: Got the sketch Dean, thanks for your comments also. It looks like it would be
: easier to do with 3 panels instead of trying to coax 1 into submission.

a modification of dean's approach would be to use a rounded or circ hatch and cut the deck across at the hatch location. i would cut it out of one pc of ply and make the join on the shear and the cut following the front curve of the hatch out to the shear (maybe put some wire onl the shear parts of the panel to hold toghether). then lift the rearcut over the front and make the rear part of the panel fit the curve desired and then trace the curve outline onl the front pc of the deck. Now they stitch together perfectly like deans idea but the cutline is integrated into the thinnest part of the panel and is just an extension of the front of the hatch curve - like a smile with the hatch front making the main part of the smile. would be better to a souwester shape.

then either a flush hatch of wood, slightly depressed at the side front or choose depressed at the rear panel(the first would give less spray) or simply (horrors!!)the same hatch as the betsy bay white plasticized kitchen catcher hatch.

sort of like a 3pc but the hatch is one of the pcs.

or similar to where other s&gs make their panel joins just at the thin part of the panels right on either side of the cockpit

-mick