Alternative wood

[Dan_keller]

Has anyone used other woods for the timber? For example other woods for mast? Boom? Does everyone like the Sitka spruce? I've heard good things?

Also do you epoxy the book and mast?

[John in CC]

The spruce is really nice. Carbon fiber might be nicer but, well, could be a little expensive.

The boom, yard and mast all get coated with epoxy. The mast inside and out.

[captain charlie]

I used radiata pine, grade c, purchased from a local lumber yard. I have had no problems in the two or so years I have been sailing my pocketship, yepimadeit. The main reason I went with this was that it came in 16' pieces, just right for the mast. have fun, captain charlie

[chaertl]

I used Home Depot's premium pine. Scarfed two pieces together for each stave. Cheap, easy to find, and no problems with it yet.


Chris

[ddemasie]

I made my Gallows out of Sitka Spruce. Looks great.

I coated all of the Spars with 2 layers of epoxy on the outside (the instruction manual recommends 2 coats of epoxy), sanded those down to 320 by hand, then put on 4 coats of marine varnish with UV protection.

[craig]

Pete McCrary (Tattoo) used whitewood pine, which is very light. I used douglas fir, which is heavy but very strong. These spars are over-engineered for a reason. I think the wood choice isn't very important AS LONG AS you don't have many knots. #2 pine isn't good enough.