James:
I have to concur with Rehd, right after you get the "PERFECT" finish, You will be too worried to enjoy it. I too had a drip and sag or two on the deck around the deck fittings. But after 5 months of building, it was time to paddle. And the bottom? Forget about it. After 7-8 trips, you'll forget how nice the bottom looked before she was christened. And I'm not even landing on rocky beaches!!!

Even the deck has a few battle scars from paddle dings, webbing marks and the like. My 2 cents worth says to get out and paddle, then next spring do a light sandout, revarnish with a quick coat or two, and paddle on. If you are constantly worried about every little ding (like I was - but not now), you'll never be able to enjoy the surroundings.

Permission To Paddle

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