Is this mod structurally safe

[mackatt68]

I've been considering doing the same mod for awhile. What sort of container did you use on the inside? The one's at the marine suppliers are pretty expensive.

[Indulgence]

I just threw in a blue plastic bin from Canadian Tire I got for ten bucks.
Probably get the same thing from China-Mart.
It's not elegant but will keep everything in place below the hatch. I expect
there will be some pros and cons when I use this. Might need some tweaking
along the way.
L

[DaveB]

As a FL. Lic. Structual Building Inspector and FL. Lic. Building Contractor along with many rebuild boat projects with all kinds of Fiberglassing and Epoxy expearance.
I would say the deck is of one unit as a whole for structual strength. Some areas you can put in a small hatch like under the cocpit horizontal face.
Cutting into the top and edge as you suggested will effect structual strength.
The Mac. hull and deck flexes and cutting out a section you decribed will weaken the hull and deck as a unit and will probably see stress cracks appear if sailing hard and in sloppy seas and could lead to strucual failures.
I know a few have done this and hope they never get into a heavy Sea to find out.
Just my personnal and Professional opion.
Dave

I'm going to follow in the footsteps of others and make the space below the starboard seat into a storage locker.
I don't want a side access hatch with a box behind it. I was thinking of a top opening hinged door with a large
vertical storage container all the way to the deck below.

Forgive the lousy picture, but the idea was to illustrate a cutout in the seat that
flows over the edge onto the vertical to provide a solid front lip for support.
There'd be a piano hinge across the back and flanges below with weather stripping.
I'm leaning toward reinforcing that front lip with angle alumininiminium or flat bar.

The question is: in your opinion, could this compromise the structure of the boat?

Thank you,
Laurie