Making New Bowsprit

[BillShuman]

I have just purchased a 1986 Bayfield 40. It turns out the wooden bowsprit has some rot (about an inch and a half deep) near the forward end. It was likely caused by water intrusion where the bolts holding the stem fitting (I think that's what it's called) is attached. What kind of wood should I make the new one out of? I was also thinking of epoxy coating it and painting it instead of using varnish. Does it make sense to bore out larger holes, epoxy fill them, and redrill for the bolts (similar to what you do when attaching hardware to a cored deck). My hope is to prevent this from happening again.

Thanks.

[Brian Duff]

We had a bowsprite built out of douglas fir , which was epoxy laminated from thinner pieces, and epoxy coated as well. Ithas held up very nicely for many many years, in the tropics and up north. We didn't drill the holes out and fill with cabosil thickend epoxy, which I would consider this time around, or for my next bit of wododen spar work (spurce box section mast on my next fixer upper). We just coated the holes with it so seal the wood. Check int Resorcinol Glue, though I haven't ever used it, but I knoI have heard it has been use on spars with success in the past by others.
Paint the top white, but leave the rest varnished. The varnish gives you a chance to see what is going on, and the top being while gives extra protection were it is needed most, and can be easily inspected often.
I would be sure to bed any hardware you fit to the sprite, to prevent water introusion too.
Good Luck

[Ian McColgin]

I also have made bowsprits of fir. perfectly good wood for the use.

A couple of thoughts for grace notes. I shall assume that you know how to make and use a 7-10-7 guage for eightsiding a square section. If not, enquire over at the WoodenBoat Forum.

Using this approach, you can make up a square section that is tapered, still square, on three sides only. Eightside and then round from there. This will result in a very pleasing finished bowsprit that tapers bottom and sides. If you're going to have rollers on one or both sides, leave some flat for them and their supports to land upon.

On Granuaile, a narrow Marco Polo of notoriously steep heel, I let in raised teak strips along the bowsprit. For the footing and numerology of it all, I had 7 strips with the outer edges of the outer two strips subtending a 60 degree angle, giving 30 degrees of strips either side of verticle.

The nicest nosegear is really a ring with four tangs to catch the jib stay and tack, the whisker stays, and the bobstay. If it's made a little cone shaped, inner end's inside diameter a nudge larger than foreward end'd ID, and if the bowsprit is shaped to recieve that, you'll not need to clutter the bowsprit with screws. Allow just a little to put a leather pad or such in as bedding.

G'luck

Ian

My Rawson 30's bowsprit was made from laminated Doug Fir, with each piece being submerged in Smith's Penetrating epoxy. The wood was sealed from the inside out, eight sided, and painted white.

One thing to keep in mind, epoxy has UV properties on par with human skin. You want to use paint, or really thick, well maintained varnish to protect it.

Brent

[osteoderm]

Ian's suggestion of using a collar with tangs for rigging attachment is ideal, in my books. If it suits the look of your boat, a single burly bronze casting is nicer than a welded stainless collar. The collar ought to fit against a substantial shoulder, and be extremely well bedded, in which case you could do without fasteners. Some nosegear fittings are capped at the end, i guess on the assumption that the cap will keep weather and water out of the bowsprit end grain (as well as adding some strength); i've seen more rot than not under such capped fittings, along with around fasteners (as you have).
i too feel that laminated Douglas Fir is a fine wood for a bowsprit; just avoid step-scarfs! Using glues instead of epoxies will require more perfect mating surfaces, but may largely do away with the obvious gluelines of most epoxy laminations. Epoxy coating is fine, but be very very sure that whatever paint you put over it is compatable; i've seen good-looking paint finishes over well-scuffed-and-cleaned epoxy literally fall off after a season in the sun.
As mentioned, epoxies are UV-sensitive, but i've seen varnished epoxy work well enough. i hear tell of a UV-inhibiting additive for clear AwlGrip, but have yet to personally see such a finish.

[Ian McColgin]

Don't know where my brain was hiding yesterday - the fitting is a cranse iron. It would be easy to make a wooden model to take to your local foundry for bronze. It would also be fairly easy to make in iron (not steel) which properly painted is quite wonderful on boats.

One might have a shoulder for the cranse iron to land on for smooth looks but you should rely on the tapered fit for the strength it takes to resist the pull of four stays. Also, the inside corner of that shoulder is, like a capped end, a possible place for rot, though a well greased leather pad will mitigate that.

G'luck

Ian

[BillShuman]

Thanks to everyone for the ideas. I talked to someone at the Annapolis Boat Show and they suggested making it out of teak. That appeals to me because of the rot resistance. The bowsprit is fairly small so the weight wouldn't be a big issue. Would teak be a good choice?

[osteoderm]

The weight difference between teak and fir may be more substantial than you assume. In many respects, teak is king, but there are a few cautions: it's expensive (although these days, clear Doug fir ain't cheap either), and teak's natural oiliness repels most glues/epoxies. Yes, you can wipe the wood with acetone prior to epoxy, but i've still had problems with epoxied teak joints here in the tropics.
Is the bowsprit small enough to get out of a single piece? In that case, teak or purpleheart would be pretty cool.
As for the cranse iron (thanks Ian!), i advocate both the tapered fit AND the shoulder; this is still very traditional on both counts. The shoulder is not a substitute for the tapered fit, but an addition. In lieu of greased leather, i'd suggest a decent application of boatyard bedding compound. In any event, the cranse iron ought to be perfectly fitted to the bowsprit, and the wood beneath the iron well-sealed before installation.
It may not suit the look of your boat, but galvanized mild steel is another good material for such a fitting. Beware electrolysis out there at the end of the bowsprit! It may be best to simply go with whatever is most compatable with the metal(s) you'll be attaching to it.

[Brian Duff]

If your boat is already decked out in teak trim, then maybe a teak bowsprit fits. What was the old one made out of ?
If you are really thinking about painting the whole thing then teak would surely not be worth the expense. A boat that big may not seem to notice that wieght but if you already have a lot of stuff up there -(one or two roller furlers , big windlass, lots of chain, double rail pulpit all the way around the sprit, grating on top of the sprit, two anchors, etc...) -you will encourage hobby horsing further by making it out of heavy wood, when light wood will do the job well.

[Ian McColgin]

Teak is not often (ever?!?) used for spars as it's a bit brittle, as well as heavy. As pointed out, it does not hold glue that well, though none of my own teak/epoxy joints have failed. Just have to be careful, acetone wash, and all that.

Even for a short bow sprit, teak feels wrong.

But, different boats, different longsplices.

G'luck

Ian