If everything else is manual on your boat make it like the lower pic with gas shocks an pin locks. Find the right hinge by doing some research. I built a wall in front of engine that slides into a track connected to seats and held in by pin locks with a speaker box. The hatch I built mimics the curve/angle of hull.  Made with plywood an laddered with 1x3 between outside/inside pieces and a 1x4 trimmed to inside hull curves...






This last one is an older pic but the hatch and interior are the same.

build frame. u can use plywood, the 2x4 in mine is a little overkill.



skin frame with plywood.  if you have curves do layers and put a layer of glass and resin inbetween them.



all the pieces



fiberglassing together



3 layers of 1/8" plywood with 3 layers of fiberglass



strong enough to stand on now



outside done, ill eventually cover it with foam and vinyl



inside carpeted



just gotta get some gas struts to hold it up.  the hinges are just regular hatch hinges from hardin marine/cpperformance.

http://www.cpperformance.com/p-13764-polished-stainless-steel-long-reach-hinges.aspx

That's goona look killer


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thanks to Kayotk's pics, i built one for the Bahner and i practically copied his design haha!

I used 3/8" plywood, 2X6 for the front panel, and 2x4 for the rest for the framing. Then resin coated and did a couple sheets of glass. Im pretty sure its fairly bulletproof.

Then had it covered by a guy here in highland for 250!

heres a couple pics

Personally...I like the sides and back to sit inside the hull making it more flush.

yeah it took a LOT of time and measuring to make mine sit flush.  as you already know, nothing on a boat is straight.  its all curves, slanted, angled, etc.  and completely different on each side.  my hand planer got a LOT of work trimming it to fit properly.