My concern about using them without a hardshell cover would be implosion. Spray skirts sometimes implode under th pressure of a breaking wave, I would not want that to happen to a hatch, flooding it with water in rough conditions when I need the floatation the most.

: Has anyone had any experience with neoprene hatches? I saw one on a seaward
: kayak and thought it was pretty cool but I hesitate because I wonder how
: water-tight they are. Do they have to have a hard shell cover? Also they
: seem like they might be cumbersome to put on when it was cold. One upside
: though would be that a large rear hatch could be made pretty inexpensively
: and it would sit fairly flat to the deck. Anyone have any thoughts on
: these?

: Also, has anyone seen a "Beckson" style hatch that is a large oval?
: I am trying to get away from using a VCP because of the weight and
: expense.