Thanks Guys and Gal, Your comments on my hatch project are appreciated. The camber issue on the M15 foredeck is minimal. Athwardships the change is about 1/4" for a 12"x12" frame. Fore and aft the deck is flat. I figure I can build a shim from some plastic sheeting like Starboard. I was considering mounting a small rectangular portlight on the front sloping bulkhead of the cabin, much like a Potter 15. This surface has a lot of camber and building a shim for it would be more difficult and more likely to leak. Between the slope, which would make the portlight a water catcher, the extreme camber and the fear of weakening the mast step, I abandoned this idea. Putting ports of the cabin sides just forward of the stock fixed lights was my first choice, but they would end up directly in line with the mast. Jerry, if you're out there, I'd like to hear your reaction to cutting holes in this part of the boat. Once when I was deliberating cutting another hole in my boat, Connie said to me, "It's only a boat". He's right, but cutting under the mast step is a bit scary. If the mast step ended up needing the support of a compression post it would ruin the interior of the M15. I think that in terms of ventilation the forward deck hatch is the best of the three alternatives. However, my tests show that any thoughts of sticking ones head out such a hatch would be a most difficult yoga pose at best. And if you did get your head out getting it back would be even more difficult. Given a 9"x9" opening, my head barely fits through and that's without the body contortions. I'll keep the list posted. Rick Langer