In a message dated 1/2/2003 1:16:16 PM Central Standard Time, cholst_at_bitstream.net writes: > A fellow in our kayak club made a stich-and-glue kayak > in > which the hatch covers are held down by internal bungees. > > I tested a prototype kayak with this rig and during a cowboy rescue, my > skirt > caught the hatch and it is now in Davey Jones' Locker. I recommended they > use a different system, despite the good looks. > > Brian Blankinship > >> > > I wouldn't expect this to happen if the hatch cover were flush with the > deck or a fairly strong pair of bungees were used. As I recall, the one I > looked at required a fairly strong pull to open the hatch far enough to to > unhook the bungee. > I was present at a Deep Water Rescue practice and the act of a rescuee leveraging off the hatch cover made it open up by slipping one or two of the tension pegs and the hatch shipped a few gallons of water. The day before my wife saw the internal bungie system in use. A rescuee's hand pushed in the lid and the kayak recieved a few US gallons, enough to cause the kayak to pirouette. For these reasons I prefer the VCP or Kayak sport hatches. There may be ways to make a pretty boat have a complimentary hatch system with security in mind. The ones listed above didn't generate my confidence. Happy New Year, Rob G *************************************************************************** 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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