What's in your hatch?

[gyork]

Thought I'd open up this forum as a way for fellow kayakers to share tips, gadgets, short-cuts, etc. Recent tidbits include bright orange tape (Cathy Foley) and Rain-X for camera lens (Brad Gwynn). One of the items in my day hatch is a piece of 1.5 inch by 4 foot strip of truck rubber inner tube. Its thickness provides great elastic strength. I've used it for strapping gear to the deck, encircling my makeshift paddle float (2 kick boards), and a shock absorber for bow/stern tie-down lines when car-topping. On a recent trip it was used to retract a friend's deployed skeg when the line broke. If you're lucky enough to find a large inner tube, you can obtain several giant rubber bands by cutting circumferentially. These are used to a great advantage on moving day. By shortening them with knots, they are great at securing moving pads over furniture. Thinner, but equally utile rubber can be found at your local bike shop, where discarded bicycle inner tubes are free for the asking. I use a piece of this for a paddle leash. What's in your hatch?

[Dee Hall]

An extra Keepers foot peg for when someone inevitably loses one on a trip.

An extra large homemade cagoule, black with a reflective coating inside. Someone has already taken a nap inside when left on the beach, too exhausted to keep up with the rest of the group.

[ccarlson]

That was my skeg rescued by the tube elastic band... thanks, Gary, and it will find its way back into your hatch next time we paddle together!

A useful item to keep in the dayhatch is one of the large inflatable float bags used for bow and stern flotation. While I normally carry them installed and inflated in both forward and stern hatches, a spare rolled up and carried in the dayhatch is useful should a companion suffer a compromised hull or loss of a hatch cover. Simply stuff the float bag in and inflate to seal off the opening and keep the boat afloat for the remainder of the trip. This tip came from John Carmody at the symposium up in Bar Harbor in September.

Another good one is one or two large, heavy-duty (contractor cleanup) plastic bags. With some bungee or line, they can be used as emergency hatch covers. With three strategically-placed holes, they make quick rain/wind protection. In a pinch, an emergency bivy bag.

[bob budd]

Cell phone in waterproof bag. If you get a call you can speak/hear through the waterproof membrane, ours even allow voice calling. After you stop snickering this is a "backup radio" and also handy for calling your monitor when things are running late, a taxi for who may need one, etc.

Gloves, might get cold, might get abraided.

Paddle jacket, slips over the PFD. (My) recommended fit.

Though I've fetched the paddle from the rear hatch my soon to be former boat doesn't have a day hatch and most items aren't accessible. I have recently (re)learned how handy things within reach can be.

[shewhorn]

A 30 gallon trash bag and 6 feet of 1/4" bungee. It can be used to make an emergency hatch cover, a wind breaker (although ummm... you could just carry a wind breaker... anyhow the point is wind can't get through it and it's really really cheap and easy to find so it could be useful in an emergency)... you can actually put trash in it!

Big nylon zip ties! I added this after my skeg failed. The metal clip that secured the cable housing to the skeg slider just rusted and split in half. After inspecting it upon the beach the first time it failed I thought to myself "zip ties would be really useful right about now". They won't rust and I'm sure they have many other uses as well (quickly securing glow sticks comes to mind... I'm sure there's many other things that they'd be great for as well).

Cheers, Joe

[JohnHuth]

Tent, sleeping bag, pad, some spare clothes, water and FIVE DAYS OR MORE of food. I'm not talking about an emergency, I'm talking about what *should* be in my hatch. Alas, that's only about once, maybe twice a year.

[Bob C]

To quote the gospel according to Steve Maynard:

1. Things for fixing things

2. Things for fixing people

3. Things for fixing boats

(BCU 4* gear)

Partial list:

Spare fleece top and pants, first aid kit with splints, patches for boat, patches for wet/dry suits, pliers, screwdrivers, knife, sea snips, bungee cord, spare toggle, plastic bags, glue, "ding stick" (moldable epoxy sold at Home Depot etc.), flashlight (torch), glow sticks, matches, high-energy snacks, space blanket, bivvy bag, fits-over-everything anorak with hood (doubles as backup spray skirt and changing room), marine VHF radio, ...

Compass, signaling mirror, whistle in PFD, secured by short lanyards.

Regards,

Bob

[djlewis]

>Rain-X for camera lens (Brad Gwynn).

Is it supposed to prevent water drops on camera lenses? Is this the stuff -- Rain-X Original Glass Treatment (not anti-fog?)...

http://tinyurl.com/z6y6w

Thanks. --David

[gyork]

That's it. Works great on car windshields (intended use), especially when highway driving.

Gary

[Gcosloy]

In my front and rear hatch, collapsable paddle boy cart. makes it easy to transport kayak to launch from car and back. Also, I'm prepared for a long portage if I ever need to ditch.

Extra clothes: hydroskin, paddle jacket. Day Hatch: sea sponsons (apologies to Brian N.)

[Kevin B (RPS Coach)]

>To quote the gospel according to Steve Maynard:

>

>1. Things for fixing things

>2. Things for fixing people

>3. Things for fixing boats

>

>(BCU 4* gear)

>

>Partial list:

>

>Spare fleece top and pants, first aid kit with splints,

>patches for boat, patches for wet/dry suits, pliers,

>screwdrivers, knife, sea snips, bungee cord, spare toggle,

>plastic bags, glue, "ding stick" (moldable epoxy sold at

>Home Depot etc.), flashlight (torch), glow sticks, matches,

>high-energy snacks, space blanket, bivvy bag,

>fits-over-everything anorak with hood (doubles as backup

>spray skirt and changing room), marine VHF radio, ...

>

>Compass, signaling mirror, whistle in PFD, secured by short

>lanyards.

>

>Regards,

>

>Bob

Bob,

Would you happen to have a more complete list?

[Deb Millar]

I've carried Bob's boat.

He forgot the microwave and the mini-refrigerator.

Deb M.

[shewhorn]

What, no keg or barbecue (you know you're an ex-engineer when your first attempt to spell that word came out as barbequeue)? :-)

Cheers, Joe

[Bob C]

OK Kevin, here's more info:

Lots of the small stuff is divided between three Nalgene bottles in the day hatch, which keep them dry, visible, and organized. I need to put the three bottles in a single, clear dry bag to speed up the loading and unloading of the boat.

Also flares, which I should carry in my PFD along with the VHF, but haven't thus far...

Future additions:

Spare screws and deck fittings for each of my boats.

Possibly a dye marker.

Reading glasses (Lasik works great, but now I'm farsighted!)

Spare rope, ~50ft (to repair a tow line, for securing boats, etc.)

I passed 4* using Alex Landrum's well-stocked repair kit, which I had borrowed for the test and am now trying to replicate.

Regards,

Bob

[shewhorn]

Another thing I carry along with me... After Bite. It's supposed to relieve itching from mosquito bites. On reading the ingredients I discovered it contains 3% ammonia (smells heavily of ammonia too). I figured that it might be good for treating jellyfish stings (I mean... what if nobody has to go... and then there's the issue of aim which might be a problem espeically if there's a strong wind and... yuck). If it's not well, it's still good for bug bites. REI carries it.

http://tinyurl.com/dw9a6

Cheers, Joe