MAST QUESTION

[Denis Goyette]

Would cedar be a good wood to use for the mast??

It's the only non pressure treated wood i can find.

Thanks

Denis

[Sailor3356]

Wow in the land were Douglus fir is common you can't find any that isn't pressure treated? Try field dryed wood. Its before the treat the wood and there sould be so mill that will kiln dry it for you.

[capt jake]

I wouldn't use Cedar. Not strong enough and a fairly open grain.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Dennis,

You can probably find spruce in your area. But I wouldn't recommend Western Red cedar for your mast, it is too brittle and won't hold fasteners well.

You can laminate a mast from 2-2X4 and a 1X4 if you can't get a good 4X4 Just find the best pieces you can locate and alternate the grain on them so that it doesn't all go in the same direction, ie. ()(. If a good full-service lumber yard doesn't have good 4X4 they will probably order it for you. I picked up 4X4 Vert grain Doug Fir for a rediculously low price because it was damaged on the edges and couldn't be used for finish carpentry. I was going to be cutting it down anyway so it didn't matter. You might also try a salvage yard and ask for a good 12' 4X4. You can get a shorter length for the lower section of the mast. Doesn't matter if it is painted or finished or even beaten up some. You are going to cut off the outside and get down to good wood.

[Pat Mellema]

Barry

I was figguring on getting 2 12' 4x4s. That would be enough to make the mast and the bow sprit.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Sounds good! Worked for me too, I got a nice long bowsprit and my mast base from the one of the 12' sections. Although I actually formed my first bowsprit from a very old Cedar 4X4 that I found under my 28 year old deck. I have it and it is beautiful, but will most likely not use it as I'm going with a longer bowsprit to use a roller furling Genoa and a smaller staysail on a clubfoot when it is too high a wind for the Genoa.

[Pat Mellema]

Barry

I was thinking of going with a longer bow sprit and a roller furling with a larger forsail.

[Sailor3356]

Denis, :idea: come on over to Michigan, we have lots of wood to choose from. Most of it from Canada.

[Konrad in Lincoln]

I agree with Jake on this one, cedar isn't the strongest wood in the world.

You could laminate up other boards to the correct dimensions and have a mast like iron. :wink:

[Denis Goyette]

I must be in the worst geografical area to build a weekender. Every piece of material i need to get,ends-up being a chalenge.

The onlyspruce 4X4 i can find is GREEN .Back to researching again. :roll:

[Guest Anonymous]

You don't really need to get 4x4 though, If all you can get is 1x4, laminate enough to get a 4x4 timber, Then mill down.