RAKING OUT SEAMS

[Vitalba]

My boat, a 8.5 mtr East Anglian built of Iroko has been out of the water for about four years. She has dried out a little and the paint on the hull above the waterline showed hairline cracks down most of the seams. This has allowed water in which has caused the paint to lift over quite large areas so I`m taking her back to the wood. On raking out the seams I find the stopping loose in some places but still well and truely attached in others and very difficult to get out. Should I leave the "sound" stuff or rake it out with the risk of damaging the edges of the planks? (and wasting a great deal of my time). My concern is that when she takes up the new red lead stopping will compress but the old rock hard stuff will not, leaving a very confused plank! As one would expect the under water areas have opened more so the stopping comes out easily and will allow me to "harden" up all the caulking as well.
I would appreciate the Forums views and particulary of any practical experience in this matter.
Finally I thank all members for helpful comments and advice on previous questions raised. I will in due course let you all know how they worked for me. The proof......as they say, is in the eating. VITALBA.

 

[Kukri]

Rake it all out. However, there is a "technique" for getting the bits that are still adhering out. Don't rake these out with e bent file tang as you would the loose stuff. Either buy a tool from Traditional Boating Supplies (no financial interest in that firm, but they do sell the tool) or make one. What you want is a bit of tool steel about an inch or two long shaped to the contour of the seam and welded to a handle - you fit the tool in the seam and tap it with a light hammer, and the old stopping breaks free and can be raked out without damage to the seam edges. Strangely this is not in the usual books.

 

[SmileyGiley]

So.. you have the right tool for the job Min.... you naughty needle-noo you!

 

[Peterduck]

When you are 'hardening up' the caulking, do it very carefully. It is so easy to over-caulk seams and damage them. I know that it is 'traditional' to use a bent file tang for raking, but I have always felt that this was too big a tool. I have a set of finely pointed tools for digging 'O' rings out of their grooves, one of which is 'L'-shaped, and ideal for removing old stopping. I wouldn't want to go hammering it though. Still, if you can buy a proper seam-rake, go to it!
Peter.

 

[monkey_trousers]

I use a hoof pick. well a couple, one 'out of the box' and one that I reshaped the blade and sharpened

these things:

http://www.uksaddlery.com/item1368.htm

only cost a quid or 2

 

[Casey]

You can make those with a bit of plastic covered fencing wire and a grindstone!

 

[joliette]

I've used an old screwdriver to clean out seams. You can grind the tip to the right angle and depth. If the hard stuff is very well stuck to one seam you can leave it in place and squeeze some red lead into the crack. However, if you want to get it out and it will not shift with a sideways pull on the screwdriver, then just tap it jently into the seam with a wide chisel. That should free it up! It's more satisfying to clean out the seam completely and prime it before finishing with red lead. Also gives you chance to check the state of the caulking cotton. I found a lot of decayed stuff in my seams so took the opportunity to replace it.

 

[Seanick]

If its well attatched to one side leave it. Too remove all of it is just making unnecessary The planks probably won't swell past the original positions anyway. Just remove the loose.
Sorry to disagree folks !