The gasket is something I had been able to get inconsistently at good hardware stores. It is just a self adheasive, neoprene, weather-stripping. It does not have the fabric cover of wet suit material which can wick in water. While working at Newfound I found it in a MSC or McMaster-Carr catalog. You may be able to find it at a hardware store, but looking at my local one the other day they didn't have much of a selection. I just get it from Newfound now. They generally have the right stuff in stock.

: I've resisted making flush hatches for a long time because they can be
: difficult to make truly water-tight. I had tried using neoprene wet-suit
: material for gaskets but it does not compress well enough to work in less
: than perfect hatch deck contact situations.

: However, since I started using the gasket tape Newfound Woodworks sells I've
: been confident of a good seal. This tape compresses very easily allowing a
: very good seal, especailly when the gasket straddles an edge where half
: compresses and the other half can rise up past the edge for a total seal.
: This gasket tape compresses so much that you can make a under deck lip for
: the hatch cover to rest on with adding padding for the gasket thickness,
: which simplifes hatch construction.

: I think Nick tracked down the source for this tape for Newfound when he was
: there and perhaps can give more details on it's name and material
: properties.

: All the best,

: Rob Macks
: Laughing Loon CC&K
: www.LaughingLoon.com