> I was wondering if anyone out there has ever made a hatch in their rear
> bulkhead, so as to make loading large items like tents, sleeping bags, and
> air mattresses easier?

That's the way the earlier --- pre-hatch option --- North Bays were, Dean. Depending on how much real estate you have in the forward or rear bulkheads, you can install deckplates that have screw-in covers with "o" rings that seal pretty well (i.e., about as well as a VCP hatch, and better than most others). Without deck hatches on the NB, these little (four inch size, from memory) deckplates are necessary to air out the forward and aft compartments, but do well enough for carrying long, very thin items --- up to a Gatorade bottle or medium sized peanut butter jar will fit through. Tent poles, no problem. Tent with a tough side-loading compression sack, probably. Easy? No. If you have enough bulkhead, a six inch deckplate would let you load most anything you could carry in an old Nordkapp with the small, round hatchs --- or maybe more, since the stuff wouldn't have to make a 90 degree turn in process of loading. There's probably a good structural rule about how much bulkhead you can give up without compromising the hull strength, but I'd use common sense in looking at options.

(Sidebar: since I installed my forward bulkhead about six inches further aft than designed, I can actually reach the deckplate --- installed off center to allow the attachment of a footpump on the starboard side --- and could probably use the forward compartment for storage of small items, as well.)

Deckplates are relatively inexpensive. Probably about $10 for the four inchers, maybe $15 for the six inchers. Any good boating supply place will have them. Viking is my first choice.

Jack Martin