Final touches

Nearly complete. Close enough to Launch! 

Couple coats of varnish, two coats of paint inside and out and hatches finally on. Couldn't resist the urge to launch it for the first time and take my wife for a leisurely row down a slow river.

I'll add at least one more coat of paint to the inside, and another two coats of varnish on the decks as well as build a respectable cover so she last a lifetime. 

--

I finally uncovered the art work on the deck supports/backrest. The bow has the boat name "Sundew," while the stern backrest has a water lily and a dragonfly. I drew them with colored pencil. 

I'll right about its performance in more detail once I use it move. But for now I'll say I'm happy. With my wife rear seat and me rowing from the bow seat, she's well balanced. Stability was also good with just a tad dory- like instability within about 5 degree but firms up solid past that point--the wife found it comfortable after the first minute or so; I also felt comfortable with my expensive camera--there's no surprises in her gentle Swampscott dory shape. She rowed as well with the 7 foot oars as any boat its size, a couple sweeps getting her up to 4 knots or so.