"NEILAT 888" wrote in message
...
Second, the boat has probably been out of the water for three to five
years (I
got it at an estate sale). The hull is 3-4inch strip planking of an unkown
wood. There are visible separations where you can see light between some
of the
planks (from hairline to an eighth of an inch.)

Doesn't sound that bad under the cirmstances.

Does anyone know what I need
to do to make this boat seaworthy. Do I caulk first and then launch it or
do I

If you caulk first, when the planks swell up, they can be damaged.

do the reverse and see if any of the separations close up when the wood
swells
and then caulk the remaining ones.

Caulking may not be required at all. It may just swell up enough on it's
own.

You can wet it with a sprinkler for a few days ahead of time to jump start
the process...

Jim