Hi Rich, Just finished a new set of boards for myself, made out of 3/4 inch African mahogany (Sipo). I made it three so I could leave the bottom one in and it would just come slightly above the seat tops for safety from boarding seas. I also installed barrelbolts on it so it would not pop out and float away during a knockdown (not likely). Also with three they take up less space to store below as opposed to two which leaves both quite a bit wider. Also found I could install a 5x16 inch opening port in the top board so I could see out into the cockpit from inside with all the boards in and also open the port for some ventilation. I also did make a screen panel that replaces the top two boards and allows a lot of flow thru fresh air with the forward hatch open. The large screen, being light will fit above the v-berth held against the under side of the deck with bungee cords when not in use. Send me your email and I can send some pics your way if you are interested in the design I came up with. What I have found interesting is that with the right rabbit cuts in the sides of the boards they can be really a warped mess and still shed rainwater. My old set as just described still did not let in a drop of rain in the most recent 5" downpour. Fair winds, Tom B. <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=oa-2115-e> Scanned for viruses. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=oa-2115-e> <#DDB4FAA8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> On Sat, Mar 19, 2016 at 4:16 PM, Rich Makela <richmakela@comcast.net> wrote:
I'm about to make new hatch boards for my M-17 using 3/8" marine plywood. I'm replacing a 3-piece set that I made years ago. I've seen photos of 2-piece sets, which I am contemplating. Is there any advantage to the 3-piece variety? Does it make any difference at all?
Rich Makela
M-17 #233 - Harmony