Hi Jim.  Seeing your progress I have one idea how to make an improvement. Unfortunately for me it was too late when I have noticed it   It is regarding inner structure of the gun and oar ports. In the kit this is done from plywood which for an eye is distracting as it has different lighter colour This should be fairly easy to improve and make it from pear as well so all is in same kind of wood.  Instead of those parts I would use some spare pear wood from the kit.