You can make a recessed cockpit on a stitch and glue similarly to how I do the recess on a stripper. Cut out an over-size hole, fill it in with plywood and then cut your cockpit in the new piece.

The picture included here shows the plywood filling the oversized hole. I installed this after I attached the deck to the hull. The small hole is so I could reach inside during installation. You can do the installation before attaching the deck, and you could cut the desired size cockpit hole before installation. I felt that for my purposes the way I did it would be easier.

> Does anyone have any experience recessing the cockpit on a Coho or Arctic
> Tern? I'm planning my boat and am bothered by the peaks on the coaming
> ring. It seems to me that if the cockpit were recessed, a flat coaming
> could be used. Or how about installing a CLC keyhole coaming. That would
> be slick. Any help out there?