How to fix leakage - Fishing Kayak?

[Swephoenix]

Hi friends,
 

Whenever I use my pedal system and the propeller I get loads of water into my kayak which with time will make it become destabilized and sink. I've tried to wrap the flexible rope harder around the screws but it does not help, there needs to be something else that pushes the plastic hatch down with as much force that is pushed up.
 

Do you have any idea on how to fix this? Big thanks

[Koz]

That looks like a terrible pedal drive design. Why would the unit drop in that slot and require a cover rather than the unit mount over that slot and form a seal? It wouldn't surprise me if the unit bent over time or you had major problems where the post slots into the deck support. Have you called the manufacturer?

 

That being said, I would probably try a rubber seal and see if that helps.

 

My pedal drive unit forms a tight seal over the hole and has a locking clamp.

[Jmilburn76]

@Koz @Swephoenix this kayak is basically a copy of the kayak I have a Native Slayer Propel 10. I havent had any water come through the drive slot or cover in the 3 years Ive owned it and I also have my transducer mounted to the drives cavitation plate. The cover on mine does have a rubber gasket on it.

[DogBone_384]

Do you have your scupper plugs in?

[flyfisher]

What terrible knockoff kayak is that?  The pedal design looks destiend to leak and cause issues. Only thing you can really do is try a better rubber gasket or design a latch system that keeps it tighter but i am guessing the tolerances aren't that great so it may be a constant battle.  Also, it looks like there are scuppers on there so let them do their job and you shouldn't sink or even have that much accumulate in there unless the deck design has the same designerss as the pedal drive lol

[Bankc]

Either pull the scupper plugs or replace them with scupper valve plugs so the water can drain out.  

 

As for sealing it, maybe cut out a peice of EVA foam to place over the hole help keep the water from splashing up.  Or maybe the problem is the kayak if overloaded and sits lower in the water than it was designed to.  

[VolFan]

I would line the top with a thicker gasket material or something like weatherstripping… is the flexible rope elastic?