Full Tree Masts?

[Jess Potter]

Can a person make a strong mast out of a whole tree? Two thoughts came to my mind while on a walk in the back yard. I saw a few 5 in. or so diameter spruce trees and thought to myself. "those are really straight...They look like they would make a good mast" then the other thing that popped in my head was that masts were probably made from rather larger trees and the actual mast was from the core. So whats the story????? Jess

[Ian McColgin]

The problem is the tree's taper. Five inches at the base means that the wood for the truck area, maybe top third or so, of any but the very smallest mast will be way too limber.

[Jess Potter]

figured that. Thanks Jess

[Venchka]

Don't give up on local trees. A larger spruce tree could yield several nice boards for solid or hollow glued up spars.

[gary porter]

Jess, in our area the small spruce trees would not be stable enough to make for good spars. However , if you keep your eyes out for the large trees being feld or just go to one of the sawmills or the lumberyard like Northland and keep looking for the clear stuff. Too many people just cut up the spruce for fire wood. Theres plenty of fire wood on the uper part of the tree. Keep the butt log for framing material(house type) and the clear stuff for boat spar stock. Don't make the spars out of solid one piece. Rip at least two pieces or more and glue (epoxy) them together which will make for more stable stock. Then make the spars from that. White spruce here makes good spars for small boats and good oars too. The wood is light and strong.
Gary

[Frank E. Price]

Interesting question. I think the answer depends on your design/engineering parameters. Obviously you can get a lighter mast by gluing it up hollow, but grown masts don't have glue joints to worry about. If the prospective boat can handle the weight of the grown stick and you can get suitable spar timber, grown will work. If time and money are not critical, glued up will work "better."

My sharpie skiff has a somewhat undersized grown mast, of Western red cedar. Supposedly completely unsuitable, but it's held up for three years. Much longer than I expected. I would say if you have a traditional boat stick with the original spar construction. But most boats can benefit from less weight aloft if pure sailing performance is the only criteria.

Frank

P.S. A grown stick is very limber while green. If you step a green stick you will probably put a set or curve in it that will stay after it's seasoned. Always season the stick in a straight position before putting it up. And that's a whole 'nother topic.

P.P.S. Moitessier did his first non-stop circumnavigtion-and-a-half with grown masts in "Joshua." Buehler recommends grown masts or telephone poles in his designs.

[ 04-17-2004, 09:35 PM: Message edited by: Frank E. Price ]