Maintaining hatch seal performance

Author: josh

Category: Equipment, rigging & preparation

Published on Saturday, 03 April 2010 09:27

Written by Josh

It is not uncommon for Hobie kayak owners (especially Adventure Island owners) to report a small amount of seepage into their hulls after use. This can range from a few drops to a few cups and in some cases, significantly more. There are several factors that contribute to water seepage and by far the most common among them is poorly sealing hatches. This is almost never due to equipment malfunction and is usually a side effect of operator error manifesting as neglect. This isn't so surprising because not many kayak dealers will go into detail on how to maintain the hatches, so it's not something that many users think about.

The twist 'n seal hatches found on hobie kayaks are unlike the more common thread-closure based hatches found on most kayaks. Hobie moved away from these hatches (even on their catamarans) due to their inherent tendencies of seizing up. Salt, sand and grit gets caught into the thread and without regular inspection and maintenance, this can make them seize up making them very difficult to open. Twist n seal hatches are a hinged lid that uses a rubber gasket to form a seal that is created when the seal locks the hatch into place. Just like threaded hatches, salt, sand and grit can become a problem for these as well. Not so much in the way of making it difficult to open and close, but these contaminants can certainly impair the sealing properties of the gasket.

To keep them working optimally, these hatches need to be cleaned and conditioned fairly regularly. The most effective method I have found is to open the hatches when hosing the kayak down and hosing off the gaskets and the rim of the hatch where the gasket forms a seal. I do this to make sure all particles of salt and sand are gone. Then I leave the hatches open to dry (note, I don't do this in full sunlight). When fully dry, I spray the gaskets and rim of the hatch with McNetts silicone spray (available from all good Hobie kayak dealers), and allow that to sit and soak in for at least 20 minutes before wiping off any excess. Although they work differently, this sort of maintenance regime would also help keep a threaded hatch performing at its best as well.

McNetts silicone spray is the best product I have found for this, which not only helps create a 'wet-seal' upon application, also conditions the rubber gasket (I also use this stuff on neoprene, zippers, furler bearings, pulley blocks and cleats, as well as the rubber seals on the front hatch of the AI) but I've also found that Hobie UV protectant spray does an excellent job of it as well. Armour All would also suffice. 

It's also worth knowing that the Twist 'n seal hatch rim is screwed down into the hull using a foam gasket to form a seal. This gasket can and does deteriorate over long periods of time and it is possible for water to seep in through here without the user knowing. Because this gasket isn't visible it's difficult to know if it is in good condition or not. If you are experiencing excessive amounts of seepage and can't pin down the culprit, it might be worth unscrewing the hatch from the hull and inspecting the gasket underneath. If it has deteriorated, remove it completely and use clear silicone in it's place.

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