Gentlemen, What are you using for hatch material now days? And where do you get it? What do you see as pros and cons?

I used a white plastic placemat available from Bed Bath and Beyond. I bought three placemats to make several hatch covers using the template found on this site. Do a search for hatch template, and Joe had a post with a pdf file.

Hello Steve,

Bed Bath And Beyond ! ! ! Who would have thought? What a great idea. I will have to check it out. I am always searching for new materials and new sources. Many thanks! Anyone else with an idea?

For the top U, thin plexiglass about 24 X 18 for $6 or less from Hobby Lobby, might be located next to the stained glass pieces and hard to see in the store even if the guy tells you exactly where they are. Thin and stiff. I used strips for the U, but will try to cut a one piece U for the next one.
You will need to invest about $10 in an acrylic plastic cutter. Not sure I can drag it enough times on the plexi to go all the way thru before I break it. We will see. Can always CA it back into one piece.
Again Hobby Lobby Translucent plastic portfolio carrier (I believe) for the sliding hatch and the strips under the plexi U. Available in various colors like green, purple, red and blue. Pretty easy to see in the store if you get in the right aisle. That material is floppy but not too floppy.
Skip from Atlanta uses some really nice stiffer and thinner smooth translucent clear plastic sheet for the U and the sliding hatch and other 3 pieces. I will have to ask him the source when he reappears. Very much looking forward to that day.

Scott

Scott, Another good idea. And another source. Thank you!

One of the really nifty things about this group is the combined resource that it represents, and the willingness to share. The hatch is one of those areas of construction that allows for great variation and creativity. All ideas are much appreciated.

I use sheet styrene from "Evergreen Scale Models". It comes in 6" by 12" sheets, and .010", .020" and .030" thick. A lot of hobby shops carry it. I use the .020" thick size.
Ivor

I pondered the same thing - ended up laying one up using 4 layers of 1.5 oz cloth & epoxy resin. Used the same thing for the upper 'U' of the frame. For the lower 'U', I added two more layers to the laminate. Hey, I had the cloth - bought it to coat the inside of my deck (bookmatched red birch veneer, 2 ply, about 43 mils).
Al Schober, #2065

The boat I am using until I get my new one done has the hatch cover made from a for sale sign. Flexible and light, but it has a crack in it, so I made a replacement with the plastic cover from a sheet binder. It's just slightly heavier than the sign material, but I think it will last longer.

I used a template material from See Temp. It's easy to use; score it, fold it and it splits. http://www.seetemp.com/