I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FINISHING AN ARCTIC TERN BY PYGMY AND I HAVE CUT OUT AND INSTALLED MY HATCHES PRIOR TO VARNISHING. BUT THAT WAS AFTER I PADDLED IT FOR A FEW WEEKS, I HAD INSTALLED BUNGIES SO I COULD CARRY A PADDLE FLOAT AND BILGE PUMP. IF YOU ARE INSTALLING PYGMIES HATCH AND BULKHEAD KIT, I THINK YOU WILL FIND IT WILL BE A CLEANER PROCESS TO INSTALL THESE BEFORE YOU VARNISH OR PAINT. ANYWAY MY ADVISE IS, PUT THAT BOAT IN THE WATER GO ENJOY THE BOAT, EVEN WITHOUT THE VARNISH YOU WILL STILL GET LOTS OF COMPLIMENTS FROM ON LOOKERS. ONE OTHER SUGGESTION IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF IT, CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFTS HAS A FORUM THAT IS MOSTLY STITCH AND GLUE CONSTRUCTION, YOU MIGHT FIND IT USEFUL. THESE STRIP BUILT GUYS CAN BE KIND OF UPPITY, (JUST KIDDING) SERIOUSLY YOU MAY FIND CLC'S FORUM MORE INFORMATIVE. CHECK THEM OUT AT WWW.CLCBOATS.COM. HAPPY PADDLING.