The slickest bowsprit netting isn't netting at all, but a lattice formed in place; the sort of heavy twine netting such as heavy fishnet often seen usually looks baggy and mis-shapen. i've made bowsprit netting for similar long 'sprits, and the procedure starts out much like "rattling down" shrouds: mark off the spacing you want, then make up a set of lines, eyespliced at their ends, measured to fit athwartships between the whiskerstays. Sieze them in place, starting outboard and working in. On these, mark out the spacing for the fore'n'aft running lines.make them up to the approximate length, plus a fathom extra, and eyesplice one end of each. Again, string them up outboard first, and where they cross the athwartship lines, clove-hitch them on. Finish the ends with eyesplices and sieze in place.
The siezings to chain are simple, but where (to form a fair grid) the lines land against the hull, you may want to put in eyebolts to catch the ends. Or, you can run the netting only as far aft as the stem, and have the after ends of the fore'n'aft lines attache to the aftermost athwartships line.
Bowsprit netting is supposd to be there to contain the sails, not the sailors, but i've always appreciated netting that is substantial enough to comfortably walk on and catch me in a pinch. i'd opt for the heaviest line that will still suit the scale of the bowsprit and boat, say 5/16". Let your eye be the judge. As for the spacing of the grid, 10" should ought to be plenty tight; again, lay out some temporary twine lines to see what suits your fancy.
Lay those lines in firmly; the flat net will look over taut at first, but will break in nicely after a season or too. Baggy bowsprit nets are lubberly.
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