Anybody Need Leaky Malibu Hatch Advice? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

ful-rac · 02-24-2014, 12:29 PM

Just post it already...! Lets see what you got.

02-24-2014, 12:54 PM

All you need to do is pull the bungees on the front hatch over the posts drilled in on the sides, unless that was still causing an issue

rogersmith · 02-24-2014, 01:07 PM

one of my side hatches was leaky on my S-14. I removed the loose liner and epoxied it back with marine goop. Good to go.

alanw · 02-24-2014, 01:27 PM

My side hatches freely leaked water as well. I removed the hatch frames and sealed them where they mount to the kayak. Much less water leaking now, but still some from around the lid seal area. Like you said, stress on the hinges is obvious from that seal being too tall and/or too hard, and the lid itself just isn't stiff enough to seal in the middle of the lid between the latches. I need a better lid seal, was going to fix it eventually as the leakage isn't so bad anymore.

FISH11 · 02-24-2014, 01:56 PM

On my older Malibu X-Factor I got some of the window/door stick on foam seal. Use narrow and thin like 1/4 inch and apply it to the inside lip of the hatch lids. The lip area is where the hard thin rubber factory seal comes in contact with but over time the frame or hatch lids warp. If you apply some of the thin foam, it seals against the seal without applying to much pressure on the hatch lid or frame. It is cheap and easy to take off and replace at the start of each season. You can buy it at Home Depot or Walmart.

Cbad Mike · 02-24-2014, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FISH11

On my older Malibu X-Factor I got some of the window/door stick on foam seal. Use narrow and thin like 1/4 inch and apply it to the inside lip of the hatch lids. The lip area is where the hard thin rubber factory seal comes in contact with but over time the frame or hatch lids warp. If you apply some of the thin foam, it seals against the seal without applying to much pressure on the hatch lid or frame. It is cheap and easy to take off and replace at the start of each season. You can buy it at Home Depot or Walmart.

Yep! I use it around my bait tank lid too. Best fix!

Big T · 02-24-2014, 03:42 PM

My X-13 leaked COPIOUS amounts of water through the front hatch no matter how tight I could get it. Really bad design. My first time out it easily got a gallon of water in the hull after punching just a few waves at LJ. I would have had a yak FULL of water had I stayed out in the rough wind waves that day, but I was just testing it in the surf.

Went to Malibu. They didn't have a solution and I got no replacement. All they did was install a gasket inside the hatch seal channel. Didn't help much.

I took their rubber seal out and put in my own 3/4" wide x 7/16" thick window seal tape in the same channel and cinched down the straps and voila! Improper design made better.

02-24-2014, 12:29 PM	#1
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Just post it already...! Lets see what you got. __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

02-24-2014, 01:27 PM	#4
alanw Made in U.S.A. Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dana Point Posts: 1,625	My side hatches freely leaked water as well. I removed the hatch frames and sealed them where they mount to the kayak. Much less water leaking now, but still some from around the lid seal area. Like you said, stress on the hinges is obvious from that seal being too tall and/or too hard, and the lid itself just isn't stiff enough to seal in the middle of the lid between the latches. I need a better lid seal, was going to fix it eventually as the leakage isn't so bad anymore. __________________ Hobie PA 14 ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Jackson Kraken ¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Malibu X-Factor ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Malibu Stealth-12 ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Its not a spelling B its a fishing B ~yakjoe

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02-24-2014, 12:54 PM	#2
Drake Guest Posts: n/a	All you need to do is pull the bungees on the front hatch over the posts drilled in on the sides, unless that was still causing an issue

02-24-2014, 01:07 PM	#3
rogersmith Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 465	one of my side hatches was leaky on my S-14. I removed the loose liner and epoxied it back with marine goop. Good to go.

02-24-2014, 01:56 PM	#5
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,643	On my older Malibu X-Factor I got some of the window/door stick on foam seal. Use narrow and thin like 1/4 inch and apply it to the inside lip of the hatch lids. The lip area is where the hard thin rubber factory seal comes in contact with but over time the frame or hatch lids warp. If you apply some of the thin foam, it seals against the seal without applying to much pressure on the hatch lid or frame. It is cheap and easy to take off and replace at the start of each season. You can buy it at Home Depot or Walmart.

02-24-2014, 03:42 PM	#7
Big T Member, You Member! Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lake Forest Posts: 254	My X-13 leaked COPIOUS amounts of water through the front hatch no matter how tight I could get it. Really bad design. My first time out it easily got a gallon of water in the hull after punching just a few waves at LJ. I would have had a yak FULL of water had I stayed out in the rough wind waves that day, but I was just testing it in the surf. Went to Malibu. They didn't have a solution and I got no replacement. All they did was install a gasket inside the hatch seal channel. Didn't help much. I took their rubber seal out and put in my own 3/4" wide x 7/16" thick window seal tape in the same channel and cinched down the straps and voila! Improper design made better.