The answer is magnetic; magnets imbedded in the lid and in pucks epoxied to the aft compartment hull secure the lid against the hull without fumbling with latches or other moving parts. The lid snaps into the stowed position when near the pucks. The pucks protrude from the hull so that the lid does not contact the stringer below the pucks.
The lid tucks neatly away at the edge of the hull/bunk junction, occupying minimal space and requiring minimum fuss.
I did have a concern that the magnets might interfere with the boat's compass. Experiments with a hand held compass show that the magnet must be within a foot and one half to deflect the indicator. The compass will not be anywhere near the magnets. I'm yet to be convinced there are downsides to this arrangement.
The locker lids will also be used for a chart table as well as a table to support the alcohol stove inside the hulls. Magnets may also serve to secure the lids in these applications. Possibilities are also open for use as cockpit table(s) placed on a collapsible magnetic stand(s).
Above are part of the 104 individual parts used to finish the remaining forward bunk compartments. Each compartment will receive a shelf on each side with provisions for stowing personal items and clothing underneath. As with all parts, these parts will receive two epoxy coats followed by the first of many sandings.
Above the wooden eyelets are epoxied to the shelf support brackets. Later, the foreground parts will be epoxied to the support bracket's opposite ends.
Above, the shelves and associated components are installed in the hulls. The concept is to have three mesh pouches below each shelf. On the right, strings are run through the eyelets to illustrate the center pouch outline. Cords adjacent to the hull will hold the pouch back against the hull. The pouch front will be suspended from the stick below the shelf. Bungee cords are represented by the strings running from the lower eyelets to the stick. The bungee cords assure the stick remains seated against rests below the shelf and help compress the pouch contents so they are not free to bang around. The stick is lifted off the rests to access the pouch contents. I expect that the clothing and personal items for four people could be accommodated on extended voyages with this arrangement.
Openings cut through the 1/4" plywood bulkheads can present a hazard to a person rolling around during sleep. For this and esthetic reasons, moldings are applied to soften the bulkhead edges. Steam bending kiln dried lumber has its' limitations in achieving bends of a smaller radius. For this reason laminated moldings were made for the forward bulkhead openings. Four 1/8" x 1/2" mahogany strips were laminated together around the form shown above. Later planing and routing operations completed the moldings.
At long last, the forward bunk is painted. The laminated molding, from the previous image, is shown placed in the bulkhead opening. The exposed wood components will receive varnish at a future time. I have not yet determined if the locker lids will receive paint or varnish.
It has been a long slog completing this compartment. Painting requires two coats of primer and two coats of paint (three would be better) with sanding between coats. The hulls must be rotated on their sides to access all the surfaces that include many nooks and crannies. It takes a full day to sand these compartments in both hulls. The high build, easily sanded primer leaves a silky smooth surface. The paint is another story. A 220 grit sand paper is used that tends to plug up and develop a waxie feeling surface after it is unplugged with a wire brush.
There is some art to painting I have yet to master. After much effort I am left with a painted surface full of brush marks, as if the paint drys too quickly to flow out. To counter this I have been painting in the cooler evenings (~85°F), but with no improvement. I have not been able to obtain finely bristled brushes to lightly drag across the surface to tip off the paint after application. The interior is too confining to use a roller and produce thin even coatings before tipping off. Hopefully, better results can be obtained on the exterior or I'll have to settle for a finish that looks OK from 20 feet.
Likely no one, including my readers, wants to listen to my repeated painting woes. So it is best to end this segment on a more positive note and save my woes for the four remaining compartments requiring paint. Some boat builders chose to varnish the interior wood. To me this seems like a very dark and depressive environment as witnessed by the unpainted interior image shown earlier. I think my efforts are producing a bright, cheery and inviting interior. In time it will be cluttered with other items to distract the eye.
Scooter News
I am no longer confined to illicit scooter rides around the neighborhood now that it is licensed for the highway. There are still issues with the turn signals/running lights that I will have to resolve before the next inspection. The joy in driving is back with the thrill of speed (20 mph max.) and the sensory overloads. It is something of a mild sensation with people giving me smiles, the thumbs up and women want it (Hey! What about me?).
Near the headlight is bungeed a black bag used to carry home dinner or other items from shopping expeditions.
I recently drove the scooter nine miles out of town to enjoy water volleyball. The scooter is rated to carry 440 pounds and I presently do not weigh anything near that. The stiff springs make for a very jarring ride over the lumpy roads. I found that it travels much better over such roads if I lift off the seat by pressing against the floorboard and allow the scooter to oscillate below me. The monster potholed lumpy road trip mostly limited my speed to the lowest range of eight MPH maximum. I returned home with 3/4 charge remaining. I also discovered that the handlebars and a brake caliper fasteners had loosened, but disaster had not come my way. I expect I will not repeat this journey until the mythical day the road is paved.
