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I want to know what his plan was to complete the build if his YouTube channel/sponsorships didn't take off.

It took 7 years with seemingly 5-10 skilled volunteers, an (almost literal) boatload of free or subsidized products, as well as direct income from sponsorships/ads/patreon.

[jacobolus]

I think he initially overestimated how much of the existing boat could be retained, and underestimated the amount of work required by 5–10x. But there was also quite a bit of scope creep compared to his original intentions for the project. Not unlike most software projects.

His initial plan was to spend about half of each year working as a sailor and the other half working by himself on the boat, which he had moved to the empty yard of some generous friends who also let him take over their unused woodshop.