The Ipe doesn't help. It's so bloody hard, cutting the gain for the bronze rim - especially across the grain - was a labor!

Several new razor knife blades, sharpening chisels (all sizes needed), and a spoke shave (to chamfer fit the rim), took lots more time than expected(like this whole project).

But it is done! I'm nearly ready to start squeezing out 12 tubes of deck caulk. First though, I need the binnacle, that is still on the boat. I'll find some 1/8" or so O ring material(note the recess in the rim - Steve mentioned MacMaster C.). The manhole cover is fixed in place with special bronze machine screws with a flat filed on the head - that allow 1/2 turn to open or close.

The rim and interior plate all fit flush to the decking. Easy even on bare feet.

Did you know one beauty of this type of 'manhole' design is that the plate cannot be dropped through the rim like any square or rectangle plate?

I'll fit 3/4" Ipe decking inside the recessed cover(that will take more than a few minutes,...). The teak I took out was cupped down to about a 1/2" from 50+ years of foot traffic. Amazingly, it wasn't leaking.

These bronze manholes are not common, but I know Alden used them for a spell. I can't find any info on them. Anybody know anything about who made them and when?. It appears to be a permanent boat part.