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Leaks through trapdoor

Submitted by AnnickEmmanuel - Sun, 5/4/14 » 10:12 AM

Hey,

I will start building my SG Shearwater 17 from a CLC kit and I have red some comments about leaks into bulkhead due to unseal trapdoor.

I have in mind to glue a part of an old drysuit in neoprene 3mm.

Do you think it is adapted?

Did you find another way to avoid those leaks?

Thanks in advance

Emmanuel

5 replies:

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RE: Leaks through trapdoor

» Submitted by AnnickEmmanuel - Mon, 5/12/14 » 2:16 PM

I have seen one shearwater 17 and discuss with the kayaker. => Trapdoors leak.

I have exhanged with a recent Shearwater builder => Trapdoors leak

Any chance to get a solution to avoid this issue?

Thanks

Emmanuel

RE: Leaks through trapdoor

» Submitted by jnjclark - Mon, 5/12/14 » 9:58 PM

By trap door, do you mean hatches? On my Shearwater Sport, I had to drill a hole to release the vacuum, to open the hatches. For example, close the hatches during the day when it is warm, drive home, try to open the hatches when it is cooler. I had to pry them open with a flat putty knife. Once I drilled them and sealed the holeswith epoxy, and then made pulls with 550 cord they work fine.

Make sure that you glue them up flat, spend the time to shape the rims/spacers to the boat, I skip the lip, I use 3/8 inch or 7-8 mm foam weather stripping, make sure to adjust the tension on your hold downs.

Good luck, JRC

RE: Leaks through trapdoor

» Submitted by AnnickEmmanuel - Wed, 5/14/14 » 10:36 PM

Thx, yes I mean hatches.

Does the 7-8mm foam comes with the kit?

Could a piece of neoprene drysuit help by gluing it under the cover?

RE: Leaks through trapdoor

» Submitted by hspira - Wed, 5/14/14 » 11:33 PM

Annick,

foam weatherstripping (7 - 8 mm) comes with the kit and sits on the lip so that when the hatch is strapped down, it is compressed from the 7-8mm to 3 mm (the width of the spacer between the lip and the deck).

this makes for a very water-tight hatch

the clc website has a good instruction and pictures on this....please see this link:

http://www.clcboats.com/shoptips/fitting_out/flush_hatches.html

good luck

howard

RE: Leaks through trapdoor

» Submitted by AnnickEmmanuel - Fri, 5/16/14 » 2:23 PM

Thanks for the link, I did not see it before.

The kayak builder I saw and told me the hatches leak did not build it from a kit, but from a plan, maybe they made a mistake.