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Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
By:Steve Solomon
Date: 10/28/2016, 10:27 am
In Response To: Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads? (Rob Macks/Laughing Loon CC&K)

Bulkheads and gasketed hatch covers work providing floatation. If you are out of your boat, it's upside down and water pressure is closing your hatch covers even more tightly.

Unless the reason you're out of your boat is that a crazed powerboater just rammed you and holed your bow. Not likely? Sure - but generally speaking it's the "not likely" stuff that gets you.

So as I just said in another post, the assertion I've been reacting to is "if your hatches fall you're boat will sink, but your hatches probably won't fail, so it's silly to worry about it." Based on my estimate, if the hatches fail on a Mystic Star, it's still not going to sink - so that's a good thing.

But in any case, while I don't have a whole lot of experience kayaking, as I mentioned i used to do some sailing, learning the ropes from a group of experienced off-shore sailers. We used to have a lot of fun, but they always took safety very seriously. The one time your hatch cover doesn't fit properly but you decide to go out anyway is almost certainly going to be the one time you get swamped by a rogue wave. That's how Mr Murphy works his magic.

Sorry if I sound patronizing or whatever on this - I'm just a little surprised by what seems like a cavalier attitude from some commenters. But of course forums like these are horrible at communicating nuance, so I may well be mis-interpreting.

Float/dry bags help you carry extra gear, to you kayak and add a second layer of protection.

Right, that's exactly what I was trying to say - that the supplemental flotation is for the supplemental cargo, not to keep your empty hull afloat.

Messages In This Thread

Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/27/2016, 4:39 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Charles Robinson -- 10/27/2016, 4:50 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 5:07 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/27/2016, 6:05 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Etienne Muller -- 10/27/2016, 6:09 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/27/2016, 6:49 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 8:37 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 8:24 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/27/2016, 8:59 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 9:24 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Marc Upchurch -- 10/27/2016, 9:28 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 10/27/2016, 10:10 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 10:20 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Bill Hamm -- 10/28/2016, 12:37 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Bill Hamm -- 10/28/2016, 12:35 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Thomas Duncan -- 10/28/2016, 12:27 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads? *PIC*
Rob Macks/Laughing Loon CC&K -- 10/28/2016, 1:26 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/28/2016, 4:31 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/28/2016, 5:23 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Rob Macks/Laughing Loon CC&K -- 10/28/2016, 9:37 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Bill Hamm -- 10/29/2016, 1:06 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Etienne Muller -- 10/27/2016, 6:07 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/27/2016, 6:45 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 8:12 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/27/2016, 9:28 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Marc Upchurch -- 10/27/2016, 9:34 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 10:16 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Paul D -- 10/27/2016, 8:35 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Mike Bielski -- 10/27/2016, 10:16 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 10:33 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/27/2016, 10:51 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Marc Upchurch -- 10/27/2016, 11:15 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/27/2016, 11:26 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Rob Macks/Laughing Loon CC&K -- 10/28/2016, 9:19 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/28/2016, 10:27 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads? *PIC*
Rob Macks/Laughing Loon CC&K -- 10/28/2016, 11:07 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Steve Solomon -- 10/28/2016, 1:41 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Bill Hamm -- 10/29/2016, 1:10 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Mike Bielski -- 10/27/2016, 11:11 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Bill Hamm -- 10/28/2016, 1:01 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Bill Hamm -- 10/28/2016, 12:41 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 8:29 pm
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Etienne Muller -- 10/28/2016, 6:55 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Thomas Duncan -- 10/28/2016, 9:20 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Bill Hamm -- 10/28/2016, 12:39 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Paul Sylvester -- 10/29/2016, 6:22 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads? *PIC*
Etienne Muller -- 10/30/2016, 7:43 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
Paul D -- 10/31/2016, 12:48 am
Re: Strip: What's the deal with bulkheads?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/31/2016, 3:09 pm