Strick, its great you just did that project because I have a hatch I need to build as well. The tank coffin lid on mine was warped and cracked....basically unsalvagable, so I had the idea of making my own.
Once my Grady is back in the water I'll start work on the SC again and thats one of the first projects I plan to tackle. My plan was basically the same as yours, but I was going to put some gelcoat in the mold before hand, but since I'll be painting the boat anyway, it doesn't really matter if I do that.
Can you explain how you got those edges so perfect? I know you used clay but can you be more specific? I saw somebody use bondo to create the rounded lip....do you think thats a good idea? Did you use MDF to lay up the tank lip?
Thanks in advance...your project is looking great.
BTW Otterlycool, this is Alex from Capt. Dan's Capt license class. Remember me? I'm rebuilding a 20 SC right now. Getting the topcap off was no problem...I undid all the screws holding the cap and hull together, cut the adhesive between the hull and cap, and after some persuasion utilizing crow bars she popped right off.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e5...h/IM000954.jpg
That pic is kinda unclear but shows the cap pulled foward. I later got help from a couple guys and we lifted the cap off the boat, placed it on the ground and I recored the cap and put it back on......which required crow bars and jumping on the cap!