Cast Acrylic: This is the true test of an offshore quality hatch. You won't find it in other brands though...
It's far stronger than Poly-carbonates when withstanding the pressures and impacts of cruising. While Poly-carbonates ("Lexan") may be "bullet proof", this only means it's strong when hit with an 'on-point' impact. It was designed to be bullet proof, not to keep water out...
Cast acrylic ("Plexiglas") is actually stronger over large surface areas (such as a 20 inch hatch that people will be walking on). We only use cast acrylic in our hatches and ports.
Acrylic is less likely to expand and contact with varying temperatures, which is one of the reasons our hatches don't leak - even after decades of use.
Acrylic is also better for the marine environment because it is much more resistant to UV damage, preventing hazing, crazing and eventual fractures in the hatch lens. If you've wondered why your 40 year old hatch lens looks better than your neighborhoods 15 year old boat... it's because of the materials we've selected.
