Tried googling but couldn't get past sawdust. So you have a wooden carvel or clinker boat that has been out of the water for months . Prior to relaunch you stuff sawdust + sometthing into any obvious suspect seams. Then with bailer/pumps at the ready , when floating, you slap external to the hull, the same material roughly in the area of major leaks underwater, letting the sawdust+ into the holes and clogging, hopefully eventually the wood swells enough , so you don't sink. What was the added material to the sawdust?
Traditional dried out wooden boat trick?
Jan 02, 2026
Last reply: 9 months ago
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First reply
My uncle said the material for repairing boats was osmuccantar (horse muck and tar).
Read the full replyInformation here may be outdated?
My uncle said the material for repairing boats was osmuccantar (horse muck and tar).
Isn’t it traditional to sink your boat (with the aid of a few rocks) to allow the wood to rehydrate first?
Tim
I believe something called Red Lead, made up as a putty with linseed oil.
TW
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