Need to replace the hatches (all three) on a 2003 kevlar Pintail that I’m looking to sell. Anyone know of something cheaper or at least better than the standard Valley hatches? Thanks in advance.
Sea Dog Sealect hatch covers…
…are much nicer that Valley covers and generally cheaper, too. The only caveat is that unlike the Valley covers, they don’t float, so keep them tethered. You could also glue closed-cell foam to the inside to provide floatation.
SEA-LECT covers
SEA-LECT hatch covers are now also made in the “Performance” version with a softer rubber, and they float. I have been testing the original and the Performance hatch covers and I find them way nicer than the stock Valley ones.
Here is a video comparing the install of SEA-LECT vs Valley: http://youtu.be/D5lHviuEzWc
ditto sealect
Very happy with SeaLect covers so far after one year.
ah yah bastages
I’ve been stubbornly keeping my Explorer stock. But after your last post about the SeaLect covers I had to take a closer look. In the budget for when I put the boat away this winter.
(thanks!)
Fabulous
Thanks everyone…will order the newest Sealect hatch covers.
Duckworks
Having replaced the day hatch a couple years ago and one oval last year on my Silhouette, it’s time to do the last oval. Even though it would be mismatched, I’m considering the Sea-lect version just so I can stop this cycle. So following a link from Bnystrom on an old thread I see this:
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/canoe-kayak/kayak-hatch/index.htm
It looks like the 18x10.5" should be the Valley oval, but the part#(K746170-1) doesn’t match up with the one on Sea-lect’s website for VCP replacements (K745170-1)…think it’s a typo Brian?
I’ve got a friend with an Eddyline Whisper that has the 13x17" Sealect hatches stock…and they leak…pretty bad, but that’s on a Carbonlite layup. It sounds like everybody with composites that have tried them have been happy, and plastic boats not so much. Any reviews/comments/opinions to add? I’m still on the fence.
Jim
review here
I have been testing the SEA-LECT hatch covers and I find them superior to VCP and dual density Kajak Sport.
Review with pix here: http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/gear-sea-lect-designs-hatch-covers.html
leaks
I have the sea-lects on a plastic avocet. they leak. I thought the rims on the plastic valleys were the same as on the glass valleys. anyway, they dont leak real bad but it does take about 5 sponge loads total for all compartments after maybe 15 rolls. i dont think thats too bad i guess
That’s too much for me.
Thanks for responding. I do at least one kayak/camping trip each year where open water crossings are common, the biggest having been 5 hours point-to-point. It’s one thing to pump/dump the cockpit out in calm waters or playing in the surf near shore, but if I’m taking on water in heavy seas 10 miles from land, I can’t afford to do anything with the hatches. My VCP hatches have so far been bone dry in some pretty bad stuff and I want them to continue that way. Reliability MUST be priority #1 with equipment longevity taking the #2 spot…and of course looks and color are way at the bottom.
Any experience with Sealect hatch covers on composite boats?
see the comments in gnarlydog’s review
I’m ready to pull the trigger myself, but I’m notoriously conservative with new products. I don’t know how long these’ll last. But I do know that after two NDK kayaks the day hatches with small round VCP cover have never leaked. Bone dry. And the lash tabs never have torn. Yes, they deteriorate over time.
Now I’m reconsidering again! I may just buy the day hatch size and trial it until my other hatches wear out. FWIW the large round NDK rubber hatches are still in great shape.
Already did.
Also saw this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18245139@N00/7792387710/in/photostream/
That’s a scary amount of slack & leakage, but it’s also a rotomold boat, not composite. Brian Nystrom and Jay Babina both give 'em thumbs up too, and that’s very encouraging knowing their backgrounds and choices of boats.
ah.
that would not be a nice surprise.
sealect
apparently there are to versions? haven’t been able to find the second, more flexible version for sale on the web? any suggestions? any ideas about cheapest price?
My SeaLect experience on plastic
Avocet has been similar to others, The ovals leak pretty bad. I won’t use them on the Avocet. So far the round has been bone dry. These are the hard plastic models.
wow, that’s a lot of
wow, that’s a lot of slop there!
I wonder how well does a VCP cover sit on that very same plastic rim.
I have tried the SEA-LECT covers on 10 different VCP rims (composite kayak with a black rim) and all sit very snugly with no leaks.
Maybe the poly boats have rims that are not that precise and therefore don’t match the SEA-LECT covers?
Same experience …
on plastic Avocet and SeaLect ovals. I have tried two different SeaLect ovals on this boat. No leaks or ‘play’ with Valley hatches. I also have a 1994 WS Sparrow Hawk in fiberglass that the SeaLect is even worse on, but, to be fair, the Valley hatch leaks just as much on this boat. I’m wondering if Wilderness Systems did not use Valley rims, but this seems unlikely.
I can’t recommend the replacement SeaLect ovals, but the round day hatch has been dry.
For my Current Designs boat
I took my boat to a kayak shop and found that the Hurricane Kayak Hatch fit it best so I bought one right off the boat. I think it cost me about $48. A couple weeks later Cd emailed me that their replacement hatch was lees than $30, but I already had the Hurricane hatch. It went on easier and leaked less. I also found that my CD hatch rim was not sealed at all so I had to unbolt it and reseal it.
hatches
I knew the person I bought the avocet from. He had vcp lids and they didnt leak. He replaced them with sea-lects for the same reason everyone else seems too. a friend of mine put self stick weather stripping (flexible tubular type) around the rims and said it stopped 80% of his leaking. I use my avocet as a pool toy so im not overly concerned but would be if I actually used it.
Hard to take the plunge
My 7 year old Aquanaut covers are getting a little aged, and I’d love to get covers that hold up for ever, but I just can’t get convinced by these SeaLects yet. I really want to believe they’ll work, but there’s just too many bad experiences out there.
The thing that makes it harder is that the VCPs work flawlessly for me, and always have. Longevity would be nice, but staying on, and keeping the hatch dry are much higher priorities for me. I guess I’ll order another set, and maybe when those break down in 5 years, someone will have come up with a permanent product that seals as well as the VCP covers.