I wonder what it is about the hatches that makes them so vulnerable to damage. I have lots of rubber on my folding kayaks (hypalon) and you never see anything like what happens to those Valley hatches. The hulls don't start cracking for 20 or 25 years. In older Kleppers you do see more premature cracking at the end caps, narrow protective strips at the bow and stern, but generally that did not happen for at least a dozen years (my boat, 12 years old, has not a crack in it). It could be several things: composition of the material. Perhaps the rubber they are using isn't up to that kind of exposure. positioning. Hatches are flat and therefore are sticking up there to catch all the sun's rays without mercy. function. The hatches need to have a bit of stretch in them, I believe. I am confused because I have seen two types of hatches (remember I am not in hardshells so I am working as an observer not a practicioner). One just basically a cap that fits over the hatch hole rim and is held by a built in flange in the hatch itself. Another kind is a cap but with a flexible steel flange that has a latch on it, looking somewhat like how the closures on ski boots. My question is are the hatches that are show limited life ones without the flexible steel closures or is it happening also to ones with the steel closures. Again, I am not up on hatches for hardshells and who makes them and how they are supposed to function and close the hatch hole. Just another word. Feathercrafts have hatches too. I don't want to get into how they close but the top part is made of cordura nylon with a bungee and cord lock tightener (actually two). It was actually what I was thinking of when I kidded about using shower caps. I think it would be fairly easy to rig up something like the Feathercraft hatch cover and place it over the Valley one, which would provide the true seal. Next time you are around a Feathercraft or see one at a show, take a look at that hatch cap. It may provide enough cover to protect the rubber in the Valley hatch. ralph MJAkayaker_at_aol.com wrote: > > > I just talked with Great River Outfitters (I got my replacement VCP hatch > covers from them) about life expectancy for the covers. They said I should > expect 1 to 2 years. Maybe a little more if I was real careful about storage > out of the sun. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Jul 29 2000 - 04:38:43 PDT
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