Lewmar Hatch Fail | Episode 21| 7 Weeks Until Launch

This is Episode 21 of our adventure, we have 7 weeks until we launch the boat and move aboard. This week Hugh wakes up to water dripping on his head so we decided to tell the story of what prompted us change all of our deck hatches. We replaced four Gebo hatches with two Bainbridge and two Lewmar. Although great with their customer service, Hugh is a little disappointed in some of the design elements of the Lewmar hatches and wishes that Bainbridge made bigger ones.
We are a family of five with plans for an epic adventure, sailing around the world. We have bought a boat we have to gut it, rebuild it, sell all of our possessions and have the guts to cast off. Follow our adventures.
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/ fivegosailing
/ fivegosailing​

[@cricalix]

I have some older Lewmars on Blue Opal - not sure they're the Ocean range, but they're certainly stronger in the surround than what you're showing. I wonder if they've fallen under the sway of building down to a price, and have sacrificed enough metal on that hinge support that they're "fine" once shimmed/screwed down. Good luck with getting the leak resolved; hopefully Lewmar would agree that that's a manufacturing defect that they need to fix at their cost.
Also a bit amazed at the "sure, we can build you a custom one.. and we're going to ignore all of our production build guidance while doing so".

[@fivegosailing]

Thanks Duncan, hopefully we will get it sorted its been an interesting experience that's for sure 😅

[@abavarianboy59]

I had similar problems with a Lewmar 60 Ocean. First we got water in a brand new Lewmar hatch between the acrylic window and aluminium frame. Lewmar replaced the lid. Although our frame is not flexing, we get now water in at the friction leavers. It’s really a nightmare spending so much time and money on hatches and then still leaking 😟

[@fivegosailing]

We feel your pain. It’s interesting to hear you’ve had similar problems, we are still waiting for our replacement. The joy of owning a boat 😁

[@vetdoc35]

Have a Merry Fisher and they use this 30×30 Gashatches.
TOTAL CRABS....
Always leaking and always Problems with the Gasunits.
Have now a cutsom Made Prasolux Hatch (German Compano)for many Years and its so good, but they dont build them anymore 😢

[@tommyt4062]

Off the top of my head I think I bought the surface mount lewmar 50 but I modified the deck so that the frame is actually rebated into the deck just 2-3mm and sealed it with 291.
So far no problems but i did think the frame was a bit flimsy until I did the final fix.

[@fivegosailing]

Interesting thanks for the thoughts

[@claywebb8199]

Lewmar hatches are truly awful. Stupendously poor design. A classic example of advertising winning over design and function.
Shit is the only word that can faithfully describe their products.

[@fivegosailing]

Really sad, but unfortunately you speak a lot of truth!