Timber choice

[halcyon]

We have to replace two small cantaliver beams (60mm x 30mm ) that carry the Hasler steering unit, due to rot.

Any advise on best timber to suit this application.

Many thanks

Brian



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[tillergirl]

See you haven't had much response so here goes. Not sure what a Haslar Steering Unit is but anything required to take a bit of load and to have some rot resistance starts me thinking of Iroko. Teak is the most rot resistant but the most expensive and can be hard to get depending where you are. Oak is also possible but don't use galvanised bolts or fittings as the tannin (I think it is) in the oak reacts with the galvanising. Iroko can warp on cutting in thin sections but that will not be a problem at 60x30. Anything you use will need a paint job of course.

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[jhr]

"Not sure what a Hasler Steering Unit is". O tempora! o mores! and similar old f*rt-ish remarks.

Lt. Col "Blondie" Hasler: Leader of the Cockleshell heroes in the 2nd World War (if you don't know who they were, an internet search will no doubt throw up the details, plus a book was written about their exploits - basically, they carried out an attack on (I think) a German U-boat base, using canoes); leading light of early singlehanded races; general messer-about in boats and inventor of the first truly practical wind vane self-steering gear.

Slightly abridged version...........

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[tillergirl]

Ah well. I thought it might be a vane - the expression Unit perplexed me but then that's easy to do.

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[Plum]

agree with the use or Iroko, but do ensure it has straight grain as just occasionally you come across a piece of Iroko that has a curly grain and so is not as strong. What was the original wood species?

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[halcyon]

Decided to check outriggers first, cleaned them down and in perfect condition, plane and sand, repaint and refit.

For interest they were a Pine, may be pitch pine.

Regards

Brian

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[Captain Coochie]

If your going to use pine and want it to stay straight douglous fir is the best (can get a 6m flat board from stock )
but if you want it to last go for oak

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[Captain Coochie]

If anyone is after hard wood Moss and co in Hammersmith Stock and will mill to size what you need, and you can pick the tree you want milled
But they aint cheap

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