Which came first, the caulking or the primer?

[chainyank]

I am getting ready to refinish the bottom of my Kosterboat, which is oak lapstrake / klinker built. I plan to do a thin wash of red lead primer, then bottom paint.

I have seen people, when building new, paint primer in the lap before assembling the plank, and in this thinking, should I paint the primer on first before sticking the goop of choice (a delicious mix of beeswax and tar in this case) into the thin opening of the lab which remains. There is still the original thread/tar/50 years of linseed oil left inside the lab (I did not do the natural /stupid thing of digging it out!:cool:) I just need to smother the "here and there" gaps that remain.

So What do you all do when repainting a bottom? Which comes first the chicken or the egg? The caulking or the primer?

[Old Lure Collector]

My personal experience has been to apply primer first. Wood has a tendency to absorb through the pores some of the chemicals that make up the caulking. Painting the wood first seals the pores, and gives the caulking a stable surface to adhere to. Someone else may tackle the process the other way, and have good reason to do so. I'm anxious to read more replies to your question.

[Peerie Maa]

For a start I think that you are talking about paying the seam or stopping it, you said that the caulking is already in there?
There are three (more?) ways to do this.
For you, because the boat is being re painted and the caulking is in place, it probably does not matter.
For a new built boat, it is a good idea to prime the faying surfaces of plank to frame and rebate to delay trapped damp setting up a rot pocket, but do not prime any seam that is to receive caulking. When the caulking has been driven, prime the seam to help hold the caulking in, then pay the seam with your chosen stopping.
For a clinker boat, built the British way without a thread of caulking yarn in the seam, priming is good if you can, but speed of build usually means the the seams are just finished tight and dry.

[Steveh]

Am of the same opinion of Nick. Have just recaulked Ngatira and we left the seams unprimed, regardless weather they had been primed previously. As soon as possible the cotton in the seam was then primed with red lead and payed as soon as practicable after that.