My guess is that the location of the
hatch is probably dictated more by the interior layout of the boat than above deck layout. It functions both as a means of moving gear to the foredeck (e.g. sails) and as a secondary escape
hatch in the event of a fire in the boat, so the designer probably puts it where it best serves these purposes.
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Hey Faster, you beat me to it. Great minds think alike.
