddle that boat in saltwater). Over a period of time, they seem to shrink and are difficult to fit. However, periodic treatment with a little 303 easily takes care of the problem. Be sure to treat both the rims on the cover and boat, as well as the top of the cover. You can put more on the top of the cover. Not too much 303, mind you, but enough to make them pliable again. One of my friends slathered it on the covers of his Tsunami 145 and those things wouldn’t stay on tight for a couple of months. One actually blew off on the highway, but he found it along the road.
I know someone who has a number of eddyline boats and communicates regularly with the eddyline folks (not saying that she for sure got this idea from them, but it is likely). She mentioned that she uses some armor all on the hatch covers to make it a bit easier. You might try it, or even contact Eddyline directly and see what they suggest – I bet you get an email back pretty quick.