Re: hatch vs drain hole

Posted by LeeG on Mar 26, 2005

It's worth re-reading Howards post. Drain plugs are for draining water,,enough to drain. Like in a leaky plastic sit on top kayak or the stern of a runabout to drain as you drive away. It's not uncommon to unsrew the drain plug on a plastic SOT and drain out a gallon. In a s&g kayak compartment closed up except for a drain plug the only place water will come in is through the drain plug or condensation. The drain plug won't allow enough exchange of air to remove condensation nor allow enough water to be removed to eliminate condensation. A pinhole in the bulkhead would be better leaving the compartment to grow interesting things over the years. A Beckson hatch in the front bulkhead is about as accessible as putting the radio controls in your car radio above the passenger side visor. You won't find a production kayak with a screw hatch in the front bulkhead. It's barely accessible and doesn't make the compartment itself accessible. If you want a deck without a front hatch then don't put in the front bulkhead and use float bags. That is common in any kayak without bulkheads and hatches. The front bulkhead is not necessary structurally for the deck or hull. Any stress that would make a foredeck crack without a bulkhead will have shorter cracks with a bulkhead. If you wanted a the front deck to not flex as much without the bulkhead then pre-glassing the underside of the deck with 4oz before installation is easy. Flush hatches are a reasonable thing to do with the piece of wood that's cut out for the hatch hole. You don't see many on the photos because they aren't in the kits. It's an option. But you will see Arctic Hawks with them,,it's in the kit.

In Response to: hatch vs drain hole by Vic F on Mar 26, 2005

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