Making New Bowsprit

[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

[Russ L]

Hi Bill,
I had a Southern Cross sloop, ex ketch (T. Gilmore - 32 ft) with a bowsprit made of teak. The main member was a good chunk of timber but the beauty of the thing was multiple & spaced laminations to each side, similar to a grating, which took the load instead of whisker stays. Caution though, this sprit is short, maybe 4 feet. It survived a circumnavigation but got a little crunched in a Marquesas anchorage, the second time through.
However, I believe the best bowsprit for you will be good o' douglas Fir... And I mean old, as in old growth. Don't get any of that second growth crap, the rings are too far apart. I would use epoxy in the holes, under the hardware and on the bottom, for water protection, and varnish the top & sides. When the colour mellows it will look great.
Cheers, Russ L