Building a Sailboat Hatch

[Clint deal]

As the title says I am building an old customer a hatch for his sailboat. I was planning on using marine grade plywood until I found out nobody in Charlotte has any or could get any. So I decided Sabele Mahogany would look better anyway. I also ordered the Epifanes Extra UV clear varnish to finish it. I am also going to reproduce the rest of the trim on the boat using the Sabele.
I am wondering since this is just a straight edge glue up flat panel if I should use any type of sliding dovetail joint or just a straight edge glue up with an exterior glue. Also what type of glue would work best?
I have not been on here in a while though I do read what is written on here a good bit. I have been doing more mechanical work for the last couple of years but I am getting tired of that work so I am planning on setting my shop back up more towards wood working and trying to get a few more odd jobs coming in.
Thanks for any help
clint

[Frank Hagan]

Epoxy is usually the adhesive of choice; doesn't take a lot of clamping pressure but sometimes the glue seams can show. You can mix maple wood flour into the epoxy to make a very dark mix, or pine wood flour for a "honey oak" color. An experienced boat builder I know has a thread at messing-about (http://www.messing-about.com/forums/index.php?topic=6751.15) that shows some construction steps for the hatch he's constructing on his latest build.

[Alan Schaffter]

I just replaced a companionway hatch on a small sailboat using Honduran Mahogany from Steve Wall Lumber, Mayodan, NC. I wanted single boards so I wouldn't need to do a glue up. I'm not sure what exactly you are doing but make sure you finish it properly. I used West Marine branded Epifanes and it called for 4 - 8 coats! If you are replacing the drop boards, don't forget about the bevel between boards so water doesn't flow between them.

Here is a link to a thread about it on NC Woodworker.net (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f29/ahoy-matey-some-sailboat-repairs-23712/). You can read it as a guest but, if you haven't joined, check it out and join- it is a great site for Tarheels and those in nearby states.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I don't know how this would fit into the design of the sailboat, but a lot of traditional hatches have a crown to them to shed water better. Most boats have at least some crown or slope to all wood deck surfaces so they shed standing water.

West system is good stuff, about the best out there for boats.

[Martin King]

As the title says I am building an old customer a hatch for his sailboat
Your description is rather vague. Is this to be a deck hatch with hinges
or a sliding companionway hatch? If it's a slider, it should be built with
some crown-usually at least equal to the deck camber.
If you are laminating, then the best results are obtained with vacuum bagging
your plys to a form. My adhesive of choice is West Epoxy.