See also our "Skill" & "Safety" sections
VIKING
SIX INCH HATCH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION
Kit contents: Hatch ( Rim, Screw Top Lid & removable Fat Bag )
Tools
Needed:
Jig
saw, drill, 3/16 drill bit (for rivets & well-nuts), hand riveter
(aka rivet gun) and/or screwdriver, tube of silicone (small tube will
do), fine point magic marker. Also helpful are: Stanley SureForm tool,
Small putty knife, paper towels, sharp knife and ruler.
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Other
parts required:
12 Rivets, or Well-Nuts or supply your own hardware, such as stainless
steel nuts and bolts.
INSTRUCTION:
Gather all tools and parts before starting. Arrange the kayak in a comfortable workspace in a stable manner. Kayak placed at waist level while standing is best. Read directions thoroughly before starting, silicone hardens fast.
1. Identify a suitable place to install 6-inch hatch. Use rim to find a flat place on deck large enough and flat enough to accept full diameter of hatch with some room to spare. Avoid low areas such as cargo or scuba wells. Central location in cockpit is acceptable but be sure to seal well with silicone.
2.
Use LID as a template, upside down. Draw a circle using the outer edge
of the LID as a guide with a fine point marker. Hatch Rim can be used
to help center in the space.
3.
Use Drill to make a hole inside the circle you have drawn. This will allow
you to insert the jig saw blade.
4.
Use Jig Saw to cut out the opening for the hatch. Cut just inside of the
circle you have drawn, just barely leaving the marker's line. Check the
fit with the Rim by inserting it into the opening. If necessary trim with
a small SureForm tool, sharp knife, or the jig saw. If opening was cut
too large apply a bead of silicone to underside of hatch rim in the corner
where the flange makes a 90 degree angle, and let harden.
5.
Apply a thick bead of 100% pure silicone sealant (clear is best) all the
way around the flange of the hatch rim. Apply enough silicone so that
when the rim is secured a small amount will squeeze out all the way around.
A second bead of silicone can be applied to the very edge of the opening
on the deck. Too much silicone can be a problem, and messy! Bear in mind
that you must work quickly, as the silicone will harden and gel after
only a few minutes.
6.
Insert Hatch Rim into opening, do not press down hard. Make sure it is
seated properly. Using drill, with 3/16 drill bit, drill your first hole
using a screw hole in the rim as your guide. Insert a silicone coated
rivet, (Dip rivet tip into silicone tube.) into the hole and fasten. If
using well-nuts apply a tiny bit of silicone under the screw head. Do
not let the silicone come in contact with the rubber well-nut as it will
make it slippery and hard to tighten. Apply silicone under the head of
nuts and bolts if using those. Drill your next hole in the opposite hole
on the rim, seal fastener with silicone and secure. Some silicone should
squeeze out from under the head of your rivet, screw or bolt, wipe that
off immediately. Continue drilling, sealing and fastening in the order
of opposite holes, much like you would tighten lug nuts on a car wheel.
7. For best results drill 6 more new holes centered in-between the first 6 holes along the hatch rim. This will result in 12 rivets or well-nuts holding down the hatch rim. (Some Ocean Kayak installations will sport 18 rivets! This is good, but over kill in my opinion.) You will have to "eye ball" your 6 additional holes, but a ruler can be helpful as an aid. Seal and fasten each as described above. Drilling 12 holes, and applying the fasteners, ONE AT A TIME in place will ensure proper alignment.
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This
fastening system is very easy to use in several different
ways. Come
w/ Stainless Steel Machine Screws 20
to a package.8. Wipe up the squeezed out silicone after the hatch rim is secured to deck. Remember work quickly before the silicone has hardened. A small putty knife or screwdriver can be useful to scrape up the mess; a paper towel will do a fine job too. If the silicone is hard to remove and has started to gel it is best to wait and let it harden. Thin layers of hard silicone can be rubbed off; thick layers need to be scraped or peeled off. Be very careful NOT to remove too much, do not wipe or pull silicone out from under the hatch rim. That is why it is best to use clear. Removing hardened silicone is hard! Work quickly and clean up a little bit at a time as go, being careful not to remove silicone from under rim.
9.
After the silicone has been cleaned and is hard, insert the Fat Bag and
screw on the Lid. For a finishing touch, a strap eye can be installed
in the finger slot, where "OPEN" is printed on the top of the
Lid. A second strap eye can be installed adjacent to the Hatch Rim on
the deck of the kayak. A short cord slipped into each eye and knotted
at each end will make a handy leash to keep your lid from getting lost.
Make sure cord is long enough to turn lid. Follow standard procedure for
installing strap eyes.
Other
useful tips:
Keep the threads on the hatch free of sand and grit, this can jam the hatch and make it hard to open. I keep an old toothbrush in my hatch to brush out debris. If your hatch lid does get jammed use a large pair of pliers and a large screwdriver to open the hatch as shown in the diagram below. The six inch hatch has an O-Ring that is thin and hard to see. This O-Ring is crucial to maintaining a waterproof seal. Do not attempt to remove it or aggressively clean it. It is fragile and very hard to re-seat. If the O-Ring is missing the hatch will not be waterproof, and your kayak may flood.
To purchase a six inch hatch and the hardware needed visit Tom's TopKayaker Shop
I highly
recommend reviewing our article on the use of RIVETS & WELL-NUTS.
"BASICS
OF STRAP EYES, RIVETS AND WELL NUTS" For
Customization & Repair of Your Sit-on-top Kayak by Tom
Holtey
or e-mail Tom @ TopKayaker.net if you need help, or have questions. Spare
parts (lids & bags) are available by special order.
GO
TO THE FORUMS to get answers
to your maintenance questions.
