Perko style latches

[wishitwasbigger]

Went looking at a couple new boats Friday night and quite frankly, the thing that I dislike the most are the darn flip and turn latches on just about every new boat out there. I can't stand them! My first boat just had the plastic cup pull and a separate keyed lock. Once you unlocked it, you were good all day. My second boat had the Perko latches and I just couldn't get used to them! The locking mechanism sucked, you tripped over them, stubbed your toe on them, and quite frankly, had little to no trust in keeping a thief out. My current boat just has a pull strap or strategically placed recessed areas for lifting, and a locker bar! Is the locker bar theft proof? Certainly not, but it's a better deterrent than a twist and lock toy version they have now. The "slam" latches seem to be pretty nice, why wouldn't everyone use those? They can't be much more than a stainless-steel lift and twist POS?

What do you guys think?

Mike

[I fish 4 Bass]

If you ever stuff a wave without the compartments latched, the doors will lift and your compartments are full of water. Once unlocked, you can turn the handle 180 degrees and just lift to open, no need to turn. Also, most newer latches, if set properly, which may not be from factory compress when turned to lock side when the handle is depressed. This keeps rain water out. If you’re leaving the latch in upright position and stubbing your toe, you probably would trip on your pliers, scissors, or something else left where it doesn’t belong.

[billnorman1]

If you ever stuff a wave without the compartments latched, the doors will lift and your compartments are full of water. .................................. If you’re leaving the latch in upright position and stubbing your toe, you probably would trip on your pliers, scissors, or something else left where it doesn’t belong.

You should stay home if the waves are that bad. I took all my latch locking devices off, I've never had a hatch fly open, the carpet seems to do a good job of keeping them shut.
I put straps on all my latches, no more broken fingernails or wondering it the hatch is latched or unlatched.

[WranglerSS]

I switched to slam latches on my last boat and current one. My biggest issue with the Perko style is forgetting to flipping it down and tripping over them.

[mactlman]

basscat puma sts has a new style latch, never in the way or the big chargers have no latches

[skeeterator]

If you ever stuff a wave without the compartments latched, the doors will lift and your compartments are full of water. Once unlocked, you can turn the handle 180 degrees and just lift to open, no need to turn. Also, most newer latches, if set properly, which may not be from factory compress when turned to lock side when the handle is depressed. This keeps rain water out. If you’re leaving the latch in upright position and stubbing your toe, you probably would trip on your pliers, scissors, or something else left where it doesn’t belong.

Nailed it
Tripping on a latch!? Lmfao!!!

[Highcentered]

Something I'd like to do is replace my Perko style latches with grip cups and install separate locks that are more secure. Anyone know of a solution for something like this?

[pabasshawk]

I've had to replace 3 of the Perko latches on my RT. They are pot metal and break at the weakest point leaving you with the latch pull in your hand. Piss poor design.

[wishitwasbigger]

So, it looks like I'm not the only one that hates them damn things! I think skeeterator feels my pain! It never fails that if you leave one up, your gonna trip on it. And pabasshawk is right, they are pot metal or even worse - plastic. Highcentered - I saw some replacement cups somewhere but I cannot remember where? I will try to find them. I quite caring once I got rid of the last boat, but still can't believe they still use them on $70,000 boats!

[barbarian]

I agree 100%. I recently bought an older boat and one of the first things I did was replace the twist and turn perko’s to the old black C cup that just lift. I installed a separate key lock latch for my rods. Options are very limited with close to zero innovation the last 25+ years.

[Highcentered]

So, it looks like I'm not the only one that hates them damn things! I think skeeterator feels my pain! It never fails that if you leave one up, your gonna trip on it. And pabasshawk is right, they are pot metal or even worse - plastic. Highcentered - I saw some replacement cups somewhere but I cannot remember where? I will try to find them. I quite caring once I got rid of the last boat, but still can't believe they still use them on $70,000 boats!

Yeah, I hate those stupid latches. My friend's Champion has the type of locks I want for mine and places to grab to open the lids.

[Highcentered]

I agree 100%. I recently bought an older boat and one of the first things I did was replace the twist and turn perko’s to the old black C cup that just lift. I installed a separate key lock latch for my rods. Options are very limited with close to zero innovation the last 25+ years.

Do you have a link to what you used? Thanks!

[velvetskilett]

I have swapped out some of the "pot metal" ones you talked about. Stainless steel they are not. here is what i swapped to. plastic but the metal D loop will lay down in either the locked or unlocked position. The ones I used fit perfect in the hole left by the old one.
https://www.perko.com/catalog/locks_...eted_surfaces/

[I fish 4 Bass]

You should stay home if the waves are that bad. I took all my latch locking devices off, I've never had a hatch fly open, the carpet seems to do a good job of keeping them shut.
I put straps on all my latches, no more broken fingernails or wondering it the hatch is latched or unlatched.

You obliviously don’t fish tournament fishing.

[mossie3]

Slam latches are most convenient, but could be more likely to leak depending upon it's design. The better turn latches, are compression type latches. They will turn freely and they tighten and latch as you press it down with a cam action. The cheaper turn latches tighten as they are being turned by wedging the angled arm against the underside lip of the compartment. They are harder to turn under that force and are much more likely to break over time, especially plastic ones, and the arms are more likely to become lose, requiring them to be retightened.

I have stainless steel SouthCo compression latches. If I'm not expecting rain, or spearing waves, when I open it, I spin it on around 180º and push the ring back down flush. Then it pretty much opens and closes like a slam latch the rest of the day.

[billnorman1]

You obliviously don’t fish tournament fishing.

I see. Well I did another Winter League tournament last Saturday, and I was a founder of the http://neveronsunday.org/ club which I still fish 25 years later. Other than the Wednesday Only Bass Club, and an occasional Open, I have pretty well stopped tournament fishing.
If the waves are so big they make our hatches fly open and fill with water, we actually have been known to not go out, so I see your point. I'll stick with the straps that I made out of cargo tie-down strap, and I also like the looks of them.

[SteezMacQueen]

I've had to replace 3 of the Perko latches on my RT. They are pot metal and break at the weakest point leaving you with the latch pull in your hand. Piss poor design.

You try the $35 plastic ones. I go through about $100 worth of those cheap POS latches every couple months.

[Highcentered]

I've never broken a Perko latch but I'm also extra careful. Years ago my buddy told me to ALWAYS make sure the latches are down so you don't step on them and break them and that tip has stuck with me all these years. Just don't like how they function. Also don't tournament fish but still fish some pretty rough water but also don't try to run faster than my boat will let me without a soft landing. Sometimes that's nose in the air at 14mph and will get there when I get there to make sure everything lives to fish another day and I don't feel like I've been in a bad wreck the next day. Getting there and getting there with nothing broken or lost can be two completely different things and you really learn how to drive a boat in rough water when you have a mod V aluminum like mine. My glitter sleds were better in rough water but weren't very reliable at the age and condition I had to buy them in to afford them at the time. Now I could make the payments but don't want to.

[bhjr.]

I see. Well I did another Winter League tournament last Saturday, and I was a founder of the http://neveronsunday.org/ club which I still fish 25 years later. Other than the Wednesday Only Bass Club, and an occasional Open, I have pretty well stopped tournament fishing.
If the waves are so big they make our hatches fly open and fill with water, we actually have been known to not go out, so I see your point. I'll stick with the straps that I made out of cargo tie-down strap, and I also like the looks of them.

Bulls Eye! Think you hit him right in the lung and he can't talk now!

[I fish 4 Bass]

Bulls Eye! Think you hit him right in the lung and he can't talk now!

Not me if that’s what your saying. Fish big water tournaments and it will happen. I just made a comment that the water filling the boat will raise a lid if not latched. Trying to help someone out. If your on small water, and don’t go out if it’s rough, you don’t need to tell me to stay home.