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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: Don't drill the bulkheads!
Posted By: Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks In Response To: Don't drill the bulkheads! (Brianne Corbett)
Date: Monday, 12 January 2004, at 3:29 p.m.
I have had situations where I could not remove my hatch covers because of the pressure differential. I know of boats that have been crushed by negative pressure inside the boat.
A 1/32" hole in a bulkhead will let in almost no water even under the worst circumstances, a cracked bulkhead or lost hatch due to excessive pressure buildup will let in substantially more. Poking a small hole through the bulkhead is a common practice and is not a safety hazard. If you want to be paranoid about it, drill a larger hole and poke a bent piece of brass tubing through it such that it extends from the top of the bulkhead on one side to the bottom on the other side. Glass it in place. In this way one end of the tube is almost always above the water so there is little chance of any getting through.
This actually a safety feature, not a hazard. Obviously, this is not required if your hatches leak a little.
: To equalize pressure in storage simply remove the hatch covers. DO NOT DRILL
: HOLES THROUGH THE BULKHEADS! This is a solution that endangers the
: paddler.
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