Hi Rob,
Even though I'm just a flatwater day paddler I'd miss the hatches. A soft side cooler with lunch, a place to store extra clothes, some tennis shoes for a quick hike, fishing gear in case the mood strikes.........I use a hatch almost every paddle and might even go camping sometime.
Poured (molded) hatch rims would have to be done before the halves are joined. I'm sure a hatch could be added afterwards by some other method.
Reading the how-to's can sound complex but the actual procedure isn't bad. I vote you go for it.

Ian
Proud owner of a Spring Run and two Wee Lassies, the second to be launched this weekend.

: I'm creeping along on my Spring Run kit build. Almost up to the
: keel on the hull stripping. Anyway, been thinking of hatches,
: etc for the deck.
: While storage space would be nice, I'm starting to think that maybe
: for my first build I avoid hatches all together. I make the yak
: with no hatchstoreage at all.
: Keep it simple!

: Almost all the yaks I've been seeing have hatches. Am I
: over-concerned with installing hatches?

: If I decide to add one later to the finished yak, is it a PITA and
: messy?

: Thx,
: Rob