> I am ready to cut my hatches and am not sure of where and what size to
> make the hatches. My kayak is a Pygmy Actic Tern and it is 17' long. I
> opted to not pay for their hatches because I am going for the flush hatch
> idea without the straps. I would really like some advise on this, I am a
> little hesitant to cut this perfect deck!

One of the joys of making your own hatches is that you can make them as big as you need. The question then becomes: How big do you need them?

This is easily answered with a simple experiment. Dig out the equipment you would normally carry and see how big of a hole you need in order to pass the equipment through. For example, If you just can't live without your three burner Coleman stove, then make the hole big enough to let the stove pass through it.

Get a scrap piece of plywood or cardboard and cut a hole in it. Try to shove your gear through the hole. If it won't go, make a bigger hole.

When you make the hole for your hatch remember that there is usually a lip UNDER the hatch which holds some kind of sealing material, and serves as a base or seat for the hatch itself. (This is what keeps the hatch from just falling through into the boat) If you need a 9 inch hole to get your duffle bag in, the the hole in this lip must be 9 inches, and the hatch itself will be somewhere from 9.5 to 10 inches, depending on how wide you want that lip. For a 1/4 inch lip you add 1/2 an inch -- that is 1/4 inch lip on the left and another 1/4 inch on the right. For a wider lip, you double the size of the lip. and add that amount to the size of the hole you need to get the size of the hole you will cut in the deck.

Two examples, just to show the numbers: 1) You decide to make a circular hatch that will allow the passage of a cast iron skillet which can barely squeeze through a 10 inch hole. You want a 1/2 inch lip that you will cover with 1/2 inch wide foam rubber weatherstripping to keep out the water. So, you cut a hole in the deck that is 11 1/4 inches in diameter. Under this you secure the lip which has a 10 1/4 inch hole in it. You can get the skillet through that hole easily.

2) You want a hatch that is rectangular so you can get that camp stove aboard. After tugging a bit, you find it will go through a space 10 inches wide and 12 inches long. Assuming you want that lip to be 1/2 inch on all sides, you cut the hole in the deck to 11 inches by 13 inches. When you mount the wooden pice that makes the lip, you'll put a hole in it which is the 10 by 12 inches you need.

If you use float bags for flotation you night want to measure them to see where they rest. Don't put your hatches too close to these. It could be awkward to put in gear if the back end of your flotation blocks half the hatch opening.

This is going to sound obvious, but sometimes the obvious gets overlooked: If you need wide hatches they must go in the wide area of the boat. Don't try to put the hatches too close to the ends or you'll have trouble getting the gear in and out. If you keep them closer to the cockpit you'll find it is easier to reach them, and they can be large enough to be useful.

Just a few thoughts

Paul Jacobson