It's not the water that will bother it, its the handling, strapping it to a car etc. If it baked in the hot sun, it would probably be fine, If it was in a cool garage it will be hard to the touch but you might scuff it handling it.

I remember years back, Nick saying that he would put a coat of varnish on a deck and let it dry on top of the car on the way to a paddle. (back in his carefree years).

If its a first-time builder, that canoe is precious. Me- the canoe would go in.