trident front hatch leak

Has anyone had a front hatch that leaked bad and fixed it? I picked up a used Trident 15. I put it on the ground in my backyard, tightened down the hatch and held my garden hose over it from waist high. I aimed the hose at the recessed area around the hatch. After about 30 seconds I opened it and it had a cup or two of water.

I went to Lowe's and bought some soft rubber weatherstripping and put it on the top of the inside of the hatch. I ran another strip on the top of the hatch opening along the outside of the existing seal. I tightened down the hatch and ran the same test still a cup or two of water. I guess this wouldn't be a problem for a lake fisherman but for those of you that have been in big swell on the ocean or coming back in against wind waves you know this test was nothing compared to real life. I'm guessing that going a mile with waves crashing all the way over into the cockpit would put more water in than water running out of my garden hose.

I thought the hatch cover was awfully big for the hatch size when I first looked at the yak but I thought Ocean Kayak must know what they are doing because they are a reputable company. I like the layout of this yak but I have to get the hatch to seal. I even put bike innertubes on top of the gaskets and tightened down the hatch thinking, "there is no way water will get past that". I still got the same result. The sidehandle webbing strap snapped when I picked up the kayak. The handle is the riveted on nylon type. Do I just drill out the rivets to replace it?   

If anyone knows how to get that hatch to seal I would appreciate some knowledge. Did OK update the design?       

Hey Merv! Hightide Allan was just at my house and we were talking about his last
trip at Fort Ross. He ran into the same problem with his T15. His kayak was half
full of water when the three sets of high surf covered his kayak on his way out.
I am wondering if there is a such huge difference between the T13 and the T15. I
ask because I've had some water cover my front hatch numerous times do to some high surf. I have found not even a drop of water inside. I believe Allan's
kayak is 2 years old. I don't know if the year makes a difference.

Jedmo

My P15 takes in water, everytime a wave hits and breaks over the top.  Also, the recessed rod holders are open on the bottom, and allow water to enter the hull there too.  Just add noodles.

Mine has also been super dry.  Make sure its not getting in somewhere else like the front of the rod pod.

I get a bit of water through the front hatch on my T-15. Only if the front of the kayak takes one over the bow completely washing over the front deck. When the force of  the water is pushing against the front edge of the seal it lifts the lid to allow  some water to get in. This shouldnt be a huge problem if you take one or two over the bow. If that dudes kayak filled halfway up with water you wouldnt even be able to paddle it. I dont get a cup or two.

If you are spraying with the hose are you forcing water under the lid at a high pressure? Take a bucket full of water and splash the front as if you are taking a wave over the bow after you cinch down the straps holding the lid  down.

I'm not squirting it. The water is just coming out of the hose at normal pressue. I put up the sonar shield to keep water from splashing on the rod pod and also was very careful to make sure the rod pod was closed tight and proper. The water is not entering through the rod pod. Have all T15s had the exact same front hatch cover design? The fit is so poor that I think I'm, going to have to permenantly seal the front hatch or sell this thing to a freshwater fisherman.  

I have owned 5 yaks and have had all of them in very rough water (water coming completely over the bow into the cockpit) from 25-30 knot winds and/or 10 foot swells. Only my Tarpon 130 didn't get even moist inside. The rest all took in tiny amounts of water but that was after long periods of being pounded. I can handle small amounts in severe conditions but I have no doubt this yak would sink in short order.

Montana, I hope I'm misunderstanding your post. Are you saying you have flushmount rod holders that are open on the bottom into the hull of your yak?

Then you definetly have a problem. I will be very interested to find out just what it is. aybe someone put another lid on it? Wierd.

It sounds as though montana didnt cap the flushmounts before installing.

amphibian have you find the exact location of the leak yet? 

I think it's a poor fitting hatch. I am trying different weatherstripping combos. Maybe it's just mine but I would recommend that you guys test yours before going out very far on big blue. Big blue has a tendency to turn big wild white without warning and that will make a big difference in how your yak performs. 

I have been out in some tough conditions and have been on the ocean on sit on tops for over 35 years. The last few times I was out I was taking water over the bow consistently without a water problem at all. Save for a few drops here and there. Check yours out throughly before goingon the open opcean again.

Montana, I hope I'm misunderstanding your post. Are you saying you have flushmount rod holders that are open on the bottom into the hull of your yak?

Uhhhh...yeah, that was my first thought too.   

Maybe its not about the seal, maybe the hatch lid is warped??

I have to figure it out myself.  I'm hoping that it's just me not tightening the straps when I launched.  I did hit 3 consecutive waves on the bow that had my yak submerged for at least 10-15 seconds.  I was thinking of getting weather stripping myself and doing some experimenting.  The boat does not have a crack though which is good.

The lids are almost paper thin and the ends raise when you tighten down the straps. OK needs a new hatch cover design.

my front hatch has taken lots of water over the top and had no water enter from there.  Maybe you need to get someone to hold the hose while you stick your head in the rod pod and see how the water is coming in.

Hightide, if your cockpit was completely flooded, you may have take water in from the rod pod.  I have one scupper filled with the transducer and so only have one truly open scupper.  If the cockpit is completely flooded, the rod pod opening near year seat can be really close to the water line.