URGENT AND IMPORTANT
The loss of Pathfinder (thankfully without loss of life) in the Pacific has raised the safety issue of escape hatches in catamarans.
Pathfinder sank because an emergency escape hatch โblew outโ while under way. With a hole some three square feet just on the waterline, there is no bilge pump system that would be capable of dewatering the affected hull. While catamarans definitely float, they donโt float indefinitely, particularly when they have lost an emergency escape hatch. There have been other similar cases around the world.
The point of failure has been diagnosed as the reliance of the manufacturer of the hatch on the silicone bedding as the sole means of securing the hatchโs lens into the frame of the hatch.
Many catamaran manufacturers (including LAGOON, FOUNTAINE PAJOT, CATANA-BALI, and NAUTITECH) issued a recall notice for Goiot escape hatches in 2020, but owners may not have been reached by the recall notice, especially if they were not the first purchasers. (https://admin.catamarans-lagoon.com/sites/default/files/2023-11/Press-release-Goiot-escape-hatches-recall.pdf)
If you have a catamaran of any brand or vintage equipped with escape hatches you will want to ensure your escape hatches are indeed secure, and that any recall fix has been applied. There is also a cruiser-developed field expedient solution that can be applied to many hatches that was discussed on the cruisers forum website (https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f48/goiot-escape-hatch-42-49-recall-209310.html) in 2018, which consists of additional mechanical reinforcement of the hatch lens-to-frame attachment. I have added the images for that fix below.
Even if the recall has been applied, or if you have hatches that are not affected by the recall, you may want to consider reviewing your hatches, their construction and installation and ensuring you are satisfied that they are indeed appropriately secure to your personal satisfaction.