Wood Type for Birdsmouth Boom

[Jai]

I've searched the forum and read of many types of wood people used to fashion their booms from... I'm trying to figure out which type is the best. I'm looking for a type of "majical" wood that is very strong, light and resonably low in price which will also look great after being varnished... any ideas?

It is for a wooden Fireball and will be ~9'4''...

[Keith Wilson]

Spruce. Not magical, but good, with the best strength-to-weight ratio. If you're making a birdsmouth spar, you can get the pieces out of a construction 2x. Pick carefully through the pile for straight tight grain, scarf out the knots, and you should be able to make a first class spar for under $20.

[Bayboat]

If you can't get spruce (Sitka), Doutlas fir will do fine, given the qualifications suggested by Keith.

[Jai]

Thank you :D

[Carlsboats]

Doug Fir works well for Birdsmouth spars. It's heavier than spruce but stronger, so you can make the wall thinner with D. Fir and end up with a spar about the same weight as spruce. And D. Fir is widely available in long, straight grained, quarter sawn boards (I use 1x4 stock sold for decking, and can get it in 16' lengths without an upcharge).

[Nick Scheuer]

Since Spruce cannot be obtained here in the Midwest, I'd go with Doug Fir (scaffold plank is generally "clear") with the sections reduced to corerespond with DF's greater strength and weight.

Moby Nick

[Jai]

Thanks again for the suggestions...
Today I had gone out and bought a peice of spruce and plained it down to 1 1/8 of an inch... They didn't have douglas fir at the places I went here in Ontario...?
I'm sure I'll be posting questions soon when it comes to attatching the sail to the boom.
Jai