The saloon seating has hatches in the top to get to the storage space below, and the lids are just ply panels cut to the shape of the opening and they sit in place on a frame glued and glassed to the seat top underside. Fairly simple technology, nothing fancy, they will be concealed under the lounge seat upholstery and only need to be neat and smooth so that you cant injure yourself in any way getting anything in or out. I glued the ply ring frames to each aperture with a very strong wood glue called Purbond. I screwed the joins as the glue expands into the pores of the wood so you need to ensure a good clamped or screwed together surface and you will get a stronger than wood bond. However, to be absolutely sure and because the underside of the ply ought to be sealed anyway, I have coved and glassed the underside of the top. I peel plied it so that I would not have to sand it to key it as over the top of this will go a coat of the white epoxy. If I was applying the epoxy seal coat on wet on wet I would not peel ply but I wont be applying the finish coat for a week or 2.

Today was the 5th day in a row of near 30 degree days, at the end of April. I don’t ever remember it this warm this late in the year. Once finished building this boat I am sure I will be very happy with the beautiful weather, but right now I wish it would cool down.