Just finished up a thread on our local sea kayaking Message Board about day hatches--the small hatches on some boats, usually on the starboard side, just behind the cockpit. They are to be used for accessing water, snacks, cameras, etc. One poster who is considering a new boat said that a day hatch was a "must have" for any new kayak he would look at. At the same time, he noted how difficult it was to access the hatch while paddling--especially trying to get the hatch cover off and then back on, especially in cold weather. Others made the same observation.

My Epic 16X has a molding in the rear deck, obviously for a day hatch that was then discarded when the boat design was finally fixed. I could easily install my own day hatch there, but wanted feedback on whether it is really a good idea. A deck bag mounted just in front of the cockpit serves the same purpose, and is both removable and way more accessible. Based on the input I received from paddlers who have day hatches and claimed they liked them (while telling me about the problems of actually using the hatch while out on the water), I've decided to leave well enough alone, and use my existing deck bag for such cargo when I need it. Any other opinions out there?

Well personally I use my day hatch all the time. Its where I put my helmet, my swim mask , my food and by small dry bag with phone etc. In front of me under a deck net is only what i need right now. I shove my hat under there with my glasses rolled up in it if i'm about to land through surf. That type of thing. My feeling is any weight should be low down and larger items out of the wind. I also tend to hit things on deck with either my hand or paddle. So for me. Day hatch it is.

Timax, I gather that you do not use your day hatch while you're paddling out on the water; you just put stuff in or get it out when you're on the beach, is that correct? You only access the deck net while you're actually out on the water--not the day hatch?

That's the heart of my question--how much do people use the day hatch while they're out there on the water paddling?

Both of my sea kayaks have day hatches behind the cockpit. I don't remember ever accessing it on the water on my Sirocco, but I have done so on my NC Expedition. The type of hatch used on NC boats and the stability of the Expedition makes it easy.

Please keep those replies coming. Magooch, I gather that you have used your day hatch on your NC, but my interest is on whether or not it is regularly, repeatedly used. Do people with day hatches on their boats find themselves using the hatches on a regular, repeated basis while they are out on the water, not on the beach?

The only things that I regularly keep in my day hatch are my skirt and a short piece of rope. I used to keep my cell phone in there, but I decided that if I really need to use it, I'll go to shore; it would be all too easy to drop the thing in the water while trying to get to it in the day hatch. The same is true of almost everything else.

There has been a time, or two when I felt the need to put the skirt on when things suddenly got a bit rough and I was in a situation where going to shore would be a little inconvenient. But, for the most part, my kayaking is done where I have almost constant ability to quickly go to shore and land on a nice, friendly sandy beach.

There is one downside to using the day hatch on my NC while out on the water and that is that the hatch cover has no tether. I could easily put one on it, but I have no plan to do so. The cover will float if it lands on the water just right (trapped air), but what are the chances of that? I don't want to get in the habit of using the day hatch except on rare occasions and I think a tether just might get hung up on things and be more of a hindrance than anything else. It's better to be sure handed and the lids aren't that expensive anyway. Hey, this just gave me an idea. I'm not at home right now, but when I go home, I'm going to see if it would be feasable to glue a couple little pieces of styrofoam to the underside of the hatch.

I keep my water bottles, lunch and or energy bars, extra hat and gloves if it is cold out in my day hatch of my cappela 163. Also a small dry bag with my money and keys and cell phone in it. I have no problem accessing it while on the water.

My new CD Cypress has a day hatch. I love it! I can easily access it on the water. I keep my sprayskirt, extra water,& shoes in it. I can easily remove a light jacket, open it, stuff the jacket in, or get a water bottle out while in current with no problem.

The only things I keep on deck now are bilge pump and paddle float.

My previous boat did not have a day hatch and I don't know how I made it without one.

Thank you all for the continuing feedback. I'm thinking.....

I did cut some little pieces of styrofoam and glued them in between the little ribs on my day hatch cover and it works like a charm. I wonder why the hatch manufacturer doesn't do something like that. Oh, maybe it's because they are in the business of selling hatch covers to people like me who hadn't thought about making them float.

Anyway, thanks Magic for bringing up the subject and making me think.

I've decided not to fit my kayak with a day hatch. Instead, I've re-attached my old North Water deck bag, this time to the spray skirt itself. There, it doesn't obscure the view of my deck compass, stores everything that others might store in a day hatch, and yet does not interfere with pulling off the spray skirt when necessary, or with paddling. My Seals spray skirt has 4 loops conveniently placed that allow me to attach the bag with carabiners.

The more I thought about cutting holes in my rear deck, and trying to reach around behind me to access the hatch and its contents, the less appealing that idea seemed. Recycling my old deck bag has worked out very well indeed. But thanks for the input.