Sealing stealth 14 hatches - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

tomahawk · 03-30-2013, 11:01 AM

My stealth 14 gets water in both main hull and the "storage comparment" next to the bait tank. For the storage compartment it is obviously from the hatch (no other way in). Which part of the hatch is unclear. It could be leaking where the hatch attaches to the kayak or where the hatch opens and closes. Any ideas? I am thinking of drilling out all the rivet and using marine goop between the hatch and kayak. The hatch itself is more of a mystery on how I would improve that. The main hull potentially has the the hatch next to the bait tank, the rod holders, and gator hatch in addition to the obvious, hull leaks. Same fixes could apply to the hatch and rod holders. There are no obvious holes in the hull, if the hull is leaking I would guess it woulld be a one of the scuppers. For a figure of merit, I was out 5 hours last week in LB harbor, no real swell, didn't get swamped by a wake, just some wind chop. I had about a small dixie cup worth of water in the storage compartment and about a gallon in main hull. I have heard people on this site talk about filling the kayak with water to check for leaks but the engineer in me is saying that is a bad idea.
Thanks for reading and any responses,
Tom

jruiz · 03-30-2013, 11:12 AM

I'm a rocket scientist and a part time brain surgeon and I put about a gallon of water in the hull to find leaks below the water line and soapy water and mild air pressure through the drain hole to find leaks above water line. My leaks were most things that had pop rivets like hatches and flush mount rod holders

Dannowar · 03-30-2013, 12:19 PM

It's definitely the front hatch that's letting in the majority. I'd put some weather seal along the bottom of the gator hatch. I really do t understand the need for a gigantic hatch in the front. Just more chances its gonna leak

tomahawk · 03-30-2013, 01:48 PM

Jruiz - If you would have said brain surgeon and part time rocket scientist... with the leak rate fairly low, I didn't think moving a few gallons of water around inside the kayak would be perceptive enough. I am not sure i'd be able to check the scuppers that way. In my initial comment, I really meant it didn't sound good to load 360 lbs of water in the kayak to get the same water line on the inside of the kayak that I have with me plus gear (260 for me + 60 for kayak +40 for gear) on the outside. I like the soapy water and air pressure and I am deinitely going to try that.
Dannowar - My son has the stealth 12 with the same gator hatch and basically gets nothing inside. Next time out I am going to snag his gator hatch. I wasn't thinking it was the GH just because the last time out it was pretty calm and i still got a fair bit inside.

ful-rac · 03-30-2013, 04:21 PM

Most of your water is probably coming in from the side hatches. Raise the back end up with your wheels, take your garden hose and put some water on the side hatches, watch for leaks. If your stealth was like mine you'll get some water in it. You can try sealing with goop, hopefully that will help. Always remember to check once in awhile for water entering the hull especially on those rough days, and pump out if you have to.

tomahawk · 04-01-2013, 09:36 PM

Tested the storage compartment yesterday. Leaks really bad between the hatch and the kayak (through the gasket). I want to drill out the rivets and marine goop the hatch down. Any ideas on replacing the rivets? I'd love to just replace them with SS machine screws and nuts but I don't believe I can reach that far in the inside.

tomahawk · 04-07-2013, 04:57 PM

Looking for some advice/recommendations. I took the hose to the Kayak today and all the hatches leak. The rear hatch appears to be leaking in the hatch itself. The frame of the hatch it not flat it bows about .07 to .1 inches between the corners on all edges. Because the latches are in the corners there is little to no compression on the gasket in the mid spans. I am thinking I need to remove the frame and re-install it with goop while shimming it flat. Both side hatches leak, the compartment seems to leak between the kayak and frame. The other hatch seems to leak between the door and frame. Has any one had any success fixing these?

Siebler · 04-09-2013, 09:12 AM

How old is your kayak and did you purchase it new from a dealer?

tomahawk · 04-09-2013, 06:18 PM

Purchased used. It is a blem (stamped right on it). Not sure of the year. The Hull has a white label "KPO 12900 5E09". The KPO 12900 is printed. The 5E09 looks ingraved by hand.

Siebler · 04-10-2013, 09:13 AM

If it was a new boat and not a Blem I would have said contact Malibu under Warranty.

Malibu has redone the Gaskets on these hatches to seal better (inside lip, not between boat and hatch). You cans till try contacting customer service to see about getting the new gaskets. They just glue right in and should help your issue.

tomahawk · 04-10-2013, 07:07 PM

Thanks. Milo at MY was helpful in the past when I was trying reinforce the seat area.
Tom

spottie slayer · 04-10-2013, 07:18 PM

thats what happends to malibu hatches. good boats but the hatches kinda suck.

momo fish · 04-18-2013, 09:51 PM

just picked up one at sale.. Is it a good idea to just use goop around all hatches for insurance? How much are they ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siebler

If it was a new boat and not a Blem I would have said contact Malibu under Warranty.

Malibu has redone the Gaskets on these hatches to seal better (inside lip, not between boat and hatch). You cans till try contacting customer service to see about getting the new gaskets. They just glue right in and should help your issue.

tomahawk · 04-19-2013, 06:28 PM

I would check the hatches first. My son has a stealth 12,same vintage as the 14 I ride, and it's hatches barely leak. After a day out he has maybe a cup of water max.

spottie slayer · 04-20-2013, 07:30 AM

buy a jackson cuda

Dannowar · 04-20-2013, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spottie slayer

buy a jackson cuda

Just make sure and buy it locally!!!!

03-30-2013, 11:01 AM	#1
tomahawk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 109	Sealing stealth 14 hatches My stealth 14 gets water in both main hull and the "storage comparment" next to the bait tank. For the storage compartment it is obviously from the hatch (no other way in). Which part of the hatch is unclear. It could be leaking where the hatch attaches to the kayak or where the hatch opens and closes. Any ideas? I am thinking of drilling out all the rivet and using marine goop between the hatch and kayak. The hatch itself is more of a mystery on how I would improve that. The main hull potentially has the the hatch next to the bait tank, the rod holders, and gator hatch in addition to the obvious, hull leaks. Same fixes could apply to the hatch and rod holders. There are no obvious holes in the hull, if the hull is leaking I would guess it woulld be a one of the scuppers. For a figure of merit, I was out 5 hours last week in LB harbor, no real swell, didn't get swamped by a wake, just some wind chop. I had about a small dixie cup worth of water in the storage compartment and about a gallon in main hull. I have heard people on this site talk about filling the kayak with water to check for leaks but the engineer in me is saying that is a bad idea. Thanks for reading and any responses, Tom

03-30-2013, 12:19 PM	#3
Dannowar Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,823	It's definitely the front hatch that's letting in the majority. I'd put some weather seal along the bottom of the gator hatch. I really do t understand the need for a gigantic hatch in the front. Just more chances its gonna leak __________________ "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you’ll suck forever." — Brian Wilson

03-30-2013, 04:21 PM	#5
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Most of your water is probably coming in from the side hatches. Raise the back end up with your wheels, take your garden hose and put some water on the side hatches, watch for leaks. If your stealth was like mine you'll get some water in it. You can try sealing with goop, hopefully that will help. Always remember to check once in awhile for water entering the hull especially on those rough days, and pump out if you have to. __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

04-09-2013, 09:12 AM	#8
Siebler Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Richland Oregon Posts: 1,547	How old is your kayak and did you purchase it new from a dealer? __________________ CJ Siebler

04-10-2013, 09:13 AM	#10
Siebler Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Richland Oregon Posts: 1,547	If it was a new boat and not a Blem I would have said contact Malibu under Warranty. Malibu has redone the Gaskets on these hatches to seal better (inside lip, not between boat and hatch). You cans till try contacting customer service to see about getting the new gaskets. They just glue right in and should help your issue. __________________ CJ Siebler

03-30-2013, 11:12 AM	#2
jruiz Large Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: La Verne, CA Posts: 1,002	I'm a rocket scientist and a part time brain surgeon and I put about a gallon of water in the hull to find leaks below the water line and soapy water and mild air pressure through the drain hole to find leaks above water line. My leaks were most things that had pop rivets like hatches and flush mount rod holders

03-30-2013, 01:48 PM	#4
tomahawk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 109	Jruiz - If you would have said brain surgeon and part time rocket scientist... with the leak rate fairly low, I didn't think moving a few gallons of water around inside the kayak would be perceptive enough. I am not sure i'd be able to check the scuppers that way. In my initial comment, I really meant it didn't sound good to load 360 lbs of water in the kayak to get the same water line on the inside of the kayak that I have with me plus gear (260 for me + 60 for kayak +40 for gear) on the outside. I like the soapy water and air pressure and I am deinitely going to try that. Dannowar - My son has the stealth 12 with the same gator hatch and basically gets nothing inside. Next time out I am going to snag his gator hatch. I wasn't thinking it was the GH just because the last time out it was pretty calm and i still got a fair bit inside.

04-01-2013, 09:36 PM	#6
tomahawk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 109	Tested the storage compartment yesterday. Leaks really bad between the hatch and the kayak (through the gasket). I want to drill out the rivets and marine goop the hatch down. Any ideas on replacing the rivets? I'd love to just replace them with SS machine screws and nuts but I don't believe I can reach that far in the inside.

04-07-2013, 04:57 PM	#7
tomahawk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 109	Looking for some advice/recommendations. I took the hose to the Kayak today and all the hatches leak. The rear hatch appears to be leaking in the hatch itself. The frame of the hatch it not flat it bows about .07 to .1 inches between the corners on all edges. Because the latches are in the corners there is little to no compression on the gasket in the mid spans. I am thinking I need to remove the frame and re-install it with goop while shimming it flat. Both side hatches leak, the compartment seems to leak between the kayak and frame. The other hatch seems to leak between the door and frame. Has any one had any success fixing these?

04-09-2013, 06:18 PM	#9
tomahawk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 109	Purchased used. It is a blem (stamped right on it). Not sure of the year. The Hull has a white label "KPO 12900 5E09". The KPO 12900 is printed. The 5E09 looks ingraved by hand.

04-10-2013, 07:07 PM	#11
tomahawk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 109	Thanks. Milo at MY was helpful in the past when I was trying reinforce the seat area. Tom

04-10-2013, 07:18 PM	#12
spottie slayer Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Dana point Posts: 74	thats what happends to malibu hatches. good boats but the hatches kinda suck.

04-19-2013, 06:28 PM	#14
tomahawk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 109	I would check the hatches first. My son has a stealth 12,same vintage as the 14 I ride, and it's hatches barely leak. After a day out he has maybe a cup of water max.

04-20-2013, 07:30 AM	#15
spottie slayer Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Dana point Posts: 74	buy a jackson cuda __________________ cuda 14 ftw