I haven't posted in a while, but have been working on the hull whenever possible. Hour here, two hours there.
I've gotten all the paint off the port side and all the screw/bolt hole filler out of all 800 or so holes on that side. I was using a couple of sharp pics to pic the putty (or expoxy, or caulk) out of the holes trying my best not to damage the surrounding wood (but not doing well there). For example pulling up shivers of the top ply. I got pretty good at it but it was slow going. And my hands were sore!
I tried a couple of other methods or tools but to no real advantage. I tried using a drill with a bit just smaller in diameter than the hole to get most of it, but it was hard not to damage the screw or bolt head, even when I flattened the tip of the bit. A small bit worked better but the drill is hard to control nd gets heavy fast. Then the other day I was at the dentist getting (yet another) tooth drilled and I thought "man that drill of his would be perfect and then it hit me... The Dremel!
Using the Dremel with the Dremel drill bit worked fantastic. With the tool at half speed, Drilled into the middle of the putty till I hit the screw/bolt head, then work outward in circles till I would start to see sawdust. Easy to control, doesn't hurt the screw/bolt hole, Gets all the putty, and its really fast. After 6 or so holes, I would pause and use a very sharp pick to get the putty out of the bolt head slot, or the screw's Fearson slots. I could do an entire plank in a half hour.
So why bother with the slots/fearsons? As I was working away one day my son asked me why there was such a large gap between two planks where they over lap. I was stopped in my tracks. I had seen that (and other gaps) and had caulked them up (and cleaned them out in this project) and never considered that, yeah, that shouldnt be there. Loose fastners? Tried a few at the gap and geez some would turn 3, 4, or even 5 turns before tightening up.
before the tightening

and after

Check this one!

My Hull is fastened with Silicon Brass Nut/Bolts and some screws. The Planks are fastened to the frames with screws, and the planks to each other with the bolts and nuts. I plan to replace the screws with screws of the same length but the next size up. This because the screw holes are chaffed out and so the screws don't tighten well before stripping out. The Bolts I will tighten by having my son sitting under the hull holding the nut while I tighten (he doesn't know it yet)
The order of the next steps. I will strip the other side and the garboard panels and clean out the bolt/screw holes, then re-tightened the planks as described alternating back and forth from port to starboard working upwards to the garboard panels. Then seal the entire outside of the hull with CPES. Then repair the damage at the plank ends with Epoxy Filler ( Then fill the bolt holes with filler. Then sand sand and paint, etc. I'll be 100 years old when I splash her next.
here is a picture of the damaged plank....

One more thing; SMITH's CPES and filler vs TOTAL BOAT; I have used both. No contest, Smith's is head and shoulders the better product. Smith's CPES penetrates much much better. The filler is much easier to work. But here is the link pin. Smith's CPES remains flexible after full cure. Total Boat, rock hard. Wood moves and flexes. You want the epoxy to do the same. Total boat touts that there is no smell. Yeah, it doesn't smell much, but are you really going to work with epoxy and NOT wear a respirator? All this is My opinion yes, but I'll never deviate from Smith's again.