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Topic: 6 years later, Wilderness decides to change the leaky Orbix hatch  (Read 11597 times)

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potto

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The title sums up how important customers feedback is to them.
Since '09, Wilderness knew about the leaky Orbix hatch.  (I have no idea if this new hatch will actually fix the problem)
Nothing wrong with the tupperware hatch other than a few complainers wanting an easier access.  At least that is what I am told.
Instead of keeping what I consider a strong point in the Tarpons, they decided to replace it with a horrible design hatch.  Brilliant!
Did they even test it if it leaked?  Obviously not.

How hard is it to learn how to use the tupperware hatch?  2 minutes max?

If a business can make these awful decisions, do you really think they would do the smart thing and go back to the tupperware front hatch?
Don't count on it.  6 years people!!!! 

I feel sorry for the reps of Wilderness.  The way I see it, they have 2 options.  Lie that it does not leak or tell the annoying customer to call customer service.   
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The bow hatch? Seems like they only leak if they get warped. And yes mine warped after a few years of being stored outside. But I simply beefed up the hatch seal and no more leaks. I love the angled Orbix hatch in the middle because I can stash a 7ft one-piece rod inside the hull.
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Unless the seas are mad that day, a little leakage isn't a great deal of bother for me.  From a manufacturers point of view, I would suspect that changes take some time.  It's not a simple matter of "change this for that".  Molded features require a mold change and that cost can be HUGE.  It may take several years selling a product, such as a kayak, before you pay off the mold & tooling costs to the point that it is profitable, especially in a niche market like kayaks.  I'm sure their bean counters, designers, customer service reps, etc. all had meetings to weigh out the cost vs. customer to arrive at the decision of change.  In some cases, change CAN be as simple as change a part out; such as a particular way the hatch is hinged, shaped, supported, or gasket type/size/shape.  I cannot speak from any level of knowing what the exact issue was with this kayak or hatch design ... I can say that I have been a Wilderness Systems kayak OWNER for at least 16 years.  Very happy with their product line so far.  Have yet to come across a kayak that didn't have some sort of flaw of quirk.  Just my 2 cents on the matter.

6 Years since your last post ....  Seems like there is a bit of an ax to grind with them?  Looking forward to a reply in 2021.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2015, 03:28:35 PM by FishingForTheCure »


charles

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If waves repeatedly come over the bow and break against the sides on my Adventure while fishing for several hours I expect to sponge a quart of water out of the hull. Minor issue. Water has a way of finding the smallest openings. A seep is fine a deluge not.
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If waves repeatedly come over the bow and break against the sides on my Adventure while fishing for several hours I expect to sponge a quart of water out of the hull. Minor issue. Water has a way of finding the smallest openings. A seep is fine a deluge not.
Amen!  I can honestly say that MY Ai ends up with a little water in it at the end of a day.  Pretty sure mine comes through the rudder line holes.


potto

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The bow hatch? Seems like they only leak if they get warped. And yes mine warped after a few years of being stored outside. But I simply beefed up the hatch seal and no more leaks. I love the angled Orbix hatch in the middle because I can stash a 7ft one-piece rod inside the hull.

Hi Cen Coast.  I'm in process of getting the new hatches installed.  I hope for the best.  Wait, second best.  The best would be the old tupperware front hatch, even the client rep on the phone agrees.
As for the center hatch.  It is a good idea, no argument there.  I hope to report the results in a few weeks on the new items. 
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Nothing wrong with the tupperware hatch other than a few complainers wanting an easier access.  At least that is what I am told.
Instead of keeping what I consider a strong point in the Tarpons, they decided to replace it with a horrible design hatch. 



lol, looks like I'm a complainer :)

The Tupperware hatches sucked......this opinion is based on having the hatch get blown off in surf launches and swamping the yak, it also sucked playing the balancing act on the bow of the yak while fumbling around trying to make sure they're secured if I had to access the hull on the water.   They also sucked when I was diving and trying to get them on while I was in the water.  They essentially rendered the inside of the hull useless if I was in anything other than flat water. 

Your phone rep may agree with you.....but it doesn't make the crappy Tupperware hatch lids any good.  I'll take a latched lid any day.
..........agarcia is just an ex-kayaker


potto

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lol, looks like I'm a complainer :)

The Tupperware hatches sucked......this opinion is based on having the hatch get blown off in surf launches and swamping the yak, it also sucked playing the balancing act on the bow of the yak while fumbling around trying to make sure they're secured if I had to access the hull on the water.   They also sucked when I was diving and trying to get them on while I was in the water.  They essentially rendered the inside of the hull useless if I was in anything other than flat water. 

Your phone rep may agree with you.....but it doesn't make the crappy Tupperware hatch lids any good.  I'll take a latched lid any day.

Hi ex-kayaker.  All front hatches should have some type of strap holding it down for added security.  Including these new hatches.
The tupperware lid does take more time to seal but it doesn't leak.  I guess you prefer a leaky lid.
As for the diving, I can not comment, but I can understand why that would be difficult to close on the water in rough conditions. I suspect being a diver, you didn't mind to get things wet inside the hull.

I don't know if you will like the new design lid.   It take more effort to close.



Thanks for your comments.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2015, 05:07:50 PM by potto »
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The tupperware lid does take more time to seal but it doesn't leak.  I guess you prefer a leaky lid.



Hmmm, that or.....its fishing on the ocean in a craft that sits 5" above the water and I expect for things to get a little wet. 

In response to your statement though, yes, I prefer a leaky lid over one that will get blown off in barreling surf break. I prefer a leaky lid over one that requires the balance of a tight rope walker in mixed swell to get on correctly.  I prefer an easy to secure leaky lid over one that will keep meatloaf fresh in the fridge for a month.  :)
..........agarcia is just an ex-kayaker


Tsuri

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The bow hatch? Seems like they only leak if they get warped. And yes mine warped after a few years of being stored outside. But I simply beefed up the hatch seal and no more leaks. I love the angled Orbix hatch in the middle because I can stash a 7ft one-piece rod inside the hull.

Hi Cen Coast.  I'm in process of getting the new hatches installed.  I hope for the best.  Wait, second best.  The best would be the old tupperware front hatch, even the client rep on the phone agrees.
As for the center hatch.  It is a good idea, no argument there.  I hope to report the results in a few weeks on the new items.

Hey potto,

My 2014 T160 front hatch was kinda leaky and warped from the day I bought it. No big deal but surprising since the OK boat I have is almost always bone dry after a trip. Still prefer it over a tupperware type, wadda PITA!

How did you get the new type hatches? Let us know how it works out, may want to get some myself.

I wanted to get a rod that would fit in the mid hatch but I chose to keep all my tackle there instead.

The main complaint I have at this point is the seat...dang thing really messed up my back, recently took it out and replaced it with an OK cloth type, seems more comfy and I feel more connected to the boat, gotta get it on the water to confirm but may be a big upgrade.

Modify till it suits you.

My 2¢
« Last Edit: May 15, 2015, 10:01:35 PM by Tsuri »
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RacinRob

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I don't really want to say anything here but 1 thing. The new 2015 hatch will NOT work on older boats with the Orbix hatch.
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One of the reasons I bought the t160 was the big access and stow capacity it had, and which they got rid of soon after(?!) For anyone who hasn't seen the original Tarpons they had big hatches front and back, bigtime mystery why they eliminated that instead of improving on it

I was never satisfied with the setup and intended to modify it (since like 1999) to be more like the hinged hatch on my old glass dive yak, won't need to now that I own a Stealth. Come to think of it the soft hinge Stealth makes might work on the T160

Have always wondered who makes design decisions at WS and other plastic yak companies, the Tarpon wasn't a bad yak but then plastic is plastic, I would remain a perpetual malcontent if the guys in South Africa hadn't come along, I was talking to a designer about building something similar

Designing hulls for speed and stability is serious science, good hatches should be a piece of cake


potto

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I don't really want to say anything here but 1 thing. The new 2015 hatch will NOT work on older boats with the Orbix hatch.

You guys are confusing me.  The tupperware hatch was from 05 -09 (I think)  Orbix latch hatch started around 09 - today.  AFAIK, only the ride is getting the new design Orbix latch version 2.  But when I was at REI over the weekend.  There was a Wilderness system there with the new Orbix latch v.2 hatch.

When I called Wildy, the phone operator checked to see if the version 2 latch hatch would fit.  They said it would.  Upon investigation, they do not.  Version 2 has a smaller I.D. and is too small for the hole that has been drilled.  :smt012

Go figure.

Version 2 latch hatch has the same flaw as the original when it comes to precision.  Nice big gap around the edges, or in other terms, warped.  My goodness. 
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All Wildy boats boats with an Orbix hatch will get the new design from 2015 forward. Every one I have seen so far has been a perfect fit. And I have seen a lot of them.

I have the older style on my 2012 Tarpon 160 and took waves over the bow for over 8 hours on Fri and again on Sat. At the end of the day I had water in the kayak, about a 1/2 gallon. No big deal. If you want it perfectly dry in bad conditions don't by a kayak at all.
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2018 AOTY 2nd Place
2017 ARW Halibut 3rd Place
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2014 GS8 1st Place AOTD
2014 Trinidad Rockfish Wars 1st Place--- Teamed w/ATD
2014 AOTY 3rd Place-Again
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2012 Sonoma Slam 1st Place---Teamed w/ATD
2012 TRW 2 1st Place----Teamed w/ATD
2012 PIF Big Salmon Winner
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FishingForTheCure

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I have yet to find a kayak that didn't leak a little ... same goes for boats.


 

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