50th Episode building our 40ft wooden sailing boat! Finishing the sliding hatch and painting (EP50)

[@gl2856]

Beautifully done guys it’s a pleasure to watch your videos , the love and attention you put into everything is just mind blowing 😎Graham

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thank you very much Graham!

[@fonhollohan2908]

Shes one beautiful boat that I must admit.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Aw thanks!!

[@Mahalo_83]

nutcracker was hilarious

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yeah it made us laugh also!

[@joshuaAzzopardi]

That awesome the hatch is beautiful!! The color on the cabin is so nice, Roll and tip :)

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahahaah thanks mate!!

[@carlf8291]

It's looking really good keep going your getting close to the water every day.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yep true, we are getting closer every day!

[@DarrylPopperwell]

This channel is as good if not better than when Tally Ho first started

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Well that’s very kind of you to say thankyou!

[@oldwillie313]

Another great video! Definitely Tally Ho esque!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yes! Thank you!

[@rickestabrook4987]

Just watched your inspiring interview from the Australian Boat Festival. Layered with romance for sailing, building, wooden boats and your devotion to each other. Really moving. And that beautiful sliding hatch!!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh nice! Yeah it’s a lovely little film and we think it might help people get to know us a bit more also. Thanks!

[@MikeAG333]

Putting together 2 curved objects like that without one distorting the other was a real testimony to the accuracy of construction. It would have been very easy to get that wrong, and to end up with one corner of the hatch sitting high.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thanks Mike, appreciate it! Yeah we were pleasantly surprised as you probably saw when the hatch actually slid!

[@drjulesm]

Congratulations on another milestone accomplished!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou!!! We are too scared to wear the hoodies in the shed, don’t want to make them dirty! So nice a new feeling and don’t want to ruin it ahaha

[@RachelReavis-ik2qw]

Love the color! Bold is good.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh great to hear! Thanks!

[@maxwellington8280]

Satisfying. Kinda funny that everything you do contributes to the build as a whole, but there are these certain special milestone jobs on the way that obviously keep the stoke alive! A hatch to keep the water out (designed yourselves) is a major one. Reckon you'll get some use of that hatch over the years...

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yeah that’s exactly right! Each small project contributes to the big one and the hatch is a great example of that! Thanks for following along! Cheers

[@morychok11]

Очень красивая работа по дереву! Лучшее что я видел)) удачи!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou!!

[@MrPeerBonnemann]

If it's beautiful, it will last for sure

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Ah thankyou!!

[@SavingMaverick55]

Great video. The hatch is coming along great. I'm definitely going to be using the glued down wood planking method on my cabin top.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Cheers! Yeah it’s a good system!

[@ricksimpson1543]

I continue to be amazed and impressed with the build quality on Tarkine!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Well that is fantastic to hear!

[@ronmiller1981]

I admire your wood working skills and craftmanship. Really enjoy your videos.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thank you very much! And thanks for following along!

[@ColinWetherelt]

So Matt is a leftie. Understandable. Lefties are creative by nature - and we also live in our right minds

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahaha yeah love being a leftie!

[@forresta65]

the ruuhige feeling and care in the videos is a welcome break from the world. the craftsmanship is also nice to watch as a former finish carpenter. the choice of music make the videos seem like a small cinema movie. thank you for sharing.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh so nice of you to say, thanks so much! We are glad you’ve enjoyed the video and choice of music also. Cheers

[@johnod1955]

Nice job. I like the colour too.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jackbarnes694]

Downloaded a bunch of these episodes to watch in the middle of the night whilst sailing to the Whitsundays. Now I’m addicted. Great show.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh great idea! Glad you thought ahead and are enjoying them! Cheers

[@davidross976]

Beautiful work. Makes me wish I was young enough to try to do what you guys are doing. Keep sending the videos. We love them.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thank you! Will do!

[@John-jr7rs]

a wonderful episode.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh well amazing to hear that! Thankyou

[@hairy8184]

... and in twenty years it'll be fun to go back and watch young Matt and Lefke...

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yes very true! That’ll be a heap of fun!

[@WilOJoe7]

Every week I love watching You Two work together.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Aw thanks!

[@deancaulkins1551]

Big fan of the beamy low freeboard hull shapes and so at the nose and the apparent shape there that boat should do very well in a big water following seas situation.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yeah true! Thanks

[@GerardvanGogh]

Oma en opa zijn nu alweer voor de 50e keer verbaasd over jullie vakmanschap en doorzettingsvermogen. Ga zo door lieve kinderen.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Dank je wel opa en oma! We kunnen het niet zonder jullie steun en aanmoediging. We zijn dankbaar en vinden het zo leuk dat jullie alle 50 videos met plezier hebben bekeken. Zo zijn we toch iets dichterbij vanaf de andere kant van de wereld. ❤️❤️❤️

[@PeterBassett-fl9it]

You pair of gifted talented young lovers bring a tear to this old boat builders eyes. May you both enjoy an ever lasting lifetime of sailing adventures in Tarkine for ever. Cheers.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou Peter! Much appreciated!

[@MyLilMule]

I love the affection you show to your 4-legged family member.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahaha yes he’s our little man! No kids so he is our furry child

[@ronus9993]

I checked in for the boat build update and was not disappointed. Seeing the hatch installation was wonderful but the chickens sequence was an unexpected bonus !

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahaha yep the chickens definitely earnt their food this week!

[@geoffbox4455]

tape removal is so satisfying! What a beautiful structure that hatch is.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh yeah removing tape always is!

[@stevebacon5466]

Loved this episode guy's. Well done 👏

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Amazing to hear! So good thanks!!

[@SébastienSalmon-z6u]

C'est vraiment impressionnant tout ce travail de réalisation d'un navire tout bois. C'est un peut comme le travail de modélisme mais à échelle 1.

[@davidbamford4721]

That is a nice blue that Lefke has put on the cabin sides. Rather reminiscent of Victoria Police cars in the fifties and Sixties.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh nice we are glad you like it! Cheers

[@Nena84734]

That hatch turned out beautifully, good idea to paint and live with it for awhile. That Obie, no the blanket will not do when you’re talking to a ghost little black box, scary, off to my little safe, comfy bed!!!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahaha yeah Obie loves his little nest up the front!

[@rob3942]

Top job guys, she will be a solid beauty, and the little personal touches really make her. All the best to you both

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou! Much appreciated. She will be a beauty!

[@adamcumming9356]

you guys are epic! keep pushing, keep motivated, keep the dream alive. Much love and respect from South Africa.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh South Africa?! Cool! Glad we have a follower over there! Nice one, we have both spent some time in Capetown working at the shipyard

[@adamcumming9356]

@@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River Now that is cool to hear. I too have spent many hours in and around the Cape Town shipyards, yacht club and sailing around the cape peninsula. If you are ever back in Cape Town you have a place to stay and a support network at your disposal. 😀

[@davehine724]

Tally Ho has it's place but these two boat builders are on a completely different level. (a much better place, in my humble opinion) Great music choice in this episode, by the way!!!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh wow very kind of you to say! Thankyou!

[@davidbamford4721]

I like your blue on the cabin sides. I would probably have gone for white, or at least a pale cream to reflect the sun, especially if you are landing to go north. But your blue is nice.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh thankyou! Glad you approve haha

[@robertbreland4356]

"Going your own way" results in exceptional workmanship. Well done my friends..

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@bikerXtrash]

She's looking beautiful.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Cheers!

[@SeekerofGnosis]

That amazing hatch!!! is I think clearly the work of a master at his craft!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Aw thanks!

[@tube4h]

Beautifull hatch!! 💪

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thanks!!

[@markchodroff250]

Great workmanship ! Your woodworking and so much more shows in the quality and precision that you have when you create,

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thank you very much!

[@johnpettigrew9732]

MUMAS & PUPPAS GO YOUR OWN WAY🥳🥳

[@ehofman7636]

Very nice work

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou!! So far so good!

[@MichaelP-g5n]

looking good! You might want to consider adding some knees on the tall end of the longitudinal hatch pieces you just installed. They could also act as strong grab handles on the outside.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh yes good idea!

[@Eric_with_a_C]

Iefke doing stuff and Matt looking at things at the beginning made my day 😂

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahaha yeah that little start up was quite funny we thought! Glad you got the joke haha cheers

[@gertboerman3666]

Great video again. Loved the intermezzo with the poultry on the planks.....hilarious. And...the boat will be gorgeous!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Glad you enjoyed it, thankyou!

[@sboileau2]

The hatch came out Great !! You'll need rubber bumpers as it slides so fast lol

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahahaha true!

[@MurfittTim]

Love the hatch. As i saw the hatch slide for the first time i had a big smile but it did not compare to Matt's well deserved grin.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahah thanks Tim, it was a triumphant moment!!

[@TheMikesylv]

Oh we could tell how happy you were, if I wasn’t watching a guy standing on a boat sliding a hatch cover I might of thought it was a guy doing something else Lol

[@davidrichardson5163]

What a superb way to celebrate your 50th episode.......another beautifully edited video, great musical choice - and the chicken cameo made a fun interlude. Your attention to detail and craftsmanship are second to none, and the development of the hatch was fascinating, although how does the sliding part stay on?

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh thanks! A good question, the hatch is held on by the brass bar.. this bar sits in a little groove in the hatch. It’ll make sense soon hopefully! Cheers

[@duffyjas1]

I loved the music. Fits so well with wooden boat building. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker and the chickens was inspired. I have a similar hatch design and have found that attaching the brass rails via brass inserts and machine screws allows for multiple removals without damage to the wood. Don't want to make you homesick nor jealous, Lefke, but next week, weather permitting, I'll be sailing my wooden sloop to your beautiful island of Vlieland.

[@jpdj2715]

True. Maybe the chicken would have felt more honoured by Swan Lake. The first name you quote is not "Lefke"but "Iefke" with capital i. As the Dutch word "lef" (lower case L) means "guts" as in "having the guts to", I guess that's appropriate. The Dutch "ie" is pronounced as English "ee" but staccato, or like the "ie" in thief. The "ke" postfix is a diminutive that is often used in Germanic languages as a way to turn a name into a female one. She likely is of Frisian origin - a part of the Netherlands that has its own Germanic language (that is probably closer to old English than modern English would be).

[@iefkelena]

@@jpdj2715 Yes... named after her Frysian geat-grandmother.... Means: giving life...

[@GerbenPolder456]

Thank you again for a very well made episode. I love how you intersperse the filming of the work with explanations and background stories. Even the shot of the growing chicks on the planks looks great and, in my opinion adds to the overall composition of the recording. Well done and keep up the good work 😊

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou Gerben, always appreciated! Great to hear, cheers

[@steveshierdoesstuff7420]

Hi Guys, awesome work as usual. You keep me motivated on my build. We need your dog.. Maple could do with some wise older dog influence right now. LOL Cheers, Steve and Maple (the PUPPY stage) Ahrrrr LOL

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Ah cheers Steve! Maple will get use to it! Puppy stage is a lot, but they do wise up in a year or two as you know haha

[@steveshierdoesstuff7420]

@@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River Let me know if you guys would like a link to some demo tracks. Cheers.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hey Steve that would be super cool!! Our email is [e-mail] Cheers!

[@rolanddunk5054]

As always thank you very much for a very interesting and informative episode,the excellent quality of your craftsmanship as usual is very much apparent.The hatch looks great.cheers,Roly🇬🇧.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

As always thankyou for leaving a lovely comment Roly! Thanks so much, we are feeling happy with it so far!

[@edmundblennerhassett9574]

Watching this morning from the other side of the world in Panama I am struck by the fact that despite the monumental undertaking you are engaged in you never take shortcuts. There is always the extra effort to provide detail that will enhance and beatify. Here exemplified by the grooves added to the underside of the hatch cover. My compliments to you both.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh so lovely of you to say so, thankyou! The quest for ultimate satisfaction with our boat is always hard! But we get there, I guess that’s why we get a bit carried away with projects sometimes

[@rolandtb3]

Congrats on the special 50 th episode and 2 yrs. The companionway hatch is a personal design feature, unique to each boat. It will look great when fully finished. I have no issues with the cabin paint. Another example of personal choice and expression. The chicken cameo is an example of that freedom of expression.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Well thankyou for your lovely comment! Really appreciate it. Cheers The chickens are certainly free! Haha

[@crispijnverkade]

Nice! All those details will take a lot of time but it is worth it! Good luck with the build!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou! Yes a labour of love as they say

[@mikeblankenship3883]

Love watching you guys work together, doing a great job. I really like your animal B-roll, it’s fun.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Ah cheers! Glad you enjoy the animal snippets also!

[@atulshivnandandixit7957]

You guys are awesome

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Awwww thankyou!!

[@grahamkimber2992]

Matt, are you having trouble getting left hand paint brushes and rollers that you get Lefke to do all the painting. Any way you are both doing a fantastic job. It is really good to watch top tradesmen at work. thankyou Graham.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahahah fair point… Iefke generally makes my mess and chaos looks good, I’m a little too impatient for paint and varnish.. and ief really enjoys it so it’s a good bit of teamwork! Cheers Graham

[@AlanKaufer]

While , not exactly adding to the boat building progress, the chickens performing to the Nutcracker brought on a huge laugh, which was sorely needed today!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh that’s great to hear we can brighten a dark day with some chicken antics! Glad we could help and hope you’re doing ok, laughing usually helps!

[@jpdj2715]

@@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River - you argued that choosing "Swan Lake" would have scared the chicken by association with swansong, rather than feeling complimented for their elegant promenade through these cubist "woods". That said, working on the hatch and the chicken's promenade could have led to Moussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition".

[@DaleShirley-o1u]

Love the hatch design!!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou! Glad you approve!

[@JanSzymonGoowacz]

Good size vise for on board workbench.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yeah it’s a great versatile vice! Very handy

[@DaleShirley-o1u]

Another delightful video!!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Glad you enjoyed it! Cheers!

[@edkleinstuber2119]

No better way to spend a Sunday morning. Keep it going

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oooooh yeah! Easy Sunday

[@henrygreig2317]

!Justified excitement with the hatch!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh yes! Thanks

[@matthewlang8320]

From an old farmer friend, I picked up the line, “that’s as as useful as hen shit on a pump handle”, so in your case it could be revised to….I don’t know, “hand plane”? Anyway, great video and great progress!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahahaha yes we like that saying and very true! Thanks for following along! Cheers

[@davidbamford4721]

Nylon pads at the corners of the hatch will make it easier to slide. Nylon appears to be rather good at sliding.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yeah that’s exactly right, we are going to have nylon pads on the underside of the sliding hatch

[@Steve-ul8qb]

@@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River I have a some 5mm Vesconite left over from a job I would be happy to post to you. I’m in northern tas usually, but away from the boat at the moment. From memory there should be enough for some hatch sliders.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh that would be amazing! Thankyou! What’s your email and we can send through our postal address. Or alternatively ours is [e-mail]. Cheers, Matt and Iefke

[@timcarnell5133]

PTFE rather than nylon.

[@josebembibre7298]

Amazed by the quality of your work! No solid expensive wood, but clever construction ans superb craftmanship, and above all the peace and joice that every episode transpires. Thanks from the other corner of the world!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh thanks! Yes it came up a treat! Cheers

[@svlamancha9877]

Hatch looks great. It’s a complex piece to build well done👍

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yeah thanks! It was a bit of a brain wear out but it worked!

[@dgrah]

Each episode is a pleasure to watch!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh amazing! Glad to hear it! Cheers

[@ericamundsen7917]

Oooooh nice sliding hatch! I really like the slope on it, it's way more beautiful than the flat ones. I love the blue, I think it will be great on the top sides, kind of like the Danish fishingboats.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahaha funny you should say! We have some good friends with a danish fishing ketch and we have looked closely at their hatch which is a little similar to ours we must admit! Hah cheers

[@1401196616091996]

Love this project, love this young couple…..

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou! Glad to hear it

[@Psychobilly]

Nice work

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@hughroney6342]

Matt, that trick with the pencil and finger was a round long before you were a sparkle in your daddies eye, and his dad before him

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahaha yes true! Doesn’t mean I still can’t share it to the sparkle in my eye…

[@drmikejoy]

i really like that grey/blue colour

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh that’s great to hear! Thankyou

[@ghoogers]

Greetings from South Carolina. I'm 81, in good enough health to think that I could start building a boat and live long enough to sail it. I've watched Leo building Tally Ho from the date of purchase and have binge watched your build of Tarkine and am up to date. I have all the tools capable of handling and shaping large pieces of timber and decent wood working skills. I also have a very cute GoldenDoodle puppy that appears to be a necessity for filming.The only thing I don't have and not likely to acquire is the head of hair that Matt and Leo flaunt. Is the hair that important?

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hey there and welcome!! Glad you’re getting up to date with our videos and so is your pup! The hair… a good question, maybe it does help. Who knows! Haha

[@johnmclachlan1023]

It's a dull life to not have at least one vice.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahah yes true! We have three, of different sorts!

[@PeterSpringhall]

To this untrained eye - definitely looking very boaty 🤣. Congrats on getting to this milestone 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahah thankyou!

[@quentinwoods8811]

Great work on the hatch . ..can’t remember if you have your motor below already.? Sure you’ve got that sorted. Loved the Sugar plum quail dance. ) was so hoping one or t’other would crow. They have a lusty crow do quails. )) Hi from Sth. Highlands NSW

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh yeah we got the engine in last year so all good! We just have to fit the diesel tanks in but they should be ok to go through the skylight

[@SH-sc9or]

Never ever give up, some day you'll regret it. You're both doing an amazing job!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou! We will keep plugging away! Cheers

[@adrianhope4796]

I like the design ideas and thought you put into the project. That’s a what makes these videos interesting for me. The hatch is very neat . Good job.

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh that’s good to hear, glad you like our thought process! Cheers!

[@tonyurquhart8278]

Great work Matt & Ifke. Always look forward with anticipation to your videos. Hopefully one day I might get the chance to drop in & say Hi. My daughter lives in Hobart, so next visit as well as 😢visiting her, I might have the chance to see Tarkine in the flesh (or should that be ‘in the timber’?).

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Hahah oh yes well if you’re in the neighbourhood then send us a message! You welcome to pop by, cheers

[@CarlosCruz-vv3qu]

as always, 5 stars!!!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Amazing!!! Thankyou

[@SighardTeichmann]

nice sliding hatch. well done

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Ah thanks! Much appreciated

[@rick91443]

Great. Sunday Morning and nothing(except all the normal chores,) to do, so I'll just sit back and enjoy....cheers...richard

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Maybe watching this could be added to your chores list and then you can watch guilt free! Ahah

[@rick91443]

@@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River Ya, right. Then what do I say during the 6 Nations Rugby Season? great job you guys...richard

[@gregwhite8503]

It was gratifying watching this episode due to the change of pace, in terms of the item [the hatch] being detailed out. You're just hitting your stride. Keep going!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thanks! We are certainly enjoying a bit more joinery and thinking

[@nickrose1778]

As always, it's very enjoyable in a laid-back manner. Plus, good work. Cheers

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Ah thanks! Glads it’s some soothing boat building

[@ibelieveican3138]

Nice work!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@frederickszalay1484]

Are you going to cover the hull in fiberglass? I imagine the external ballast will be added much later. Lovely shipwright carpentry!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Yep that’s the plan! Lead is the last thing, we are basically wrapping the whole boat in fibreglass

[@Lifesgood427]

That hatch and cover is a work of art, beautiful!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Cheers Graham!

[@waynedoeblin6801]

Getting prettier every time I see this fine boat,well done 👌🙂

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh yes! That’s what we like to hear!!

[@jonappleton1704]

It's lovely watching this progress - you make it look easy but I'm sure it's not. Great work as always!

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thankyou Jon, much appreciated! Hard work pays off!

[@ericd7975]

Excellent episode as usual. Your work is A1. Thanks and looking forward to the next episode

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Thanks Eric! Much appreciated!

[@malliz1]

Nice hatch mate looking great try to stay warm that shoulder will ache a bit this time of the year

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Oh yeah true, shoulder and feet! The slab is so cold right now it works up your body!

[@lifeexplained2u]

You're getting there

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Slow and steady we get there!

[@vinyrd50]

I love the design and craftmanship of the hatch. will moisture and swelling wood hinder its operation?

[@Building_a_Boat_by_the_River]

Let us hope not! Once it’s all sealed with epoxy and paint it should be ok. Maybe fibreglassing the rudder but not sure yet..