wooden masts for a small cruiser

Captain Coochie

Captain Coochie

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I need to make a new mast for my 24ft river cruiser and wondered if anyone knew where i could look at a few designs ? I have some nice air dried Wenge ready for the job so id like to do something special . Well as special as a mast can be anyway .
 
Wenge??? You sure?? very dark brown almost black, hard as nails?

Charlie.
 
Yes Wenge , very dark brown almost black with a light coloured sapwood . Been sticked since 1984 5 boards 2m x 500mm x 32 mm . /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Hope you know what that stuff is worth before you go hacking it up for a mast?
 
Incidentally, how do you qualify as a "Master" of a trade these days, when there are so few apprenticeships left?

I tend to thhink of myself as a "Journeyman Shipwright" I don't yet know everything (surely the qualification of a Master?) but know enough to be able to travel with my work, work on my own with confidence, but use the time to pick up more skills, experience and teaching along the way.

There doesn't seem to be any modern terms thatcan qualify you for these sorts of skills.
 
Hi Jesse?

The mark of a master trades man is that he doesn't know everything, but is bloody good at what he does know!

Doesn't it mean that he is a member of a Guild of Master Craftsmen?

Been a chippie for summat like 43 years, and I still keep on learning, I would like to learn a lot more about your trade.

Charlie.
 
Hi Charlie,

I've been doing it properly for about 5 or 6 years now. I did a years course at the IBTC in Lowestoft, and then managed to get myself 3 kind-of placements, getting to know how different yards work, different types of boats and different people. I was lucky to get to work with some good people, a couple of whom I'd call Masters. Give me another 40 years and I think I'll know a fair bit, but everytime you come to do a repair or restoration, it's something new. Either a different type of build, or a different problem to solve.

I know it's always going to keep me learning, and as long as I put in the work, it'll always be enjoyable and rewarding.

Assuming people still want wooden boats, but I'm pretty sure that will continue. If not, I'll have to tidy my skills up a little and move into bespoke carpentry.

I often find the most interesting thing in wooden boats is the fact that one day you could be shaping half a ton of log into a keel, the next fitting a clinker plank well enough that you get a water tight fit with just a fastening every 3 inches. Then again, sometimes I get to play with a bit of birds eye maple to make a new dashboard. Always different! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Sometimes mindboggling /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif, but always challenging /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I agree you can never be a Master of a trade but i was awarded the title when i passed my level 3 NVQ in Carpentry and Joinery , i was 19 at the time /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
I used the term as a bit of fun as i guessed Smiffy was also in the same trade as me .
 
Re: Chippyin

Hi Jesse,

interesting, I don't think you need to worry, there will always be folks that want wooden boats, less of them nowadays of course (sadly), but a good bloke on the tools will always find work.

Did you get any further with the trad clinker dinghy idea you was investigating?

Any further with finding yourself a boat?

Charlie.
 
Re: Chippyin

An extension to the house has put any major boat plans to the back burner for a while until we get some funds and space back again!

As for the tender, I've a biggish project coming up, so a new build will hopefully happen in the spring.

In the mean time, a very nice forum member has passed on a rather damage tender to me. It's triple skinned cold moulded. Hopefully I can repair it, but if the damage and rot is too extensive, I may try using it as a plug and trying a little cold moulding myself. I've never tried the technique, so I'm keen to have a play!

Should keep me busy anyway! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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