Preparations for the Asia Expedition 2022/2023 are ongoing, and right now we have done caulking and pitching to seal the hull.
The first thing is to caulk the deck with flax fibres to seal the seams. Then it is time for the pitching of the deck. This is done to keep the flax fibres in place once the ship is in the water. Pitch is a viscous liquid that exists naturally but can also be the sediment when distilling organic substances such as tar or petroleum. The pitch is being heated up to 290 degrees Celsius before the first pour, which burns the wood and fills the cracks. After it sets, the second pour fills the remaining gaps, and then the excess is scraped off.