Bryan,

I agree with Mike about staining. It would be very hard to avoid splotchines, if not impossible.

As for the Pygmy hatches, mine are leak free. They stay dry even during rolling practice. Most of the hatch closing methods can be made leak free. It's mostly a matter of using good gasket material and a smooth mating surface. What I don't like about the Pygmy hatches is the visual clutter, the fussy nature of opening/closing them and the fact that the fittings can be knocked open with a paddle or leg during re-entry like activities. I have tried three other methods (flush hatch with external bungies, rare earth magnets, internal bungie system with internal tensioning device) and they all have their advantages. But none of them are perfect. Search around this board and you will find lots of ideas.

Ted

: I am just starting to build my first stitch and glue boat. I decided on a
: Pygmy Osprey HP. My first mistake was building a table to work on, it was
: 2 ft to short, Doh! I know this is a premature question, but can one stain
: the wood before you cover the hull in epoxy and fiberglass cloth? Has
: anyone installed the Pygmy hatches and bulkheads? They do not look they
: wood be terribly effective in keeping water out especially if the water is
: rough. Thanks in advance.