Source for Sitka Spruce, NE Essex

ianc1200

ianc1200

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Frinton on Sea
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I need some Sitka Spruce for a pram dinghy mast, nothing special & only 10' long. Any suggestions for a source? Plans say either 3" x 3" or two 4" x 2" glued together. (I have a lot of old growth Douglas Fir, very tight growth rings but enough small knots such I don't think suitable).
 
Does it have to be wood?
Not your answer but I have the plans for a Dix 8' dinghy that I'm trying to get round to making and that wants 50mm * 1.6mm aluminium tube which is light but strong enough to be unstayed.
 
I've got a bundle of dinghy spars hanging from the garage roof, I think Mirror and Fairey Duckling.

If one is suitable we just need to get it from Isle of Wight to Frinton.
 
I was going to say (but burgundyben got there first) that the mast for a Mirror dinghy is about 11 feet long. There are a lot of them about. They are not slotted with a sail groove but I am sure that they could be the base you need. Douglas fir is a bit heavy but quite strong.

3"×3" sounds a bit over sized for a small pram dinghy by the way.
 
I have built a couple of masts from Doug Fir/Oregon pine with the birdsmouth system. Stiff & light.
Local metal stockist has 35 x 2.0 mm ally tube for €37 per 6 mtr length. Lot easier than making in wood.
 
Thanks for the replies. Think I need to look out for a secondhand wooden Mirror mast. I'm sure aluminium would work but it's tender to my bawley yacht & I'm going for a certain period feel.
 
Hi BB - I've just looked at a wooden Mirror mast - it's only 2" diameter. The mast for my pram build (Woodenboat Nutshell 9' 6") has to be 2 3/4" diameter. The mast for this dinghy is unstayed hence the thicker diameter I assume.
 
Aquaintance built the shorter version as his tender. Very useful little boat.

My comment earlier about the birdsmouth system, it produces a light stiff spar, even if using slightly heavier wood. On my 15ft faering, the mast, yard and boom were all made this way. Sounds complicated, but actually quite fun, even if I had a deadline to finish. You need a bench saw and/or a router, but possible in your container(?).
 
Thanks for the replies. Have plenty of Douglas Fir, several routers + JessEm router table with lift, but not sure what the birdsmouth system is. Also built the smaller version, about 89/90 but from Jewson's so called marine ply.... Cut that one up a few years ago. It was a superb towing tender.
 
ianc1200 said:
Thanks for the replies. Have plenty of Douglas Fir, several routers + JessEm router table with lift, but not sure what the birdsmouth system is. Also built the smaller version, about 89/90 but from Jewson's so called marine ply.... Cut that one up a few years ago. It was a superb towing tender.Here
Click to expand...
Here:
Bird's Mouth Spars revisited
You can taper the 'square' side of each piece. It is self aligning with cable ties on a few supports on a flat bench.
 
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