The rear hatch on the rotomolded Tempest 170 must be very carefully put on to properly seal it. It could still be dislodged by a wave or an errant line. A new replacement Qajaksport hatch cover for $80+ would help. Good inflatable flotation would give you piece of mind. I'd really prefer a neoprene cover and a hard cover belted over that. The RM Tempest is still a great boat for the beginner thru intermediate kayacker. You should raise this this issue on the Yahoo-based Tempest owners user group. The Tempest's designer follows this board. Good Luck!