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Front hatch leaking (Vibe Kayak) ||
Vibe Kayak Transducer Grid Plate Cleaning.
Ok.. so a week or so ago I was exiting the launch and there was a bunch of that "kelp" that you find on launches that are on the windward side.
and I noticed when I had flipped the kayak over to load the kayak... that because there is a "scoop" area on the stern of the grid plate.. a bunch of the "kelp" had gotten pushed in there.
I cleaned it today (finally)... and there was a bunch of sand and small shells in there too.
So ya might wanna give it check... periodically.
Front hatch was leaking from the same trip...
usually I have something strapped down on the hatch...
that day I didn't.
And I took a fair amount of splash that day.
Although I have heard some reports of the hatch leaking..
Without gear strapped down over the hatch.. it took on more water than I had experienced before.
Anyway... basically you have a hinge on the starboard side, and turning latches on the port.
But the fore, and aft of the large hatch appear to not seat very well.
You can see a space in the hatch and mounting plate.
(actually what I did... is hook up a leaf blower...
and make a cardboard plate to seal the rear hatch..
make a hole in the cardboard to insert the leafblower...
and blow air through the entire kayak to check for any leak.. ie pad eyes etc mounting stuff.
I check with the smoke of some burning incense).
Fix:
You can find these large Silicone Bands... on Amazon.
search... "Grifiti Band Joes"
It just happened (go figure) from one of my other many projects...
I just happened to have some spares.
My hatch is large... I had on hand 9.5 inch band.. which was a tight fit.
Wrap the band around the outer circumference..
sealing the hatch.
You can get 12" Grifiti Band Joes...
Probably be better...
These bands are quite stretchy.. a larger band will retain the width when stretched.
But.. well I used what I had and looks and covers the area so water shouldn't get in.
Actually.. first I hooked up the vacuum cleaner.. creating negative pressure.. and you could hear the the front hatch suck tight and seal. Found no leaks.
Reversed the procedure with positive pressure, leaf blower.. found the leak.
Vibe Kayak Transducer Grid Plate Cleaning.
Ok.. so a week or so ago I was exiting the launch and there was a bunch of that "kelp" that you find on launches that are on the windward side.
and I noticed when I had flipped the kayak over to load the kayak... that because there is a "scoop" area on the stern of the grid plate.. a bunch of the "kelp" had gotten pushed in there.
I cleaned it today (finally)... and there was a bunch of sand and small shells in there too.
So ya might wanna give it check... periodically.
Front hatch was leaking from the same trip...
usually I have something strapped down on the hatch...
that day I didn't.
And I took a fair amount of splash that day.
Although I have heard some reports of the hatch leaking..
Without gear strapped down over the hatch.. it took on more water than I had experienced before.
Anyway... basically you have a hinge on the starboard side, and turning latches on the port.
But the fore, and aft of the large hatch appear to not seat very well.
You can see a space in the hatch and mounting plate.
(actually what I did... is hook up a leaf blower...
and make a cardboard plate to seal the rear hatch..
make a hole in the cardboard to insert the leafblower...
and blow air through the entire kayak to check for any leak.. ie pad eyes etc mounting stuff.
I check with the smoke of some burning incense).
Fix:
You can find these large Silicone Bands... on Amazon.
search... "Grifiti Band Joes"
It just happened (go figure) from one of my other many projects...
I just happened to have some spares.
My hatch is large... I had on hand 9.5 inch band.. which was a tight fit.
Wrap the band around the outer circumference..
sealing the hatch.
You can get 12" Grifiti Band Joes...
Probably be better...
These bands are quite stretchy.. a larger band will retain the width when stretched.
But.. well I used what I had and looks and covers the area so water shouldn't get in.
Actually.. first I hooked up the vacuum cleaner.. creating negative pressure.. and you could hear the the front hatch suck tight and seal. Found no leaks.
Reversed the procedure with positive pressure, leaf blower.. found the leak.
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