Getting the builder online
Mike is on vacation right now, but he has three children and a C-380 with doors so he'll have some good opinions on this. I also sailed with kids and Mike's doors. I also carried my hatchboards with me in case of serious weather or seas, but frankly, I see no reason why the doors would be any less sturdy. In normal conditions I would keep the hatchboards in fairly deep storage, lift off the doors and lay them on the aft berth, and leave the companionway open (with the slider closed) for easy access. In terms of general safety, the doors lift off their hinges, but can be fastened together from the outside for stability. The slider covers the top of the doors, holding then in place in the same manner as the hatchboards. I suppose the only structural difference might be the breaking-strength of the hatchboard material vs the door material. I would expect the boards would be tougher, but in conditions where that would be a factor, the hatchboards could slide in easily enough. ph.