Jim said: <snip>I am getting some leakage in the rear compartment of my fiberglass P&H Capella. <snip> You gotta do a leak test. I use a spare hatch cover with a tire valve mounted in the middle. A quick shot of compressed air, then cover the entire surface of the boat with soapy water, and bingo...where there's bubbles, there's troubles. The dealer should be able to do this or provide the hatch, and a bicycle pump can be substituted. Don't over inflate, especially with a flimsier lay up (not your boat, however). There are other ways, of course, but that's the one I use, and do it every 6 months as part of my maintenance schedule. Maintenance, oops, sorry to use a swear word! If you do find a source of leakage that is not structural, such as a through-deck bolt or some such thing, I like to use a thinned version of a good marine caulking agent. I find two applications of the thinner formula penetrates and seals. I know, I have a very "holy" kayak. I don't get much direct leakage through the actual hatch seals of the VCP covers, whether at pool practice or on the open salt chuck. Certain conditions will cause the hatch covers to suck-in like they are going to implode. I replaced my SS rings (which used to pop open all the time) with 1/2" bungy cord, and have nary a problem now. A new kayak should not let water in -- only a canoe does that :-) I see a lot of new boats taking on small amounts of water, and I always advise new boat owners to hound their retailer until satisfied, because leaks only get worse. I will no longer paddle with a person who's kayak leaks. (I'm one of those kind of guys that trouble always seems to follow, so I have to eliminate some of the potential :-)). Now, I really do need to get back to sanding my kayak. BFN. BC'in Ya Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Kevin said: <<Jim, Could it be that you have not sealed the hatches down well? On some VCP style hatches, it takes some effort and time to push the rubber edge of the hatch all the way against the base of the hatch opening.>> <snip> This is where a protectant lubricant can be beneficial. There is that little bit less friction to push the hatch "home" with the application of something like 303 on the inside. The big oval VCP hatch often looks like it is sealed, when in fact, it isn't. Some of the actual VCP kayaks had problems a few years ago with their own VCP hatch instillation. The hatch rim material is a hard plastic that is glassed in place from underneath. Their used to be a problem with water seeping past the inner diameter of the deck cut-out hole, then around the plastic flange of the ring, then migrating past the fiberglass. It was difficult to diagnose, as the hatch cover obliterated the view during water leak testing. I've been told the problem has long been rectified now, but this may be a problem of a similar nature with the P&H kayak. You need to run some non-viscous epoxy into this rim crack to get a good seal - that was how the retailer used to fix the problem. I know, because mine leaked at first. I fixed my own in the end. When I modify kayaks now and put my own VCP hatches in, I glue the in place first, after sanding the plastic to 80-grit, the epoxy-fiberglass them in place. Good luck. Hope you like leek soup! BC's Ya Doug Lloyd (ah, a pun with no polemical suggestion!) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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