: Unfortunately, the magnets are strong enough that
: I can’t get my hatches open without a tool when my fingers are cold. Guess
: they’ll be sporting little nylon ribbon tabs after all.

Get a couple of extra magnets of the same size and type you use for your closure -- and keep them both far away from your compass, and oriented so they are attracted to each other.

Try placing one of these magnets over the "catch" magnet on your hatch, and turn it so that it counteracts, or weakens, the magnetic field of the "catch" magnet. Because of the thickness of the wood between the two magnets you probably won't neutralize the magnetic effect completely, but you should be able to effectively weaken the magnetic bond of the "catch" magnet(s) enough to make the hatch release easier. If you have several "catch magnets, you may need to use several "release" magnets. If you find you need more than two, and aren't dextrous enough to juggle them, you may need to make a magnetic "key" consisting of a board with your release magents attached so that they line up with whatever "catch" magnets they have to neutralize.

Hope this helps.

PGJ