PA hatch seals

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Yako
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PA hatch seals

Post by Yako »

Hi all,
I searched the threads for mods to seal the hatches on the PA14 but didn't find anything suitable.
I was out at Corner inlet on Sunday when the wind suddenly changed from a gentle 9kts to gusts up to 33Kts (according to BOM) & it sure did kick up with white caps, swell etc :o
Anyways it was quite hair raising as I was helping another kayaker back to shore which was a real slog. Eventually about 500m from shore the wind changed direction and the wind was so strong I was only achieving about 1km/h while holding the other yak. With the change and holding the other yak the waves kept breaking over the bow and pouring into the main & centre hatch too (with hatch closed). The result was a PA that got seriously waterlogged very quickly (loads of pool noodles helped keep afloat :up: ). I had forgotten to connect the battery to the bilge pump :down: and started hand bailing with a small bucket. We were starting to get pushed away from shore and I was about to deploy my Epirb as nobody was responding on channel 16??? Fortunately 2 blokes came past in their half cab and gave us a tow back :thumbsup:
So Afterwards I emptied my yak and pulled the noodles etc out and tried to see if there was a leak but No not one :down: : :x Ok so I'm seriously bugged and want these hatches to be as water tight as possible.
So Shane or anyone else here with firsthand knowledge or know of a YouTube video etc etc that solves this then please help as I'm sure I'm going to face some tough conditions again :evilgrin:
John 3.16/17
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bjspinner
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Re: PA hatch seals

Post by bjspinner »

I'm pretty sure for the front hatch the rubber to seal it better is a Holden torana door rubber seal.

You put your this around the liner tub, Clark rubber has it. I used this on my old PA which has moved on.
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HaTTerS
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Re: PA hatch seals

Post by HaTTerS »

Poised on the edge of sanity.
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bjspinner
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Re: PA hatch seals

Post by bjspinner »

Cheers Hatters, should read the thread from front to back anyone that views this thread.

Will help if you get caught out :thumbsup:
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shane
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Re: PA hatch seals

Post by shane »

While you're in Clarke Rubber, also get some 10mm soft closed cell foam, enough to line the inside of the hatch lid. This will push down on the other seals providing better protection from water ingress. On mine I have also added 4 extra bungee loops around the sides of the hatch lid that pull it down tighter all-round. I mainly connect these when heading offshore so may not be necessary for everyday and I'd be trying the other 2 seals first.
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Yako
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Re: PA hatch seals

Post by Yako »

Thanks Shane :up:
John 3.16/17
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Jenko
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Re: PA hatch seals

Post by Jenko »

And to stop water build up on the deck I removed the bungs and left them out permanently on my PA.
What year is your PA, some of the earlier ones cracked around the seat mount area, scupper holes(incorrect use of trolley) and around the drive mounts.
My Outfitter leaked around the both drives but only under pressure.
How much water was inside, if it was a lot you may have a leak as I've had constant waves coming over the front of the PA and had bugger all water in the hull.
Cheers Gary...
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Yako
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kayak: PA 14, A.I, Revo16 & 4.1 Ocean Kayak
Real Name: Rich

Re: PA hatch seals

Post by Yako »

Hi Gary,
Thanks for your reply.
I don't have a leak as I took the yak out at Corner inlet on Thursday and gave it a solid work out in mild 11Kt winds for almost 3 hours not stop speed varying between 6km/h and 7,5km/h for a good work out. Water in hull "Zero" on the deck about a litre or two.
Had the yak on the roof on the way home yesterday through the rain etc- Guess what almost 4litres of water was inside the hull after about 2hrs45 mins driving :o
So yeah I've gotta get new seals & do what Shane's done.
I don't appear to have any leaks through the mirage drive after thoroughly testing it and the holes in the scupper I made :x last year and fixed are solid.
I threw away my scupper plugs a long time back.
I'm 100% sure using "Torana" or whatever seals with some surgical tubing around the tub and sheet of polyethylene on the lid with occy style straps will fix it.
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Jenko
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Re: PA hatch seals

Post by Jenko »

https://www.clarkrubber.com.au/bailey-c ... 3mm-x-22mm, the easiest way to joint the ends is to cut neatly and use superglue.
Cheers Gary...
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shane
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Re: PA hatch seals

Post by shane »

Yako wrote: Had the yak on the roof on the way home yesterday through the rain etc- Guess what almost 4litres of water was inside the hull after about 2hrs45 mins driving :o
Rich, I had the same issue where my PA would have water in it after rain. The problem ended up being a crack in the top deck that would seep water through and eventually opened up, especially while under load. It's worth supporting the whole hull then filling it completely with water. This is the only way I found the leak in the deck. The location was where the drain groove is in the RHS tackle depression in the floor, next to the vertical buttress. I've had the same crack appear here in 2 PA hulls.
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