For those of you who already have a 6 inch hatch on your kayak, this may be the upgrade you've been waiting for!
I bought a used 2013 Feelfree Moken 14 a few years ago. It was Feelfree's first foray into the world of "Big Game/Offshore" sit-on-top fishing kayaks. The previous owner told me that he paid well over $1400 for that kayak - a huge difference in price, since I paid just $500 for it used. I had seen his kayak at a "Meet & Greet" with our kayak fishing club in Rhode Island earlier that year in 2017. He mentioned that he was selling it due to a shoulder injury and that he could no longer lift the kayak to put it on his car. As I was doing a visual inspection of the kayak, I mentioned about the structural cracks on the hull's topside, some of which were long and wide. He never said anything as to how the hull became cracked, only that he said it didn't hurt the performance of the kayak on the water's surface.
Later on that same year, I emailed him on our private message board, and asked if the kayak was still for sale. He said, "Yes, I still have it." I told him that I wanted to buy it, and he mentioned he would let it go for just $500 (he was asking $750 at the "Meet & Greet"). This included the extra comfy seat (a $250 value), and a rod holder. The paddle, he was going to keep, for his other kayak. And so the process of repairing the cracked hull was underway during the Winter of 2017/2018. When I finally finished the plastic welding of the damaged hull, I went on a search to upgrade the rear 6 inch hatch. Though, it was waterproof, I didn't care for the way it opened. Not that I will ever use this hatch on the open water, but I wanted something similar to Hobie's "Twist & Seal" hatch.
I checked out an online store called, "Wish.com" - a great site to consider when shopping for products like the Hobie-style "Twist & Seal" 6 inch hatch (they also come in 8 inch sizes too). Like the Hobie-style hatch, it uses a small "T-Handle" that twists 180 degrees and opens up with a one-handed operation. Unlike my old hatch, a quarter turn of the cover, and the hatch cover pops off and is tethered with a small cord.
So, this article is: "How to Install, or Upgrade, your 6 inch hatch with a Hobie-style Twist & Seal Hatch".
This hatch is the one I will be upgrading. I found a vendor on Wish.com that was selling a 6 inch Hobie-style hatch for just $10. Hobie sells their 6 inch hatch for $50! I bought three 6 inch hatches for $30, plus shipping for $18.96, and STILL paid less for the $50 Hobie version!
Under the cover, there hides 6 screws, each one has a lock nut attached on the inside.
Photo Credit #1: Jeff Hall
Though the new hatch looks bigger, it isn't. The new hatch comes with a thick neoprene gasket that will aid in the waterproof capabilities of this hatch. The only difference between the two hatches is that the newer hatch needs 8 screws. I chose to stick with stainless steel hardware because this kayak will see a lot of salt use in the coming seasons. I also chose a longer screw at 5/8 inches, over the old 1/2 inch screws, and slightly bigger locking nuts.
Photo Credit #2: Jeff Hall
Be sure to save the old screws and nuts. You may want to use these in the future for a different project. I bought 16 screws, washers, and nuts that were all stainless steel and the total came to $21.60!
Photo Credit #3: Jeff Hall
The holes marked off with an X are the holes that I won't be using. Because the new hatches have 8 holes, you will use the top, bottom, left, and right existing holes. The other 4 holes will can be drilled out. No need for Goop on the old holes. The new hatch came with a thick neoprene foam gasket that will cover up the old holes.
Photo Credit #4: Jeff Hall
The old screws and nuts on the lower left were replaced with longer screws and bigger locking nuts on the upper right. I bought washers, but chose not to use them. The longer screws were needed because of the thick foam gasket that was provided.
Photo Credit #5: Jeff Hall
I put the 4 longer screws with nuts on already. This made it a lot easier when drilling out the other 4 holes - no shifting makes for a perfect install, even for a novice.
Photo Credit #6: Jeff Hall
Be sure to save the shavings from all the drilling you do. You can use the shavings to cover up a crack or gouge in your kayak's hull in the future. Your kayak's hull is made High Density Poly Ethelyne, or HDPE for short. Milk crates are made from the same material and makes for a good substitute if you don't have enough material.
Photo Credit #7: Jeff Hall
After I tightened all the screws and locking nuts, this is what the new Hobie-cloned 6 inch hatch looks like. Almost looks as if it came with this feature already installed!
Photo Credit #8: Jeff Hall
Make sure you take your time with this install. I installed this in my garage, with no heat, in 30 degree weather, it is best that you take your time with this project. Because of the hatch's location, there can be no room for errors here! As I stated earlier, I don't intend on using this hatch while I'm out on the water, as I don't need to get swamped with water offshore!
As usual, keep those lines wet & tight! - J
