FYI...I had my 382 color sanded and graphics removed...picked up the boat from the shop on Fri went to SCOPE Catalina lunch run on Sat...(DIDN'T THINK TO CHECK IF HATCHES WERE LATCHED) on the way back I hit a pretty good roller and both hatches flew up...one was gone..went right past my big head!! The other bent the hinges.

Called Formula they had me contact mfgr direct...these hatches list for $600 each!!! Fortunatly they had one in "over stock" for $160!! Hinges are $30 ea. and arm asssbly $40

The moral of the story is ...BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!!!

kl

wow your lucky it didnt hit you...would have been bad. same sorta thing happend to us on my boss's 38 powerquest.....we were on a poker run and doing a solid 70mph......front hatch worked its way loose and folded back snapping both arms and ripped one hinge loose from the fiberglass before we could slow down........who would be stupid enough to install the hatches to open from the front and go back???? once the hatch opened just enough for the wind to catch it...it was all over Ive forgotten to close hatches on my scarab before too...but when they open they just flop up and down cause they are facing me and not the other way around....

When you are at anchor..The wind blows down the hatch..

while we are on the hatch subject, is it ok to run with the hatches open or is that a no no? I've done it a few times to air-out the cabin, even towed it with them open on the highway

thanks PJ

Ive done the same with no issues either....so i cant imagine there being any issues with doing it....a long as the hatches are not faced forward and could get forced open with the wind....

MINE FACE FORWARD SO ITS PROBLY NOT A GOOD IDEA?

I've run cruisers with the forward facing deck hatches open numerous times, but at 30mph you don't get enough wind to cause a problem. The air blowing into the cabin really cools it off down there.

yeah it does, plus leave the cabin door open and you get a nice breeze through the cockpit

Wow Kevin! Glad you guys didn't get hurt! My front port hatch popped up between Newport and the power station, but we weren't doing 70......not sure why it was unlatched.

On my parents cruiser we used to run with the bow hatch open all the time. Anything that wasn't nailed down was blown out the companionway.
That hatch had a vent system that allowed us to have airflow without opening it. It also let us have air if it rained.

I don't see any problem with running with the hatch open as long as the support rods and such can take it.