My 7.5" front Valley hatch cover rotted through from the top in spite of the constant 303 dousings I've given it over the years! It was original equipment on a 1997 Current Designs Solstice ST that I bought new. [Would have expected a longer life, but so be it!] Was wondering if anyone knew of any other alternatives to the Valley hatch cover. Personally I don't like the feel of the rubber Valley uses. It began to feel somewhat brittle about a year or so ago -- top ridge lines and lettering were breaking apart -- but it was still solid until I pulled it off today. Noticed on my Romany that the two large hatch covers are made by NDK and are as soft as can be. A much finer quality rubber it appears. Checked Kajaksport out, but they don't make a 7.5" cover. Suggestions??? Jim Tynan Pike Road, AL *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>. Checked Kajaksport out, but they don't > make a 7.5" cover. > > Suggestions??? Check KS-OY again Jim! They make a 10, 15, 20, 24 round hatch and a oval one. Die 20er is equivalent to the 7,5" VCP cover. Okay, almost equivalent. It got 1 cm higher inner diametre, but teh SAMe outer diametre so you could use it as an alternative to the VCP 7,5". VCP covers arenīt made from rubber, but from polyurethane. Thatīs the problem. PU doesnīt like ozone, and UV-radiation. KS-OY is made from real rubber! To protect the VCP hatches I made some Spi-stuff extra hatch covers. they avoid the heating of the VCP covers and protect them a little bit against the UV-radiation. They give your kayak an individual coloured touch and one day I will sew a little bag onto them, so I could store there some flares or lines or what-ever-you-want. Want some pics from it? best regards Jochen Grikschat, who suffers a little bit from sunburn. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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