I also made some hatch covers for my cooler/battery box.
Mold parts
Molds made up and sprayed with lacquer then PVA
The layup
And the parts
I'm still struggling with alligatoring in my gelcoat. You can see it at its worst on the piece on the left end. I'm sure it's not the oil from the clay fillets because the PVA coverage is complete. I've been using four or five coats. I tried laying up a layer of mat after the gelcoat kicked with the intent of leaving it overnight before completing the layup, but it alligatored under the mat. I suspect I'm not putting the gelcoat on thick enough. I'm spraying, and getting full coverage, but the areas that alligatored look like the gelcoat is pretty thin.
If anyone can give me any guidance, I'd apprecaite it. Other than the alligatoring, I'm very happy with how the parts are turning out. I need to get this solved before I lay up my fish box and live well like strick's.
Dave