I built Jay's Outer Island and built the flush hatches per his instructions. I can vouch that they are perfectly watertight. I decided that having a solid mechanical clamp was preferable to bungees, dispite the fact you do have a knob sticking out of the center of the hatch. I'm willing to put up with just a wee bit of spray for piece-of-mind. Only when slicing through big waves do I get enough water on the deck to make much of a spray with that little knob.

Sorry, I don't have any pictures to post...

Dean

: 7 years ago I put flush hatches on a Panache I built. No straps of any kind.
: I used a small hole in the center of the hatch with a pece of threaded rod
: going through the hole which goes into a cross member (dowl stock
: 1/2") under the deck. You tighten the knob on top of the hatch and it
: cranks it down towards the cross member below the deck. To remove the
: hatch you simply slide loosten the rod (unscrew it a bit) and slide the
: hatch off.
: I previewed this for Nick who is usually in disbleaf and the kayak actually
: hissed out air as it was loostened. It is absouletly water tight and easy
: to make. Eric Shade incorporates it into all his boats now. Someday Nick
: will also.

: If you want a drawing, email me your address and I'll send out something.
: Others on this board have used it and may have a photo to post.I'm not
: looking for credit for the world's greatest kayak invention.
: jbabina@snet.net .