Seasoning reduces a timber's moisture content by stacking it in a dry, ventilated store and leaving it for years. Oak required roughly three years to dry before entering a ship's structure. Proper seasoning and adequate support reduced the likelihood of planks and frames warping or twisting once the hull went to sea. Caulking remained necessary because even well-prepared timber continued to move during a ship's working life.
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How seasoning makes oak usable in a hull
Oak was stacked in dry, ventilated stores for roughly three years so lower moisture content and a settled structure reduced later warping in a working hull.