[Paddlewise] Deck/hull seam

<snip> Peter Treby wrote:
>I also tried an air pressure system, blowing air from a spa heater unit
into the
>boat and finding leaks by running a thick detergent/water mix over the suspect
>area and watching for bubbles. I wonder how many new boats would be totally
>watertight?

Watertight?  Better still ... how about A-I-R-tight?

My Nigel Dennis Kayaks Romany Explorer appears to meet the airtight test.
When removing my boat from the relative coolness of the garage, preparatory
to loading onto the car rack, I need to install my hatch covers markedly
depressed into the hatch. Even so, on a warm day, when I unload my boat
about an hour later, the hatch covers are bulging outwards alarmingly (gotta
get those grommets and tethers installed!) as the heated air expands inside
the enclosed hatch. Conversely, after I put the warm hull into the water,
after "burping" my hatches, the hatch covers soon sink well down into the
hatch as the cooling air "shrinks." I typically need to have them burped at
least once during my paddle.

I've never found so much as a drop of water in my hatch compartments even
following activities where my boat spends a lot of time upside down with the
hatches under water.

Oh, I bought my new NDK Romany Explorer early this year. It was built in
late '98. Built like a tank. Heavy, too; my scale says 68 lbs.

I reckon it's watertight. Hope it stays that way. Probably will, given the
way it's built. (Thanks Nigel, and thanks to you, too, Aled.  :-)

If your hatch covers do NOT exhibit this behavior with hull temperature
changes, then maybe (?) you've got a potential water leak.

Regards,

Bruce

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