I am working on a Mill Creek 16.5 from plans and got to thinking about the deck hatch design. It does not look particularly watertight. I know looks can be deceiving, so I wonder if anyone has some thoughts on whether or not I should go with John’s plans or if I should consider making a “coaming lip” to use with a rubber oval hatch cover like is used with so many manufactured Kayaks. Thanks for your feedback!
I do not have a Mill Creek but those are the same type hatch covers as used on the Chesapeake series and I did build one of those. In general, the only time I had leaks from those style hatches is when I used the included foam. That stuff is open cell and sort of slows down the water instead of of stopping it. I switched to an actual hatch sealant foam - closed cell, compressible but firm, etc. - and as long as I have enough pressure on the hatch to compress the foam it doesn’t leak.
The SEA-LECT rubber hatches sold by CLC are inherently watertight. The only reason not to use them is greater cost than the ones already included in the kit and esthetic mismatch, but if you’re OK with that and/or really need the watertight feature, they’ll work. They come with a flange, so all you have to do is cut the matching hole and mount the flange with the included screws and the not-included sealant.
If you’re feeling really workmanlike, you could try flush-mounted hatches for a really clean deck.
My $0.02,
Laszlo
Thanks, Laszlo. As always, you have great feedback and ideas!