What type of wood do forumites recommend..

[Slow_boat]

..for a removeable four foot bowsprit carrying a 125sq ft jib?

I don't really want to rig side shrouds but intend to have a bobstay and jib downhaul tensioned with small block and tackle.

 

[jon]

Spruce preferably,or douglas fir.

 

[Gunfleet]

some of that aluminium wood from Sailspar would get the job done /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Slow_boat]

That's a surprise, I wa thinking in terms of pitch pine or oak.

Dare I assume that spruce is cheaper and easier to get hold of?

 

[tritonofnor]

Spruce is top recommendation. Douglas fir only slightly less so... Just bought a 12' length of 4 and a bit inch square doug fir to make a new boom - cost me 32 quid...

 

[Guest]

The wood has to have ...

a) Straight grain along the length ... not angled or offset.
b) No knots or change of hardness along the length.

Spruce is a good choice - witness use for boom / masts for years ...

The wood is actually taking a compression load once you set up stays and stem fastenings ..... so it is not essential top have hard wood.
Oak tends to have a lot of wavy grain and knots etc. - making it pleasing to the eye but difficult and expensive to get a long uniform length. It is also a very difficult wood to work ....

 

[Slow_boat]

I take it that such a short length won't need splitting down the middle and turning through 180 degrees like mast makers do?

Do you reckon 4'' dia is reasonable to avoid sideways bend up to, say, a force 5?

 

[charles_reed]

I'd be disinclined to use timber - far better to have an hinged A-frame with dolphin-striker.

I destroyed, in succession, 90 and 110mm diameter Xsection spinnaker poles when flying my genniker over a similar length of 1200mm.
Admittedly the genniker was about x7 the area of your jib, but flown in light air conditions, and the poles were in simple cantilever.

40mm thin-wall 316 did the job and cost €250.

If you want to try wood, spruce will be the best timber by a long shot - a decent, dry, knot-free peice of the right dimensions won't come cheap though.

 

[Slow_boat]

Thanks so far people. Food for thought.

 

[clyst]

Oak difficult to work with ?? In what way??

 

[fishermantwo]

[ QUOTE ]
..for a removeable four foot bowsprit carrying a 125sq ft jib?

I don't really want to rig side shrouds but intend to have a bobstay and jib downhaul tensioned with small block and tackle.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would consider a second hand windsurfer mast section. "Wood" that lasts. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[rogerthebodger]

What ever wood you use split the wood along it length and glue it back together with water proof glue so the nateral bending of the wood is in opersite directions so your bowsprit will have a better chance of keeping straight

 

[bluemoongaffer]

For that size sail, I think you'll need bowsprit shrouds as well as bobstay. Plus, I quite like Douglas Fir as a timber (if you go that way). It's "tougher" than Sitka Spruce, even if it is heavier and it seems to take everyday knocks of shackles etc better than my boom, which is sitka spruce. My bowsprit is 90mm dia tapering to 70mm and 5ft long for 55sqft jib . I think you'll need to go up on that to cope with your sail. On the other hand, I don't think you need to cut and re-glue for such a short timber.

regards Paul