How to temporarily seal leaky front hatch???

[mdmakaira410]

So my kayak is really bow heavy and with the ffinder battery up front it rides nose down into the waves. i dont mind the wet ride but my front hatch doesnt seal properly. after my last couple rough water trips ive pulled the yak out of the water to find it filled with a couple gallons of water inside the hull. Im going to move the battery back to a dry box in my crate and thread the power cord through a small hole in a hatch cover behind my seat. my question for you guys is how do i temporarily seal the front hatch for a days outing without using duct tape? i like to be able to throw a ditch bag up front for peace of mind but i really dont need easy access to it during the day. Thoughts?

[mdmakaira410]

Here is a pic of the type of hatch it is.

[Grady-Black]

These may help:

http://www.watermanatwork.com/KayakF...tch/Hatch.html

http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/Ar...geHatches.html

GB

[chimo]

Don't have any suggestions on sealing the hatch but maybe you should try and ballance the yak out a bit more. Moving the battery back is a start. Maybe adding an anchor or another weight to the back of the tank well might get the nose to ride a little higher. Good Fishin

Chimo

[DOGFISH]

If you don't already have some rubber type of seal on the hatch, you should add the type that Grady Black mentioned. You can also add some seal to the under side of the hatch lid, to match up with the hatch rim seal, as mentioned in one of those articles. That will thicken the amount of seal. The seal material sticks on. However, keep in mind that you will need sufficient straps to keep pressure on the seals. There are several you tube videos about that subject also. The seal material can be gotten at most boat stores. It is the same stuff that boaters use to seal hatches.

Chimo's suggestion might also help. If you have alot of weight in the bow, the nose of the kayak will bite into waves, putting water pressure on the hatch seal. Since I added a deep cycle battery in the bow of my kayak, I sort of have that problem. I am thinking of adding some additional seal material to the front hatch. I added a second battery behind the seat, which helps some. I tend to choose my weather accordingly, of course I can troll all day with two batteries.

[DOGFISH]

I looked at your photo, but that looks like a fish with legs.

Those rubber, gestpatcho (spell), type hatches probably will need some more seal under the lid or around the rim of the opening. The only caveat, is that if you use too much, the rubber hatch cover won't grab the lip of the opening. You may just need a thin rubber seal or the hollow type that will squash down. You should also add some criss cross straps on the hatch. That will just take some webbing and eyelets. What it looks like you are getting, is the water or even some water pressure forcing its way under the loose fitting hatch cover. Some of those rubber hatches, once over the lip of the hatch opening, are then a little loose. They may even stretch with use. If you add straps, try to place them so that there is equal distance between the quadrants, in hopes of applying equal pressure, at best, all the way around. That with some added rubber material should work. "Famous last words."

Hey, remember, you were the guy who was going to stand up and cast. How is that working out. Do you have the kid on standby for a rescue.