mast material

[Nele]

Hi out there,

My question is as follows:
Would you commend larch or douglas for a mast? I talked to some "wood worms" and didn`t get a satisfactory answer about the durability of both kinds as of the work to preserve the different natures. Which kind of tree is more resistant to the sun and seasons with a modicum of effort in maintainance?

The ship is about an 104 year old gaffschooner which was originally rigged as a cutter, oak on oak and a larch planked deck.
I'm looking forward to hear all about you know, thanks a lot in advance.

[Raggi_Thor]

Spruce is very good because it's light and stiff.

[Guest20100203]

Both larch and Douglas fur have good rot and decay resistance, though on the heavy side for typical mast construction, in modern craft. You don't have these issues, your boat was intended for a grown stick and both of these woods will work fine.

UV degradation is really directly subject to the care of the coatings (paint/varnish) not the wood species. Some woods weather better then others, but most do quite well under a coating. Oil coatings (likely what your mast originally had if not painted) aside, maintenance of these coatings will insure long life to your spars.

Everyone has a favorite coating, both clear and pigmented. Some are better then others, but it's a subjective call for the most part. One person's opinion and good results, with a specific varnish/paint/oil mixture, may not produce the same results for someone else in a different climate. The best results are met through trial and error over years of use. This learning curve, can be shortened considerably by asking about locally, of the finishes you find the best looking or longest lived and try your luck.

Traditional oil finishes have there merit, but aren't up to most folks idea of a yacht finish. The maintenance alone should keep most away (it does) requiring several times more the up keep and touch up of even the cheapest varnish. It will darken the wood, considerably so over time, requiring it to be removed (what fun) and the cycle started over. There are some boats that really need these types of coatings, to look right, but most can be substituted with a satin varnish or poly, which will retain it's shine long and well past the point the oil has lost it's.

Sitka and silver spruce are the traditional mast building lumbers, prized for their strength and light weight. They are becoming difficult to find and costly. Eastern white and black pine are also stick construction lumbers, though not as common as the spruce. If I was in your shoes, I'd opt for western larch, if light spruce wasn't available or within cost reason.

[Bergalia]

Spruce. No question.

[D'ARTOIS]

To be precise: Oregon pine

[Nele]

Hello to all,

Thanks very much for all your helpful suggestions!

After checking the current prices and availability of spruce in Germany I´ll have to take a cheaper solution. So I decided to take a larch – 35 m tall – still standing in the woods right next to my village. I did a fair deal with the local forest ranger getting the tree for free for planting new ones in upcoming wintertime.

All the best and till next time!


p.s. Sorry for answering so late but I just returned from a sailing trip ;-)

[cyclops]

I hope you are in no hurry for a de-barked tree to slow dry without it having surface splits?

[chandler]

The preferred matl. would be sitka spruce. There are many varieties of spruce, however Sitka is the strongest per weight.

[Raggi_Thor]

After de-barking you should saw a track along the mast so it won't split randomly when it dries. You can also paint the ends to mape it dry slower.

[Nele]

Fortunately, I m not in a hurry. I´ll cut down the tree in the weeks to come, will use the winter-time to bark it and let it dry till next autumn at least.
Thank you for the hint to saw a track in the drying tree. Another question: What kind of varnish would you suggest to paint the ends?

Have a nice weekend!

[Bergalia]

Just a thought Nele, but an ancient Scots boatbuilder friend of mine - in the ancient unhurrried Scots boatbuilder tradition used to select prospective masts as they stood in the forest, ring them (strip about a six inch track of bark around their circumference) and leave them standing for a year to dry out and 'season' naturally. But that's if you have the time to spare...(exit left muttering about impetuous youth....)

[Raggi_Thor]

Something simmilar is done in Norway, stripping the trees a year before they are cut. This was done 1000 years ago when the stave churches where built. Pine trees seem to suck up something from the roots that make the wood harder and rot resistant :-)

Don't know about the varnish on the ends. The point is to slow down the evaporation through the open pores, so the ends won't dry much quicker than the middle. I suppose you can use whatever you have.