My recent experience in the ocean has been perplexing to me. My first petrel has a push fit beckson in the front bulkhead. It kept blowing out in the surf line. well i am at times being forced out of the cockpit against my will. darn the front fills up as well as the cockpit.at this point the kayak weighs a lot and this is no hand pump job. the plate does have a small hole in it but i think it is popping out when paddling out . the bow rises vertically when paddling over the wave and slams down hard on the back side i think this where the lid blows out. now for the swim of shame to retrieve the kayak in the shallows stingrays are sliding around and somehow this is really fun unless i get the hot nail to the foot treatment.