Overview
Currently, boat hatches are often death traps. Usually, if the boat isn’t submerged, there is no way to climb out of a boat hatch with your loot (dem engine parts) and you’ll probably have to load a save/start over. However, with a little bit of preparation, you can set up your environment so that the hatch becomes totally escapable, for practically any type of boat. tl;dr : how to escape boat hatches using, basically, a tree.If you’re already in the hatch without a log, just load a save.
Climbing the Boat
If the boat is beached and too high for you to reach, you can chop down a tree and then drag the trunk onto the side. Doing this allows you to walk on the tree like a plank.
Bring a Log
The thing you’re going to escape the hatch with is basically the log. Whack a tree trunk until you get a log and then drag it up to the hatch with you. Open the hatch and drop the log in.
Setting up the Log Ladder
After looting the chest, locker, and cabinet, it’s time to leave. Prop the log up against the side of the hatch like in this image:
Sadly, you can’t use the ladder that’s righttttt ttttthere.
If your boat is sideways, it may take a little bit of dragging and patience since the log tends to roll over but usually you can manage to get it against the wall.
Escape
If your log is secure against the wall you can now basically climb/jump on it and get to the top of the hatch.
Once you’re on top, just jump to either side and you should be out of the hatch with your loot.
Beats dying in a boat.