> I don't see it as quite so black-and-white, which is why I posted the
> question. The silicone forms to the contour of the hatch/hatch lip, but
> doesn't 'squish' like the neoprene does. What happens if the lid doesn't
> sit down exacly as it did when the gasket was formed? Why don't they use
> silicone seals on car doors? Because car doors will sag a bit over time --
> but the flexible rubber seals allow for the variation and form a seal
> wherever the door meets sheet metal.

> Basically, a silicone seal is a hard-surface-to-surface fit and a neoprene
> seal is a force-a-squishy-surface-to-conform fit. Neither can be theorized
> as better, but maybe through other people's experience we can find out
> emperically which is better.

> Dean

Yah, I guess I do see it totally as black and white, but I wonder if there is a softer silicone out there that would do both. That's part of the reason I was so intrigued over the post by Ian about different types of urethane sealants - presumably some would be squishier than others. And it sounds as if they would adhere better than silicone.

I hadn't really been concerned about differential hull flexure vs the hatch because I had been thinking about multiple latches, but your concern is really valid if only a few latches are used. I could easily think of situations in which you're driving thru the surf w/ the hatch continually opening a bit here and there as the bow is flexed up and down. So a soft gasket would be a good thing in this case.

It would also be advantageous therefore in this situation to put the gasket on the hull side ( the reverse of what I said before ) , leave a gap betw. the gasket and hull, and put a drain channel out the side. Naw, in the whole scheme of things you'd prob. only save 3 teaspoons of water over the other.

-mick