How watertite are the S18S hatch covers? I just demoed one and the front of the footwell one seems to snap on tight, the one behind the bucket seems a little suspect.
In every large compartment on every sea kayak I've ever owned I put everything in waterproof bags. No matter how good they are water will find a way in. The small screw-on compartments seemed to do much better.
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill
Mine was water tight or at least 99.5 % so. It is oval so you must make sure you are putting it on "square" and not slightly off center. Mine was a tight fit and would have a very hard time believing would come off even in the surf.
FENN Bluefin S
FENN Swordfish S carbon hybrid
Epic V8 double gen 2
Lot and lots of DK rudders.
Had:
Stellar SEL excel (gen 2)
Stellar SR excel (gen2)
Stellar S18s g1 (excel)
Epic V10 Double (performance)
Stellar SR (gen 1)
V10 sport (gen 2)
V10 (Gen 2)
Beater SEL (gen 1)