Old problem, but not solved. leaking T&S hatches.

Mark - Crazy Glue for the broken seal

Keith - cheap inflatable kiddie swim ring in a white plastic bag. Right under the hatch in question.

See you guys at KMart,.

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The Wind Is Your Friend...

Well, they say that a picture tells more than 1000 words.
So I hope you get the general idea of these pictures.








[URL=http://img507.imageshack.us/i/100830u.jpg/][/UR





As I said before, I don't like the "every-time-I-open-the-hatch" cups of water. And I want to feel safe open the hatch even in open sea with swell. Now I can pump out water without letting new water in.

Is the idea crazy? NOT TESTED YET.

The SeaToSummit bag is without bottom and glued between to original hatch seals. Attached between hatch and hull.

10 points for trying but I don't see it lasting long. I could not live with the reduced access and space of the hull and the fact that it is still going to hold water where you store your gear when you open the hatch, kind of defeats the purpose really (well that's how I see it anyway).

There really aren't any glue's/silicone that stick (strong enough) for a lasting seal and I think with a bit of time it will just separate from the hull all the time.

Hope I am wrong for your sake!!!

Well, thanks for the 10 points! It's a start.

As I said, it is not tested yet, so maybe you are right.
But just for clear this up a little: there is no glue on the hull.
The bag is glued with Liquisole between two (2) original hatch sealings. Normally there is only one (1) hatch sealing between the hatch and the hull, and it is not glued either.
And of course you CAN access the storage space, but then have to open the bag also. So you are right, the access is reduced. It is an "extra" space in the bag where limited water amounts can get into without getting in storage area. Excuse me for my limited english. The 4 plastic boxes is there to show an example of how much you can store in the "extra" space.

Interesting. Looking forward to hearing some results.

NOHUHU--good idea. I have not tried it yet because my leakage has been manageable recently. I have learned, if I am not "expedition-loaded," my leakage is minor.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Well if the pictures was unclear I hope this attempt to make a drawing will help to understand how mounting is made. The hatch screws press everything together.

When I don't need the bag, the idéa is to just roll it up and fasten it with 3 or 4 velcro straps against the hull (inside, up and around the hatch). You don't see anything of the bag. The bag is open and everything is working like original design and function.

One thing to observe is that the roll-closing of the bag need to be high when closing the hatch, because that is the only leaking part of the bag.

If it does not work the way I intended, I just replace the bag with one new single hatch sealing. Because the bag is now glued together with 2 hatch sealings that follows the bag.

/thomas

2-3 gallons sounds like you might have a hull crack. Flip the hull over and look closely around the mirage drive opening, particularly the leading edge, where the most strain is. Just had a hull replaced under warranty for that, and I almost did not, because I was blaming the rudder lines and hatch seals. My leak was worse on the hard sailing days, and almost negligible on the light days, which was why I did not suspect a leak in the hull. But, the crack opened up at higher speeds, due to the bow wave - the center section of the boat gets less support, kind of like hanging it by the bow and stern handles. Once actually had the stern go completely under, and the bow came completely out, the hull was forming a 30-40 degree angle! I straddled the hull and sat right behind the mirage drive to get the bow back down, and worked the drive with my hands, and got over to the beach. Pumped her out and kept going. Yet another example of how sea-worthy these boats really are! The center hull was flooded to the water line, and she didn't sink. I did know I was taking on water, but thought I could make it the last mile back to the take out point. Even then I did not suspect a crack. Went so far as to rig an automatic electric bilge pump - I'll sell it to you, cheap! Wasn't until I bought the TI, and watched somebody else go through the battery for the pump, and never got water near the hatches or stern lines that I realized it had to be a crack. Doing the soap suds check with a blower pushing air into the hull did not find it, only a visual inspection. Since the drive well cracks are stress formed, repairs are usually ineffective.

By the way, thanks for the new hull, Hobie people! She works great! Now my biggest problem is choosing which boat to take out!

My 2 cents worth.

Every twist & seal hatch on my TI drops a tiny bit of water inside when I open it. This is normal. I have heard that you can smear Dow Corning 111 on the rubber seal to ensure zero water ingress when the hatch is locked down.

Trying to pump out water with a hatch open, while at sea is like trying to walk up the down escalator. The hatch opening is less than about 2 inches above water level in flat water, so slops are likely to enter in a sea. Instead I fitted a plug into a drink holder, and then added a 1 inch plastic hose to the Hobie sports pump. So I open the plug and fill the hole with the plastic hose. I can then pump the bilge water over the side without needing an open hatch.


But, as SteveO said, if you get 2-3 gallons inside your hull, you have a cracked hull, and improving your ability to remove the water is avoiding the real problem. I have NEVER had more than about half a pint of water in the hull after a heavy weather sail. Too little to pump out, and only removable by tilting the hull on the trailer until the stern is on the ground, to let out a small puddle.

I would test the hull by the various methods posted here

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

This works!
Tested IRL!
Really needed to pump out in swell that tried to fill my AI. Water came in trough the big hatch in front. But that is an other story...








br
thomas

Does anyone out there have any interest in replacing the stock twist and seal hatches with beckson 8" hatches? I have custom Starboard trim rings cut to fit them that are cut to accept them? I can very easily get more of them made. I'll post a picture later.

I would have put the seal in a different location than Hobie did (on the flat of the lid underside or on the flat of the receiver) but have to admit none of mine leak. Out of 4 Hobie boats (one is too early to have them) I've got a total of 6 of them, plus one I bought and installed on a Mokai, and none let in any water, no matter what.

When I open them, I do sometimes get a splash or a few drips from water that has collected on them, but beyond that they seem nearly watertight.

I wondered about the shape of the seal, but seem to recall there was a reason they didn't use a standard O-Ring.

I believe it was to incorporate the hobie watertight containers, but there are others on here who know the reason. I am going toward standard hatches, due to the fact that I have only had my new TI for 3 weeks and the hatch lid sides sit over 1/8" higher than the front and back (the hinge and latch area). Now I know I have a good seal.
Also completely reversible.

I don't think that's the norm - it's certainly possible to get a bad hatch every now and then.

Either way good luck with the AI. Mine has certainly been a lot of fun.

I am certainly happy with the sealing of mine. Usually the only water getting in is what was lying around the handle before I open the hatch. After a vigorous six hour sail yesterday, with plenty of water flying around, when I tipped the hull down on the trailer until the stern touched the ground, I only got half a teacup of water out of the drainhole.

I think there must be something wrong with your hull, as there seems to me to be nothing inherently flawed with the design of the Hobie hatches..

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

The other reason that I see for switching to standard hatches is that I can mount deck mount accessories on the hatch which is easier and cheaper to replace than the hull, or the hatch. Right now I am mounting a stern light base. I also have a clear hatch installed in the back seat so I can tell if I have any water inside without opening the hatch. I'll keep my original hatches for if by some chance I can come up with any reason why I should sell the boat. But that is a not likely.