Glassed in a timber batten front and back, front to make up the thickness of the front edge - back to take screw fixings for the hinges. Cross ply inserts pick up for the screw fixings for the oak slats. Three weep channels have been moulded in to drain under the slats - the two small recesses are for the catchplates for the Protech latches. Hinges sets have been moulded in on the back edge.

The second will be slightly different due to lessons learned. The front edge is the only critical thickness - a finished thickness of about 20mm - since there is a drip of about 8mm around the sides and back
Ideally it should be like this all around the edge, inside of the drip. It can't be any thicker than 20mm at the back - or they will be springing on the cockpit locker mouldings.

There is a 25mm wide - 50mm deep drain channel all round the cockpit locker openings - but not at the front edge. If only they had recessed the front edge of the locker about 20mm at the front edge, then the locker lids could have had a drip all around. So if necessary, the neoprene sealing strip need only be along the front edge and front corners - the drip on the side and back will suffice.

So, the layup will be left slightly low, then made up with fairing powder/resin paste along the front edge.
Also, to introduce the battens, you really need to set the timber into fairing paste. It would have been easier to mould them up with no supports, then make a frame to fit in afterwards. But then the frame would have to have been hardwood - the softwood is ok, so long as it is fully enclosed in lay up - but it is difficult to get it to finish to the required thickness.

Don't change plans half way through laying up the mould ! - a recipe for major stress !!!.

It's worth spending some time and thought on any timber inserts - they need to have chamfered edges or the matt will ruckle up around a square corner - so I'm concentrating on the second one on just making it easy to lay up - then I'll get it to any level I need with some fairing.

Still - the mould release worked well on the melamime - it came off ! I would not like to lay up a thirty foot hull - then have to think, " I wonder if it will come off the mould !!!".

On a pleasant, mildly warm day, with a mix of max 3%, the open time on both the gel and resin was about 20 mins.

Just after finishing this one - I was in no mood to do the second - but after some thought - where things had started going sideways, and a little rethinking of what was actually needed on the underside profile, I feel a little happier.

Also, in hindsight, for an item which is long and thin like this, it would have been better to have introduced hard foam packing, rather than timber - or faired up with a mix of micro ballons

Also

Decided to modify the gas supply - my cockpit gas locker will only take an unusual size Camping Gaz type bottle - so am going for normal, small Calor bottles at the rear of the cockpit, one in use, one spare. The cockpit drains are here, straight through the transom.
I shall pipe in a tee to the gas locker and keep the Camping Gaz bottle as an alternate supply. It will simply have a stop end on the compression fitting - with a spare hose and regulator for attachment. The stop end can then be attached in place of the color pipe and regulator. I could get a swicth over valve with non returns - to fit somwhere between the two, so I could switch at will - but it is highly unlikely in UK that I will need to change to the Camping Gaz. Maybe I'll not bother with the Gaz bottle in the locker - it would be a handy space.

Have some nice white heavy leatherette/pvc from a local textiles market - so that will make a couple of covers for the bottles, one with access for the piping, with two white 50mm straps fixed to the corners of the cockpit with some sea sure stainless plates.

Covers - seats.

Settee covers are rather nice quality sort of Brocaid - but not too practical, especially around the companionway. Did see some fabulous blue pvc recently - but right now cannot face making fitted, white piped, cusion covers - no, no, no ! Want to get this thing in the water this year.
So found this thin white pvc, very cheap, about 1.40 m - and have just knocked up some simple elasticated covers as a trial run - though think I'll alter to bags, with a draw cord. Easier to make and generally sort of useful - if I find I don't use them on the seats - at least for now, on the ones right below the companionway. But I would like blue pvc with white piping ( sighs )

The cockpit drains.

Had considered installing an extra through hull, inch and half, below waterline drain. I have the space - but have put it on hold. For now I am changing the two drains through the transom to inch and half open round through hulls.
I happened, on browsing the waterfront chandlers, on some big white parrel beads - perfect for stopping off a white plastic through hull. A length of bungee cord - and a couple of hooks - one to leave them hanging just slack, one pulled up tight - perfect.

Sails

Still undecided on the new Genoa. Settled on a second re-positionable forestay, with a tensioning lever ( I will show you my prototype soon - a simple arrangement of a lever bar with long reach shackles ) so I can utilise my nearly new Jeckalls working jib. I have put a new uv strip on the old genoa - but it is not full height on the luff. Maybe that's not too bad - in a way, - I could pick up a second hand 150% genoa and fly it hanked. I want to sail the boat a bit to work out what I'm happy with.
I don't really see why you shouldn't have a combination of the two - a roller for pottering about with - a re-positionable 2nd forestay on which to fly my nice working jib or a storm jib etc. The Uphill yard has a brand new Ratsey & Lang thingy storm jib open to offers - I think a 100 will secure it - beautiful sail, came off a J24 I think.
I'm definately looking at a spinaker, rather than a cruising chute - and will be setting up the mast to suit. I've read a great deal about spinakers - they have become a little de-mystified lately in my head - and seem more useful than a cruising chute