Hatches & Ports - Quality, Price, Dependability

[imagine2frolic]

Goiot.............
Goïot, deck equipment for sail and motor boat
Plastimo USA

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by vacendak

have checked prices from several suppliers and made averages

LEWMARs & MOONLIGHTs are in about the same price range,
MAXWELLs are ~30% higher

may things in EU be so different from Aussie ?

I priced Lewmar and Maxwell from out local chandlery, a couple of Interstate chandleries and on-line. The best price I could get was from our local chandlery (which is very unusual). I guess Lewmar is UK based so will be cheaper in Europe, while Maxwell is New Zealand based so will be cheaper in Australiasia...

[Maine Sail]

Did the same research last year and New Found Metals won hands down! I saw very few ports that could touch the quality, fully cast frames not stamped, tempered glass, auto open, no externally visible screws etc. etc.. The best part was the price!!

Here's an article I wrote on installation:

Installing New Found Metals Port Lights (LINK)

They also look good IMHO.

[sobraon]

I would recommend that you go with the Maxwells. We have 8 Lewmars installed in Spirit of Sobraon and all of them crazed within the first 18 months. We approached Lewmar about the problem and they offered lots of advice about how good their product was but delivered nothing except to suggest that we must have caused the problem. They have also now developed small leaks between the acrylic and the frames. We have had to cover them with waterproof stamoid covers to solve the problems.

A friend builds the Martz 46. He uses maxwell hatches and his latest boat has had them installed for about the same duration without any problems.

Garry and Wendy

Spirit of Sobraon

[imagine2frolic]

Acoustic,

Forget the ports & hatches. The whole boat is lovely........i2f

[vacendak]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

Goiot.............
Goïot, deck equipment for sail and motor boat
Plastimo USA

They put 6mm (< 1/4") acryl to size 20 hatches & opening portlights.
This is not for bluewater cruising.
Not for nothing they sell deadlights as standard accessory.

[imagine2frolic]

hmmmmmmmm? I will have to pull a handle out & measure these. They came with the boat, so I won't be replacing them, but it's always good to know. I've got 22 hatches & ports....10 hatches

[Pelagic]

All my opening deck hatches are made by Vetus and other than rubber gaskets in the tropical heat, no problems. To me they seem light weight but so far have never tested them in heavy weather.

What kind of reputation does Vetus have?

My portholes were all custom made in Holland. Again, other than maintaining the gaskets, no problem and we often submerge one side if sailing hard.

[Lazyday]

I purchased both hatches (Ocean) and ports (Standard) from Lewmar through Mauri Pro Sailing, which I will never do business wiith again.

In any case I found the quality of the hatches to be sub-par. The lids had noticable grind marks in them and the anodized finish was poor, not what I would have expected from a $600 hatch. The process of returning them was an exercise in patience and frustration (I think this was partially due to the vendor).

The Ports ar OK, went in without too much of a problem and so far seem to be holding up.

I had some custom extruded fixed windows (with glass) made by

Bomon Inc.
Laval, Québec,
H7S 1P5
1 800 300 3113

They were very solidly built and worked out well.

[Cheechako]

I always liked the Atkins and Hoyle aluminum portlights. Nicely built without the weight of bronze or stainless. If the weight is not a concern then New Found Metals is very good, or Spartan in bronze are very nice. (Spartan still selling? they are part of the Cape Dory company I think) The best forward hatch I ever had was a Bomar with 4 dogs (not plastic dogs )

[Pblais]

Our A & H ports are now getting quite old (1991). I'll be re-bedding them in the next month. Nothing lasts this long without re-bedding once in a while. The cast acrylic looks quite good and the frames are unblemished. The boat has over 40,000 miles on it and they don't leak - ever. The new ones are expensive. I need a new set of screens and even they are expensive. Good hatches are more money. Cast acrylic is clearly more clear, lasts longer, and is stronger.

[Northbound44]

I am not that happy with Atkins & Hoyle hatches.Corrosion in salt water (stainless on aluminum ), leaking hatches in nasty conditions, stainless steel screw in aluminum thread without Helicoil,expensive replacement parts and the worse ever made sliding hatch made me replaced them by Manship hatches.

[callmecrazy]

Does anyone have any experience with Beckson? I'm on a budget... They say they are CE certified, but, even after emailing them, I can't get a clear answer on what level the classification is (a,b,c,d).

I'm looking at the rain drain series.

[Cheechako]

the beckson plastics are really cheap and not worth the trouble. You could consider putting non opening ports back in in some places and just quallity opening ports in key places. Many ports on my boats never got opened. key places: above galley, head, bunk space and cross ventilation in the main cabin...? depending on boat layout I guess that might be most or not.!

[callmecrazy]

I'd like opening... I think my second option was Vetus.
The fact that beckson failed to answer my question about their CE classification made me second guess.

But, what exactly is wrong with cheap plastic? is it just a cosmetic issue? Is it gonna break out of the cabin side from a breaking wave (wouldn't the lens go first?) How bad is 'cheap' plastic for cabin side portholes? (aside from looking like a cheapass)