John,
No such thing as a stupid question....if there were I'd sure look like a big dummy

The trick for rain is to make a hatch cover for your boat. A piece of coated canvas or coated nylon with a bungee cord i na tube and a grab loop up front. Like a a spray skirt with out the hole in it. I attach mine to my deck bungee as added insurance. We use them on trips at night to close the boat to any weather.

Yeah that won't work yet given that your combing isn't on yet.. So until you build a lip on her you could just as easly put it upside down. The more imediate question for your trip is what are you going to do to keep the rain out of your boat when your on shore. A tarp with a few rocks would work. or turning her upside down.

You gotta be getting close, have a heap of fun!

!RUSS