: I'm interested in the answer to this question as well..
: I generally try to get epoxy (and glass) on both sides of the wood
: core fairly promptly.
: My shop is far, far from 'climate controlled' and changing humidity
: can cause quite a bit of distortion in panels with glass on one
: side only.
: (You can guess how I found this out!)

I have done my decks like this for over twenty years. I always get the hull glassed both sides a quickly as possible to prevent it distorting, but glassing the deck only on the inside before joining has a couple of big advantages.

The most obvious benefit is that one can use the deck cloth to join the halves. No feathering required on top. This makes for a much more certain job cosmetically, and reduces weight.

Another benefit, is that the deck is far more flexible with one side only glassed. As long as the bulkheads are the right shape and preinstalled in the hull the deck will fit fine, and actually be easier to mate to the hull because of the extra flexibility.

If you want to use moulded glass or carbon hatch lips then the system is not necessarily the best option, because the hatches may distort if they are cut before they are glassed both sides.

The system also doesn't have such huge advantages with deck to hull joins which are not on a defined gunwale (although the extra flexibility can have a benefit here too), because usually one does not use a sheer clamp with such builds.

I grew up in an era where epoxy did not exist, and I have a preference for using wood where possible rather than glass, so I have no problem with using either ply, or strips, to for hatch lips.

I cut the hatches after the deck is joined to the hull and glassed outside, then I use ply rings or strips laminated under the deck for the lips.

The rings are very easy to make conform to the deck contour, just laminate two rings of thin ply over plastic on the top of the deck where the hatch cutout is. Once it is set epoxy it in place with spring clamps. Bingo, a nice wooden hatch lip. Strips can be used like this too.

Regarding the cockpit. I usually keep the opening very small or, if the shape will allow, totally closed, until the deck is glassed inside and out. This gives strength to the deck while handling it unglassed. I cut the opening to the final shape before fitting the coaming, almost the last thing I do building the boat.

To see a boat built using this method click on the link

Et

http://etiennemuller.com/northstar/index.html

And here for another

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.209700729090748.53026.100001524683106&type=3&l=62361961c9