Night hatch
On second thought, I realized I am rapidly approaching the seasons where my kayak will be coming in, and hanging in the rafters for the dark winter months. Based on this I will be forgoing the addition of a day hatch, and instead will be adding a night hatch.
Have a vonderfull e-v-v-ening.
Chris
what kind of kayak?
On a Mariner Express and Chatham 16 I’ve attached webbing loops to the floor of the cockpit right in front of my seat and between my thighs. There’s enough room to bungie down anything that’s vital. I Used that space to secure a small dry box or a small thermos. Never had problems with wet-exiting or scrambling out on a surf landing. I’ve had no problems popping the front of the skirt in waves and removing the box in 10 seconds then getting the skirt back on. There’s no way I could do that with a hatch behind me without getting water in the compartment.
The whole concept of a hatch that sits at the lowest part of the deck BEHIND one makes absolutely no sense for on water access in anything but flat water or with assistance.
flooded volume
One of the advantages of using a day hatch over having to pull your skirt to access items is the volume of water if the compartment floods is much less in a day compartment than a cockpit.
I've accessed stuff from my day hatch in conditions wherein I would not risk pulling my skirt.
Don’t necessarily get water in
There appears to be a concept that you open the day hatch in waves and water immediately floods in. That is not at my experience, and I've had the thing open in more than 2 foot waves. I am flexible enough to be able to pull it, feel for the cag that I have loaded on top, and have it shut again in probably about 10 seconds. Or less. And it isn't instantly getting water in.
Granted if I have to fish around for something things could change, and I take appropriate measures. But then, getting the skirt back onto my shorter boat isn't fast either because of the recessed coaming. So take your picks...
I'm not trying to be contentious, but some of what I am reading about the issues of a day hatch is on the scale of urban myth.
And later - yes, as for Nate, it is a one handed operation. I can only get away one handed with the skirt on one of my boats.
agree
For me it takes 2 hands to put my skirt on. Day hatch is a one hand job, and much faster than replacing my neoprene skirt.
Also, if my day hatch completely floods (never had that happen, even in rough water), I’ll probably take on a gallon of water, because most of the space in my day hatch is filled already. If I take even a small amount of water over my cockpit coaming without the skirt on I’ll have a few gallons of water, and in a more major flooding the open cockpit can take on so much water that the boat is much less stable.
Aside from a few drybags getting wet on the outside, there’s no real danger with the day hatch open. With the cockpit open I feel much more compromised.
All personal preference though. Many folks have their own best way of doing things.
never had that happen, even in rough…
"never had that happen, even in rough water"
Nor I. I've been paddling sea kayaks with day hatches for nearly a decade. I've never had a day compartment flood, though I have gotten a little bit of water in when accessing one in bumpy seas. I find day hatches very useful and would not be happy stuck in a sea kayak without one. Obviously YMMV.
It strikes that day hatches are one of those skeg/rudder topics. It comes up at intervals and people tend to be pretty insistent their opinion. Especially those who have little to no experience with other than their favorite.
At least we haven't had a Brit boat design versus North American design thread in a long time... though the rough water boat thread seems a surrogate: http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=1338802
I think this is one of those issues
like rudder/skeg/none. You either love a day hatch or you hate it. Actually I agree with Bnystrom in that I keep stuff that I might need on the water in my life jacket and only access the underdeck bag at things like lunch stops. In stead of a day hatch for “day items” I simply set aside the center portion of one hatch for such stuff. Works just as well.
one of those skeg/rudder topics
I said the same thing below. And I don’t understand why Valley and others don’t offer the option of no-day-hatch. Or why they don’t offer the option of a rudder rather than a skeg (even though I prefer a skeg). Or why QCC does not offer a day hatch (even though I would never order one). I may not understand the economics of this but my first guess is that it has nothing to do with economics.
Valley options and QCC
Actually you can order a Valley boat without a day hatch and you used to have the option of ordering a ruddered boat - I don't know if you still can. I've seen ruddered Nordkapps and Skerrys.
You can order at least some QCCs with either rudder or skeg - I've seen both ruddered and skegged 600 & 700s.
I know a paddler who installed a day hatch in his Swift Bering Sea...
Good practice
Accessing your day hatch from the cockpit is obviously harder if you are less flexible or don’t have so great balance but it is a good exercise for developing your skills. I believe I speak from experience. Start on flat water with slow movements - think torso rotation. It’s not much further than you would wind up for a reverse sweep and not as far as you might go for a balance-brace. It may help to keep your eyes on a distant fixed point while you fumble around for your gear. A tethered hatch cover is a big plus. Like any other kayak skill, it gets easier.
NDK
Me too, never once had a problem with NDK hatch rims. Do you have direct experience with this?
Bill H.
I use them often, but
…don’t forget to close it after use. Several times, after picking out a Snickers bar or so, I forgot to close it and started to do some rolls.
NDK Hatches
I found that my NDK day hatch sinks. Not a good thing if you are “out there” and lose it. I drilled a small hole in the outside rubber lip and added a small line to secure it to the boat. Now no more worries 
Yup
I just went and tethered everything. Even a hatch cover that floats can get knocked off the deck, and try to find that in fading light… someone used to make great emergency hatch covers for most sizes except some of the ovals, neoprene with a good bungee. I have a couple, but if I lose those I’ll have to make up my own.
all the time (ndk hatch)
I use mine all the time. In conditions sometimes I have to brace by laying the paddle across the coaming and holding it down with one hand. But beyond that, anything in there wouldn’t be any easier to get to unless it were on deck. I keep my camera, lunch, extra wear, gloves, etc in there unless they are on my person.
A bit of 303 on the underside helps the hatch slide off the rim easier.
Doesn’t Reed still make those? NM
NDK day hatch sinks.
You must have a fairly new boat. NDK used to use Valley hatches for the day compartment and they float. In recent years they’ve gone to Kajak-Sport (as they’ve used for years for the other 2 compartments). Kajak-Sport hatches sink.
That being said, I think tethering is a good idea. I’ve always tethered my hatch covers and my 2008 Nordlow came with all the hatch covers tethered.
Use mine all the time
Kajak Sport Artisan Millenium, it’s on the starboard side with a rubber hatch that’s easy to remove and put back on.
Thanks
Mine are no longer, these don’t look like the ones I have. But they look just as good. I appreciate the tip… now I don’t have to get the sewing machine fixed. (yet)
day hatch access whilst underway
both my Romany Explorer and Valley Pintail have a day hatch, with its own bulkhead. the hatch opening is on the starboard (right) side behind the cockpit. I have no trouble at all opening, accessing the contents and closing the hatch while holding my paddle and floating with no contact. i do recall, before i was as confident a paddler as i am am now, that there was some trepidation with reaching back to use the day hatch. heres a test: sit in your boat, floating with no contact; look straight up for 15 seconds, without looking ahead turn your body so you can see behind you; then look down at the stern deck. if you can do this without feeling ‘wobbly’ then you will have little trouble or uneasiness accessing your day hatch. it is something i could not do without, i love a day hatch almost as much as i detest the ‘yard sale’ of items stored on the foredeck.