Only when rafted
On the ocean, I find it safe to open my day hatch only when rafted to another boat. Alone, I avoid opening it unless I’m on flat water.
Opening and closing that hatch is much easier than pumping it out after a wave has filled it with water.
Going through big surf with a day hatch full of water is not fun.
use it
I use mine fairly often in the Explorer. It depends on the conditions and how bad I need what’s in there, really. If it’s rough out there the Larabar will have to wait anyway…
The day hatch on my Valley is a lot tighter fit, but maybe because the Explorer’s hatch cover is old (but still fine). Nothing goes in the day hatch if it can’t get wet - true of any hatch, but especially the day hatch.
Tempest 165
Use it all the time.
My NDK hatches are fine, as are the
ones on my Tempest 165, three Tsunamis, a Cape Horn, a Cape Lookout, one Tarpon 120, and a Pungo.
If you’ve had problems in the past, sorry. Mine are fine and the hatches on the new WS boats are great.
Would never buy a boat that had one
In conditions where it is possible to access a day hatch you can easily access an under deck bag. Day hatches are a p.i.t.a. Plus without one you can use that valuable space close to the back of the cockpit for heavy items when packing camping gear.
Often
I have no problem accessing the day hatch in my Norkapp LV or Impex Currituck myself, except in very rough conditions in which case I wouldnt want to pop the skirt to access under deck storage.
The day hatches in both kayaks are generous. On extended trips I carry 10L water bladders plus 4L on-water drinking(hose through deck)in the day hatch, along with usual gear mentioned above in other comments and sometimes fishing gear. I also carry water elswehere in the kayak on long trips, but this post was about day hatch use.
Both my kayaks have electric bilge pumps which might be an option if you have hand pump storage issues. It could be your next project after installing a day hatch!! Good Luck with the project.
Demo?
If you’re worry about the dexterity of day hatch access, how about try a friend’s boat that has day hatch? It’ll tell you how easy or hard to access it. And the various location of day hatch and their effect on accessibility.
I’ve only used Valley boats. The day hatch there is quite easy to access. And I even do it in rolling seas, as long as it’s relatively regular waves.
That said, I’m known to be fairly flexible. And that pretty much is the same for all the other answers. No matter how many people say it’s easy to access, it’s YOUR BODY that will have to do the twisting and reaching behind…
I wouldn’t be without a day hatch…
…but I very rarely access it on the water. I like them mainly because it makes it very easy to stow typical day gear and keep it close to the cockpit, so it doesn’t affect the trim of the boat significantly. My safety gear is either on my body (tow rig), mounted on my PFD (VHF radio) or stowed in the pockets of my PFD (flares, signal mirror, horn) where it belongs, so I rarely have any need to go into the day hatch except during lunch stops.
Night hatch
– Last Updated: Oct-20-10 10:00 AM EST –
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
– Last Updated: Oct-20-10 8:22 AM EST –
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
– Last Updated: Oct-20-10 1:16 PM EST –
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…
– Last Updated: Oct-20-10 5:25 PM EST –
"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
– Last Updated: Oct-21-10 1:02 AM EST –
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.