I got a CD boat last year and it came outfitted with compression hatch covers. There is a gasket around the hatch, the cover is fitted into place and then I fasten it down with three straps equipped with a lever/toggles that compress the gasket. These hatch covers work well, I haven’t taken on a drop of water. However, fastening and unfastening the straps is more tedious and time consuming than just fitting a rubber cover onto the hatch.
I’m currently paddling a composite Solstice. CD also makes this boat in poly, and fits that boat with a rubber hatch cover and a strap-in-place, poly hatch cover. That would seem even more inconvenient.
Many boats on the market today have the rubber hatch covers. My Azul used Valley-like, rubber hatch covers that stayed water tight over many years of use (although they decomposed and had to be replaced after 8 or 10 years. These hatches fit on a raised lip around the hatch and had a flat “foot” I had to take care to press into the recess around the hatch. If I didn’t press them down properly, they’d leak. They are a bit of a PIA, but were a lot quicker to open and fasten than the CD system.
I know there is a hatch system called Orbix, that has some sort of toggle fastener, and there used to be the neoprene covers under a hard hatch cover. I know little about these. And I installed a screw-in cover on one kayak I had.
What other hatch systems are out there? What are you using and what about the hatches do you like or dislike?
The best hatches I’ve had were the CD 3 strappers. I would keep them clean and use a little 303 on the gaskets. I found the Valleys harder to seal but also excellent.
I’m talking composite boats I can’t comment about the PE…
I have 4 CD boats all with composite hatches. I replaced on seal on a 99 kayak because someone ripped it. The replacement seal I received from CD is even better than than the older ones and easy to install. They are bone dry and last for decades with little care. I can buckle or unbuckle them in 15 seconds or less. 303 the gaskets and straps once every few months. I do hit 303 on all my kayaks way more often. Better than round because easier to pack longer items in them.
**_“These hatches fit on a raised lip around the hatch and had a flat “foot” I had to take care to press into the recess around the hatch. If I didn’t press them down properly, they’d leak.”
I have no clue how that would be better or faster. I will time the removal and install in the morning. Also I’ll post picture of old and new gaskets.
As for the poly CD it’s all about dollars when designing a kayak in the less expensive market.
I have had first hand experience with 4 hatch covers and 3 rims.
First was CD poly Looksha sport with 2 piece cover, a neo base under poly hard shell with buckle straps. Stretching lower cover and then buckling top was an effort. Do not recall if they leaked.
Next was Kajak Sport on P&H FG hull. Never leaked, easy on/off and never replaced in 8 years owned it with lots of use. They got 303’ed often. Wife’s P&H is 12 years and still supple and dry.
Then Valley with their covers. Stayed dry and would last 2 or 3 years before expensive replacement even with 303. I did improve ease of on/off by sanding a radius on lower circumference edge of cover. This made it much easier to cram into snug space against deck to hatch rim area. Got tired of VCP covers as they cost too much and were poorly manufactured as evidenced by visible voids in seal surfaces and dimensional variation. I would cull through the shop’s inventory of 8 or 10 to find the last offensive cover.
Have replaced all VCP with less expensive and vastly superior SeaLect. Dry, easy on/off with occasional 303.
@BoozTalkin said:
…These hatch covers work well, I haven’t taken on a drop of water.
However, fastening and unfastening the straps is more tedious and time consuming than just fitting a rubber cover onto the hatch…
I think you have summed up the trade-offs right there!
I just do day paddles - no overnighters or extended trips - so I hardly ever use my hatches. And, as you say, while the CD hard covers and straps mean extra steps, for me anyway it’s more than worth it to have totally dry compartments.
I did have a boat that used Orbix hatches but I didn’t like how much the hinges and levers protruded on the rear deck…
My 2007 Impex Assateague uses rubber Valley (VCP hatches). I believe the new ones are being supplied with Sealect hatches, though not sure which model. Valley (VCP) hatches are expensive ($125 CAD each for the oval ones, just a few weeks ago). They also work very well and are incredibly quick and easy to remove and replace if they and their rim is kept maintained with 303 or similar. Compare the cost to other kayaking-related expenses: fuel to the put in, camping fees, auxilliary equipment, etc. and the cost doesn’t hurt as much. True, they have a limited lifespan, but I just replaced mine this year and I suspect they were original (I’m the second owner). This can be improved with indoor storage and UV protectant. I’ve even thought of how one might make a “hatch cover cover” for them that wouldn’t interfere with operation, but would protect from UV. Seems a hassle, but if anyone wants a beta (prototype) tester, send one my way.
I replaced my round day hatch cover with a Sealect Sport? model maybe 2-3 years ago, and although it has stayed very dry, I find it needs almost constant application of 303/protectant to keep the seal slippery enough to make on-the-water use practical. It’s just too difficult to tell if it’s on properly, and I’ve been caught a few times rolling after using the day hatch where it came off because it wasn’t seated fully. My second complaint is that the interface between the soft flexible rim and the hard plastic centre has shown signs of coming apart even shortly after I started using it. I anticipate this to be the failure mode of the product, but so far it’s holding together. The VCP hatches have similar issues with cracking where they receive the most flexing, but they have a huge advantage in terms of usability.
My wife has a CD boat with the 3-strap hard cover. It seems to seal very well, but I’ll mirror the PIA factor when you’re on a trip, in and out of the hatches multiple times daily. Also, there’s no good place to put the hatch once removed to keep it out of the way and avoid it falling down the side of the boat and getting scratched up by the surroundings, or the seal abraded. The molded channel in which the seal seats is great, until you get sand, dirt, and water in there. It’s a constant battle to keep it clean while keeping the cleaning water from getting gear in the hatch wet.
CD Sirocco has, I think, KajakSport hatch covers. They are very flimsy compared to the VCP hatches but seem to resist the effects of UV much better. They’re difficult to remove and replace while the bungy cords are around them, but become quite a bit easier if the cord is removed/applied as a discrete step. The Sirocco’s hatches have remained astonishingly dry - despite me spending almost a quarter of my time in it upside down.
Anything that floats. Can always use dry bags to protect gear. But if the tether has gotten loose at the lunch break and the hatch cover is now 10 feet down in a dark bottom - this is baaad.
KaJak Sport hatches, by far the best on the market. Have had mine as long as I’ve had my boat (13 years I think) 303’d on a regular basis and have never leaked and make a nice tight seal.
My favorite are the 3 strap CD covers. They stay dry and they last.
I have 3 kayaks in the shed right now that use Valley hatch covers that I have not been using, as my latest set of covers came apart this spring, in true Valley hatch cover fashion. I’m sure I’ll order replacement covers soon, as I miss paddling the boats.
I have KajakSport hatch covers on many others, and I haven’t had a set of those go bad yet. Some of these are well over 15 years old.
The thing about the CD 3 strap covers, is that it seems the rubber ones could be very slightly easier in the summer(?), but you still have to keep them completely free from sand/dirt/stuff for them to be waterproof, like any waterproof seal. But in cold weather, with cold fingers, and cold, wet, stiff hatch covers, the CD covers definitely become easier to deal with for me. I can’t imagine in the summer that there’s more than a few seconds difference between removing or replacing one versus the other though. Any frustration about that seems more like an outfitter thing, where you constantly have people who have never used them before. Otherwise, they’re a lot simpler than even tying your shoe, and can be done in the dark without thought once you use them a couple of times. As a kayak owner, I’m a fan of the composite 3 strap covers. And they have a small hole to attach a solid tether, so they’re not going to get away from you.
I practice all sorts of rescues with boats with these covers all the time. I have a CD Extreme, Caribou, and Soltice GTS that use these covers.
I did have a poly Prijon that had the stretchy neoprene cover under a hard cap. They worked well. They took a little more care to stretch on and off, but not a big deal. They were my least favorite of the bunch, but nothing that would have prevented me from paddling a hull that I enjoyed.
In my experience, the Valley covers just go bad. I experimented with the set before this last one that went bad by always taking them off and storing them in a dark closet in the house. They still crumbled after a few years.
This latest set is really bugging me for some reason. Valley needs to at least date them, so that the value can be properly depreciated - say 25% per year. If they’ve been on the shelf for 2 years somewhere when you pay full price, that really sticks it to you.
The sad truth is that for me, I can no longer say that the use of Valley hatch covers isn’t at least something of a strike against a particular kayak. I’ll always still pick the kayak that I feel performs the way I want it to, but if there’s any question, Valley hatch covers vs. others will sway me in the other direction. Maybe they go a long ways towards profitability for the company, but I can’t help but wonder if hanging on to that disappointing reality has been a mistake.
Thanks everybody for all the responses and I hope you keep them coming. Hatch style was the last thing on my mind when I was kayak shopping. Thanks for smartening me up for the next time I’m considering buying a boat. I will borrow from this thread and write a short article for the kayak club newsletter so other buyers can be more aware.
I’m interested in the Orbyx or other latched/hinged hatches. I’ve never paddled a boat with them and they look to easily open and close. Mostly, I see that style on rec boats, which makes me think they are not that great, perhaps revealing I’m biased regarding those plastic tubs.
My Valley-style hatches that went bad rotted from the inside. My friend at the local kayak shop speculates that the hull continues to give off gases as it continues to cure, and perhaps the gas eats the hatch cover. But, I did 303 the hatches a few times a year, and the rot from the inside indicates the culprit wasn’t UV exposure.
The best I’ve got are standard on all NC Kayaks–solid plastic locked in place by toggles and sealed with hollow O-rings. These things take no more than one second to open , or close and they don’t leak as long as you maintain the O-rings. I use a little silicone grease (release agent) from time to time and follow the advice of the manufacturer and leave the hatch covers off when the boat is stored–which is always indoors.
Magooch, do you know the name of those hatches or are they made by NCKayak? How’s the deck profile on them? Would a paddler get caught up on the hatch while crawling across the deck in a rescue situation? Or possibly unlatch the hatch?
I looked at the NCKayak web site but didn’t learn much. The hatches looked small. What size are they?
@BoozTalkin said:
Magooch, do you know the name of those hatches or are they made by NCKayak? How’s the deck profile on them? Would a paddler get caught up on the hatch while crawling across the deck in a rescue situation? Or possibly unlatch the hatch?
I looked at the NCKayak web site but didn’t learn much. The hatches looked small. What size are they?
~~Chip
The best I can do is tell you to call NC Kayaks (1-888-441-8582) and get the name of the hatch manufacturer. NC does not make them; I was told they are made in California. I do not believe they are exclusive to NC, because Pygmy used to sell them. Doug Searls should be able to answer your other questions.
The hatches on my boat are 6 and 10 inches. To install this type of hatch, your deck has to have a considerable flat section, or a recessed area with a flat surface.
I only have experience with the oval covers on my Azul, which are about 10" x 17". That is a convenient size if you are camping out of your kayak. These hatch covers did not leak, but they did decompose and need replacement.
I have heard it said that paddlers sometime poke their knee through large, oval, rubber hatches. Other than falling on the boat, I can’t imagine a scenario where my knee is on the hatch cover, but speculate those who poke through a hatch cover either have sharper knees than I do, or the hatch cover was well along on the age/decomposition curve.
