Our hatches and sealed compartments are designed to provide positive buoyancy and additional storage for your paddling experience.  The seams between the deck and hull, the bulkhead and deck/hull, the hatch ring and deck are all water-tight at the seams when properly used and maintained. The bulkhead does have a small vent to prevent catastrophic failure from pressure differential in the sealed compartment.  With that in mind, it’s always a good idea to keep your gear in drybags. Small amounts of water in the compartments can be a common occurrence due to condensation, an improperly sealed hatch cover, slight leakage through the bulkhead vent, or screws that have loosened over time.