Shipyard visit to prepare for the Asia Expedition 2022/2023

There will be a lot of work done at the shipyard to prepare the ship for the Asia Expedition 2022/2023. The purpose of the shipyard visit is to do all the work that needs to be done on the hull and rudder underneath the waterline. The ship will be washed and painted, and one of the main jobs is to caulk and pitch the hull, to seal it. Maintenance of the under water over board vents will also be carried out, as well as maintenance of the rudder, where work is being done on the gudgeon and pintle.

Caulking and pitching the hull is a big undertaking. As built in the 18th century, the hull on Götheborg has a protective layer of sacrificial planking, outside the outer hull planking. The sacrificial planking is made of fir tree and much thinner than the thick oak hull planking. Between the hull planking and sacrificial planking there is a layer of "tar felt" to protect from shipworms. In the 18th century, cowhides were used for this. To caulk and pitch the hull planking, both the sacrificial planking and the tar felt has to be removed, and then put back again, which is time consuming work.