Patsy, this is the best picture I have right now. The water tight compartments are about 3' long and have about 4" depth where the Beckson 8" hatches screw out. I could carry a ton of equipment in these two hatches, including two telescoping spin rod fishing poles. The most important reason I built these was for self resque. When the boat is filled half full of water the two hatches act like pontoons and I can craw over the side into the cockpit with out the boat rolling over and then paddle to shore. I felt very safe in white cap water and wind in the BWCA this fall, but my boat weather cocked badly like the one you were in. I am adding a retractable skeg right now to correct this. I like your enthusism.

John in IN