It would appear that heaps of manufacturer use them, too.  That doesn't necessarily mean that they are the best, but it does imply that generally they don't leak straight away!  I've been offered one at a good price, so I think I'll take them up on the offer.  As long as I make sure it's mounted on a perfectly flat base, it should be satisfactory, I think.

Antoine Maartens wrote:

Fitted a GeBo to Siskin. No leaks, no worries.

Highly recommended.

Siskin might be wreck - that hatch will work....

Aha!  First hand experience from someone sailing with a current model.  What I wanted to hear.  I can get one of these at a very good price: I shall put it towards the top of the list.

BTW I just spoke to the Freeman Marine importer - he told me that the hatches are designed for superyachts and very heavy.  Not appropriate for my wee boat.

Zane Krajancic wrote:

I've got a new Cule yet to be installed too as a forward hatch.  Bit of a worry that the friction arm on yours didn't last long. Hope mine lasts longer than that.

I did the usual fix that works for every hatch in the world, is totally fail safe and lasts for ever:  a piece of wood with a bit of string attached so you don't lose it.  Props the hatch up at a variety of angles and easy to remove for closing!

Similar to the Freeman that David mentions below, the Atkins & Hoyle XR series is a solid offshore hatch - though, again, you pay for it.  This is what's going over my v-berth.

I had to replace the hatch on Tystie, and fitted a Maxwell. I have to say that the build quality was fine - except for the handles which rotated through the acrylic, which leaked, of course. When I took them apart, I found that they bore the Vetus trademark. The design was very poor, relying on a single O-ring, which soon got torn. If I'd kept Tystie for longer, it was my intention to replace the handles with something that was permanently fixed and sealed through the acrylic.