These are all very useful comments (which makes us realize that perhaps we should have posted this query BEFORE we bought the thing).

Tom's comment about the slipperyness factor of the Cruising Concept hatch struck us as well (as we were dry-fitting it yesterday), which also militates against going forward with the project as is.

A quick online check of Lewmar prices gives us a sense that we could follow Jason's suggestion and put in a substantially-sized Lewmar Ocean Hatch (which I think is their heaviest-duty hatch) for about the same money as the Cruising Concepts (albeit with perhaps more work) -- and end up with a much more seaworthy solution.

We do wish there was a way to simply replace the existing hatch with a Lewmar, but that would, it seems, require first reconstructing the existing hatch opening so its reasonably flat, as in the Mark II.

The Cruising Concept hatch does look VERY nice aesthetically, though (if you've seen the picture on their website). But from the practical seaworthiness standpoint, this may ultimately not be the way for us to go.

We'll stand by to see if any other comments come in before we make our decision as to whether to proceed or simply return it.

[QUOTE=jsc4484;8670]I have been thinking about that hatch for a while now I like that it is heavily tinted and gives the V berth more light, my biggiest fear is that once I drill it I own it. And from the reveiws above what is the overall approval of it, and how well it seals.
Nothing I hate more than sailing to weather most of the day, and shipping water over the bow, and when I finally arrive in a harbor, and turn in for the night I have a soaking wet V-berth due to the hatch not sealing.[/QUOTE]

As the initial poster of this thread, I should report back on our decision, which was greatly aided by the responses on this thread (both pro and con). In the end, we decided to go ahead with the project. I can report that after lots of torrential rain this spring while [I]Que Chévere[/I] was still in the yard, and taking a fair amount of water over the bow this past weekend during out maiden voyage slogging 90 miles from NYC out to the east end of Long Island, we didn't get a drop of water through the hatch (I wish I could say the same for one of the {allegedly] sealed portlights!). And the added light is very nice.

A bit of a hindsight recommendation here. I replaced the existing gasket (Catalina Direct sells it by the foot), as the old one had absolutely no "give" in it anymore. However, I only realized that it needed to be replaced to get a good seal [I]after[/I] I'd already installed the hatch. The thickness of gasket somewhat affects the placement of the hardware on the hatch, so I would strongly recommend anyone doing this upgrade to replace the gasket [I]first[/I], before dry fitting the new hatch (had I done I think I would have got a slightly better fit overall). (I should, in fairness, mention that the instructions had recommended doing this, but I somehow managed to violate the important rule of RTFM ["[I]Read the Friendly Manual[/I]" -- or whatever adjective you choose] first).
As Al of [I]Last Resort[/I] reported in an earlier post, you do end up having to tighten the dogs down hard to get the forward end to curve over the crown (I'm thinking vaguely of attempting to gently reshape it a little in an oven next winter to eliminate this issue), but other than that its really no problem thus far.

[QUOTE=Chachere;8703]As the initial poster of this thread, I should report back on our decision, which was greatly aided by the responses on this thread (both pro and con). In the end, we decided to go ahead with the project. . . .
you do end up having to tighten the dogs down hard to get the forward end to curve over the crown (I'm thinking vaguely of attempting to gently reshape it a little in an oven next winter to eliminate this issue), but other than that its really no problem thus far.[/QUOTE]

Now that the hatch has been in place for a few months, I'm pleased to report that it appears to have taken on the curve over the crown on the forward end on its own (without the need for me to reshape it in an oven). Don't know if the acrylic takes the shape over time just because of being pressed into shape while dogged down, or the effect of it sitting in the summer sun, but it fits better now. Still needs to be snugged a bit hard, but nothing like when I first installed!

[QUOTE=stu jackson c34;9146]Have you had any "issues" slipping on it while up on deck Just curious from an earlier mention of this.[/QUOTE]
I haven't had that problem. On the other hand, I'm wary of stepping on it anyway, as I would any glazed hatch, to avoid scratching it, and I had also read the prior posts mentioning the "slippery slope" issue, so that's another reason why I and others on our boat haven't stepped on it. Anyway, compared to our prior Catalina 27, there seems to be so many acres of deck space that it doesn't seem too hard to avoid stepping on it (but then, I'm sure it will happen at some point, knowing my own clumsiness).

[QUOTE=Chachere;9119]Now that the hatch has been in place for a few months, I'm pleased to report that it appears to have taken on the curve over the crown on the forward end on its own (without the need for me to reshape it in an oven). Don't know if the acrylic takes the shape over time just because of being pressed into shape while dogged down, or the effect of it sitting in the summer sun, but it fits better now. Still needs to be snugged a bit hard, but nothing like when I first installed![/QUOTE]

Further update: During our recent 3 week cruise in New England, twice we had some leakage issues. The first came as we exited the Cape Cod Canal running with a 5 knot current running to the SW that collided smack dab into opposing waves at the far end of Buzzard's Bay coming up from the SW (a not uncommon experience at that location, but a new one for us), which caused quite the bumpy ride for 1/2 an hour and a lot of green water over the bow. One of the dumb little plastic knurled knobs that come with the OEM hatch dogs got stripped and we could no longer dog it down so tight, so we took in a good deal of water (replaced later that night with a wing nut for now).
A week later, bashing upwind through 6' - 8' seas on the Atlantic between Martha's Vinyard and Block Island, the hatch leaked a tad, even though dogged down tight. Not very badly, but still regrettable.

Over the off-season, I'm thinking of maybe adding an additional gasket on the underside of the hatch, and maybe trying to fabricate a lip of some material on the outer edge of the underside (as the original hatch had). Maybe better hatch dogs as well.

Still, its very nice having the clear hatch -- the lighting improvement is impressive. But if I was ever making a longer blue water passage, I'd revert to the old hatch (which I saved).

[QUOTE=Nimue;9889]I bit of duct tape on the days when you think this will be a problem would probably be an easy solution too? Ugly though.[/QUOTE]

Tue enough, Nimue.
Duct tape, hose clamps, and Vaseline have always been my 3 most essential emergency repair kit items in most endeavors -- sailing or otherwise. Tape it, clamp it, or lube it, its gotta work somehow!

[QUOTE=Chachere;9887]Further update: During our recent 3 week cruise in New England, twice we had some leakage issues. The first came as we exited the Cape Cod Canal running with a 5 knot current running to the SW that collided smack dab into opposing waves at the far end of Buzzard's Bay coming up from the SW (a not uncommon experience at that location, but a new one for us), which caused quite the bumpy ride for 1/2 an hour and a lot of green water over the bow. One of the dumb little plastic knurled knobs that come with the OEM hatch dogs got stripped and we could no longer dog it down so tight, so we took in a good deal of water (replaced later that night with a wing nut for now).
A week later, bashing upwind through 6' - 8' seas on the Atlantic between Martha's Vinyard and Block Island, the hatch leaked a tad, even though dogged down tight. Not very badly, but still regrettable.

Over the off-season, I'm thinking of maybe adding an additional gasket on the underside of the hatch, and maybe trying to fabricate a lip of some material on the outer edge of the underside (as the original hatch had). Maybe better hatch dogs as well.

Still, its very nice having the clear hatch -- the lighting improvement is impressive. But if I was ever making a longer blue water passage, I'd revert to the old hatch (which I saved).[/QUOTE]
Updating:
During the off-season, I added two layers of stick-on gasketing material to the underside of the outer edge of the hatch. When the hatch is closed this added gasket doesn't actually press on anything, but rather creates a lip outboard of the existing gasket, so that there are essentially interlocking gaskets (I was trying to replicate the projecting lip that the original fibreglass hatch had). I also replaced the stripped plastic knurled knobs that come with the OEM hatch dogs with larger ones available from Catalina Direct -- much easier on the hands and they help crank the hatch down good and tight.
Thus far, we seem to have affected a cure -- not a drop has gotten into the V-berth even when taking a fair amount of green water over the bow.
I'll try to post a pic at some point of the added gasketing.

Final verdict: this was an excellent improvement to our boat. Last week, hile we temporarily had the dingy stored over it during an ocean passage, my wife remarked that she was astounded how dark and cave-like it rendered the forward cabin, after being used to all that light. And while, after reading earlier comments warning that the surfeit of sunlight might makee it difficult to sleep late, we ordered a canvas cover along with the hatch, but in 2 seasons we've never used it.
Another benefit I've noticed is the ability to do a quick eyeball of what's ahead of us while underway on autopilot, if we've ducked below for a few minutes to make a sandwich, grab a beer, use the "facilities", etc.