Mast length

Thanks Benson for the quick response,

Now were do I find nice clear spruce to make it,

All my local suplyers have is knotty.


Mike
 
I don't know what kind of wood they are made from, and I'm no sailor, so this idea may be a bit outré for a sailing canoe, but --

I made a quite serviceable poling pole from a Home Depot closet pole, and would think one would work for a mast. If you take your time, you can usually find one that is straight-grained and clear. And it wouldn't work if you are planning a hollow mast.
 
The lumberyards around here carry what translates as "scaffolding planks". Not sure if it's what your lumberyard would call it... It's a spruce 2" x 10" either 12 or 14 foot long. It's graded for strenght so it's usually straight grained and has few tight knots you can work around. The thickness is just shy of 2". That's the stuff I used to make poles and the mast/spars for a sailing rig.

Best,

Louis Michaud
 
Mast heights are shown in a great graphic on p. 8 of Todd Bradshaw's book Canoe Rig. The differ a bit from the Old Town specs, and would allow a bit more head room. The same book will give you valuable information on mast construction beginning on p. 94. I can usually find enough straight, clear spruce in the 2 X 10 construction lumber at my local lumber yard and I highly recommend re-sawing and gluing up the mast as shown in the above for strength and straightness.
 
Re: O.T. Mast

I have a 55 sq ft. sail on a 17 ft. Octa. dimensions here:
Overall: 10' 6 1/2"
bottom dia: 1 15/16
top dia: 1 9/16
shank: square at 1 1/4 ea side and 1 1/8 deep
Pully is centered 3 3/8 " from top
pulley dia: 1 7/8
pully slot follows the grain of the wood. Looking from the top that straight grain runs fore and aft. I doubt it is spruce. It feels too heavy and is too dark for spruce. I'd favor doug fir as the species. Perhaps white pine but I am a logger and have seen a lot of doug fir. Source? I have some but it is in PUget Sound WA. 12 foot 2" round fir stock is available at specialty lumber yards. You might pay $5/ft but I never bought any.

Good Luck,
Tim
 
Again, the mast

Sorry, I left out the most important part. There are 18 rings per inch on my mast. That is definitely "old growth" wood 10 rings per inch being considered minimum for this category.
Tim
 
Back
Top