Bob Cleek

You ‘re building a model of an open boat.  Any sort of wipe on finish and to some extent brush on finishes require access to the surface to be finished (obviously!).  I don’t see how you can apply any kind of wipe on finish to the boat’s interior without either damaging it or leaving unsightly globs on inaccessible surfaces.
 
If you want an alternative to my Dulcote, I would suggest a thin coating of shellac.
 
Roger

Back in the days, there was a separate trade called a "fettler," who hand-fitted machine parts by scraping the surfaces with scrapers. The faying surfaces of the huge stationary and marine steam engines of the age of steam had to be "fetttled" by hand. the merest adjustment between their base and standards at the base could move the position of the head thirty feet above it by inches! 

One of my favorite websites to peruse when I want to productively kill some time! Highly recommended.
 
One note, however... their page on "internal combustion engines," includes "external combustion engines," too! You'd be surprised how few people these days know what an "external combustion engine" is, or so it seems.

The combination of CA & Rigging  is not quite as bad as mixing vinegar and bleach but definitely two things that should never meet.
(except to make a needle tip on a line to be rigged)     
Allan

I think that the cold hard solution is to remove the malformed rigging sections and replace with new.  This time use either shellac or bookbinders PVA  (pH neutral) instead of CA.
A willingness to scrap subpar work and start over is a useful mindset and habit - especially for scratch build.   The short redo time will save a much longer time of feeling regret every time you look at the model.

I have long had an interest in live steam power as well. I had friends in the boating community who had steam boats. I had the pleasure of restoring a  5" long working live steam yacht model to working order years ago and that really got me thinking seriously about building a full size steam launch for myself but, alas, "life intervened." I did add a fair number of books on live steam to my library over the years in the course of studying  the subject. There's a surprising amount of model steam equipment on the market. It's more like buying jewelry than model parts, though!  
 
An engine will run around $600 to $1,100. The steam plant will run around $900. Then you have to make all the additional plumbing and tankage and the stuff for the RC control system. 
 

 

 

 
Saito of Japan is one of the main manufacturers of scale model steam gear.  They sell model kits, as well.  https://www.saito-mfg.com/en/top_en/steamengine-boiler-boat_en/

That engine is just the ticket for an RC open steam launch hull. 

... and when you do buy a tool, buy the best quality tool you can afford. The better tool produces better work and will last longer. You'll save money in the long run that way. 
 
And never loan a tool unless you don't mind buying another one.

+1 for shellac for all the reasons Jaager and Bob Cleek describe.  It really does impart a beautiful, deep warm glow to wood. 

This is all you need to know about lead oxidization in ship models. Read it carefully, It's the "bible" on the subject.
 
Nautical Research Journal - Vol 43 (thenrg.org)

What Jaager said. Shellac is relatively inexpensive. (I but the pint or quart cans, premixed and then thin with denatured alcohol as required.) Shellac can be applied by brush easily. Excess can be wiped off with a rag or paper towel, if you wish. It will soak into the wood without raising the wood grain (unlike water-based coatings.) Cleans up easily with denatured alcohol. It's also good for fixing knots in rigging, or holding rope coils in shape. (Move as desired as the alcohol dries and before the shellac hardens.) Shellac dries very quickly and is easily sanded or rubbed with bronze wood (steel wool leaves tiny bits that will rust eventually, leaving marks on the wood) or rottenstone or pumice. A single coat will dry to a matt finish. Additional coats will build up to a gloss. I use white shellac for everything. Amber or "orange" shellac will darken to a rich dark brown as successive coats are applied. 
 
Shellac can also be applied to paper and card stock, which will absorb it and become hard and stiff. It's useful for applying thin sheets of paper to flat surfaces, as well. 
 
Try it, you'll like it! It's been around for millennia and is proven to last forever. 

... and when you do buy a tool, buy the best quality tool you can afford. The better tool produces better work and will last longer. You'll save money in the long run that way. 
 
And never loan a tool unless you don't mind buying another one.

... and when you do buy a tool, buy the best quality tool you can afford. The better tool produces better work and will last longer. You'll save money in the long run that way. 
 
And never loan a tool unless you don't mind buying another one.

If you'll go to the article database here (https://thenrg.org/resource/articles) there's two relevant topics... The first is "Plans and Research" and the second is "Materials and Tools".  Unless you're like many of us, myself included) and are a toolholic, only buy tools as you need them and as you progress on your modeling.

If your work involves metal, here are two things that I consider to be essential; a scriber and Dykem Layout blue.  Layout blue is painted on a metal surface and layout lines are scribed thru the blued surface.  I’ve tried other things; magic markers, rattle can paint, but nothing comes close to working as well.  I bought a can on Amazon.
 

Here are the tools that I would consider to be the minimum necessary for measuring and marking out:
 
Some comments-
 
Architect’s scale:  This is marked off in different scales as explained above.  I build my models in feet and inches but I assume something is similar for metric modelers.  While these are not expensive, get one that is easy to read. Unfortunately since there 10 different scales, it is easy to make a mistake by measuring something with the wrong scale.  A spring clip on the scale at least makes you Lay it down correctly.
 
Metal Ruler:  My Engineering school drafting instructor stressed that Architect’s scales were not straightedges; hence the metal ruler-  Target, $1.00
 
Square:  I have a couple of Machinists scales like Allan mentioned but if I could only have one square, I like the sliding beam square shown.  In addition to working as a square, it also works as a marking gage.
 
Dividers:  Get a pair with the bow spring and screw adjustment.  The others with just the friction joint never hold the measurement.
 
Technical lead holder and pointer.  After seeing others use these, I dug out my old one from Engineering drafting class and bought a pointer for $10 on EBay.  I use 4H lead.  I will never go back to a wooden pencil.
 
Although I have a digital caliper, I don’t consider it to be essential.  I try use scale. Measurements, either directly from my Architects scale or using the dividers to transfer measurements from the scale to the work.  I use the caliper mostly for measuring drill bit diameters and checking thicknesses of stock.
 
These tools reflect my personal work habits.  I have tried ideas that others use but didn’t work out for me.  You will develop your own preferences too.
 
Roger

For squares, the machinest square shown previously is my preferred tool in various sizes, but for squaring tight small items, I have a couple Lego blocks that are perfectly square and work well.  The grandkids took pity on Grandpa and sent me a few so the price was right😄

I use technical lead holders as above extensively for drafting and marking. While it's a matter of taste, I suppose, I would consider a 6B or 8B lead way too soft for anything other than making "tick marks." Those grades of lead are very soft. They leave a lot of graphite dust on the work surface, smear easily, and often make a bit mess. (They're just the ticket if you are using pencil lead to mark plank edges to simulate seam stopping, though.) The soft lead doesn't hold a point for long, either. If drawing a 16" line with a soft point, it will wear down as the line is drawn, and the line "weight" (width) will be greater at the end of the line than at the beginning.  I'd say nothing softer than an HB and preferably an H2 grade lead, which is much harder. Harder lead doesn't break as easily, either. 
 
A chisel-shaped edge on a lead is proper for a compass, but not for a pencil or lead holdler. On a compass, the chisel edge is presented to the surface with its thin edge perpendicular to the line to be drawn, so it leaves a narrow line and wears evenly. On a pencil, a chisel edge will only draw a  relatively consistent weight line as long as the chisel edge is always presented parallel to the line to be drawn. If it's skewed one way or the other, the edge will quickly wear down and leave a heavily weighted (wide) line. 
 
Technical lead holder points should be sharpened with a "pointer," which creates a very sharp perfectly conical point which can be renewed easily with a "twist of the wrist" circular turn of the holder inserted in the "pointer," which also contains the graphite dust and keeps it from getting everywhere, which is a major problem when using sandpaper. (Which, alas, cannot be avoided when sharpening compass leads.) They're cheap, too.
 
https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-502-BK-A6-Pointer/dp/B002EL9J50/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=lead+pointer&qid=1634014554&sr=8-2
 
 
 

 
Old school cast iron desk model of the same device below. Once a common drafting room fixture. Frequently for sale on eBay.
 

 
 

You'll need a compass, too. These are easily sourced on eBay. High quality ones can be had used for pocket change, or you may want to score a classic set of old school drafting instruments if you remember your high school mechanical drawing and geometry classes. (If not, buy a used mechanical (or "technical") drawing high school textbook on line. If you need to mark off fixed distances, like for marking stations on a keel, a compass is the tool to do it. This is one tool where you will appreciate quality. Don't buy one of those cheapo jobs we had in geometry class. Get a proper, solid, compass that holds 2mm compass lead, not one that holds a pencil and has a sloppy joint that's going to move on you. https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Professional-Diameter-Geometry-Precision/dp/B07FWG5SJP/ref=asc_df_B07FWG5SJP?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80882875798513&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584482455153217&psc=1
 (Check the forum search feature for "drafting instruments" to see discussions of the finer points of these "old school" tools. There are a lot of these instruments floating around these days with CAD having replaced the old "tee square and triangle" draftsmen. The professional quality old time stuff has become quite collectable, as it's quite beautiful and satisfying to use, but can still be found for a fraction of what it cost new... and when they were new, these highly accurate technical instruments weren't cheap. Today's "CAD-sters" may sneer at them, but, hey... they put man on the moon!) 

 
Marking tools are a lot more effective when used with measurement tools. In terms of modeling measurements, I've long found a good pair of dividers, and/or a set of proportional dividers, essential. (There's a top of the line Keuffel and Esser decimally scalled 10" set of proportional dividers on eBay right now at a very good price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/194401263840?hash=item2d4337e0e0:g:ulkAAOSwKZJg6zF0) Use this forum's search feature to look up "proportional dividers" to learn how these handy devices are useful in modeling. (The measure distances and they translate one distance to any other scale distance you set them to. They also serve as regular dividers for taking up distances.) Find used high quality dividers on eBay under "drafting instruments." (Only buy top quality instruments. Do not buy any instruments made of brass. They are cheap Indian knockoffs and next to useless.)
 

 
Also get a caliper. There are lots of options. They come with a sliding rule scale, dial readouts and digital readouts. You'll need these for measuring the thickness of wood, etc. For modeling purposes, you don't need a $500 Starrett special. A $20 one will do just fine.
 

 

A good rule, and particularly scale rules, used in conjunction with your dividers, are essential for measuring scale distances and sizes. Architect's rules are handy. They have twelve rules on a single triangular rule, each having a different scale, e.g. 1:1, 1:2, 1;3, 1:4, 1:8, 1:16, etc. These are relatively inexpensive. Really good rules are not much more expensive than the cheap plastic ones and have finer scales. The cheap plastic ones have wider scaling (writing) on them, but are entirely suitable for modeling. Make sure the rule you buy has the scales you want on it. (Inches, halves, quarters, sixteenths, etc.) Laser etched metal scales are preferred, e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Architectural-Laser-Etched-Architects-Draftsman-Engineers/dp/B094ZBWGLV/ref=asc_df_B094ZBWGLV?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80333187610152&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583932714589816&psc=1
 

 

 
 
 
 

What Jaager said. Shellac is relatively inexpensive. (I but the pint or quart cans, premixed and then thin with denatured alcohol as required.) Shellac can be applied by brush easily. Excess can be wiped off with a rag or paper towel, if you wish. It will soak into the wood without raising the wood grain (unlike water-based coatings.) Cleans up easily with denatured alcohol. It's also good for fixing knots in rigging, or holding rope coils in shape. (Move as desired as the alcohol dries and before the shellac hardens.) Shellac dries very quickly and is easily sanded or rubbed with bronze wood (steel wool leaves tiny bits that will rust eventually, leaving marks on the wood) or rottenstone or pumice. A single coat will dry to a matt finish. Additional coats will build up to a gloss. I use white shellac for everything. Amber or "orange" shellac will darken to a rich dark brown as successive coats are applied. 
 
Shellac can also be applied to paper and card stock, which will absorb it and become hard and stiff. It's useful for applying thin sheets of paper to flat surfaces, as well. 
 
Try it, you'll like it! It's been around for millennia and is proven to last forever. 

This is all you need to know about lead oxidization in ship models. Read it carefully, It's the "bible" on the subject.
 
Nautical Research Journal - Vol 43 (thenrg.org)

What Jaager said. Shellac is relatively inexpensive. (I but the pint or quart cans, premixed and then thin with denatured alcohol as required.) Shellac can be applied by brush easily. Excess can be wiped off with a rag or paper towel, if you wish. It will soak into the wood without raising the wood grain (unlike water-based coatings.) Cleans up easily with denatured alcohol. It's also good for fixing knots in rigging, or holding rope coils in shape. (Move as desired as the alcohol dries and before the shellac hardens.) Shellac dries very quickly and is easily sanded or rubbed with bronze wood (steel wool leaves tiny bits that will rust eventually, leaving marks on the wood) or rottenstone or pumice. A single coat will dry to a matt finish. Additional coats will build up to a gloss. I use white shellac for everything. Amber or "orange" shellac will darken to a rich dark brown as successive coats are applied. 
 
Shellac can also be applied to paper and card stock, which will absorb it and become hard and stiff. It's useful for applying thin sheets of paper to flat surfaces, as well. 
 
Try it, you'll like it! It's been around for millennia and is proven to last forever. 

This is all you need to know about lead oxidization in ship models. Read it carefully, It's the "bible" on the subject.
 
Nautical Research Journal - Vol 43 (thenrg.org)

Remember, best results are realized when you only use synthetic bristle brushes for water-based paint (acrylics) and natural bristle brushes for oil-based paints (enamels.)
 
For very fine detail, check out the offerings on eBay for "nail brushes" (sometimes called "dot brushes,") used by manicurists for painting fingernails. They come in a variety of small sizes and are dirt cheap. Buying fine artists' brushes in small sizes can get expensive fast. 
 
Beyond that, the size and type of brushes to buy depends on the size and type of painting you are going to do. Find a local art supply store and buy brushes as you need them. You'll soon build up a good selection. Clean and store your brushes properly and they will last a very long time. 

You're telling me!  "He who dies with the most tools, wins!"