Thank you for the question on repairs on the Ark over 100 years, “How was Noah able to build the Ark over a one hundred year span and not have the first sections of the vessel become very old without constant repair while still building the new sections?”
The Scriptures does not state how Noah and his family built the Ark. What is recorded the dimensions, the levels, the door and window of the Ark.
Here are some conjectures on the question:
- It may be possible that God provided additional information to Noah in building the Ark. It would seem reasonable.
- It may be that the rate of decay before the Flood is different than today. The primary reason is that there was no rain.
- It may be that the elevation of building the Ark lessen the rate decay. The Ark probably wasn’t built on sea level but on a higher elevation for trees.
- It may be that the lumber was cut, aged, and stored.
- It may be that Noah was preparing platforms and tools to build the Ark. Gen. 4:22 says that bronze and iron was discovered early in human civilization.
- It may be that Noah had to discover and build a means to transport the pitch and tar to the location. He had to have animals to help move the lumber.
- It may be that Noah hired men to help build the Ark when most of the supplies were prepared.
In my opinion, Noah took time to plan and prepare for the building of the Ark. He just didn’t start chopping down trees without any tools. Did he build or purchase tools? That is unknown. I would image that he may had to clear a section of the land to build the Ark. Plans and preparations had to be made before the actual building of the Ark.
SUMMARY: The rate of decay is much slower since rain didn’t fall on earth until after the Flood and the Ark being build on higher elevation may have a slower rate of decay.. That just a personal opinion since the Scriptures is silent on how Noah built the Ark.
For more perspectives: