New bow sprit

[ghockaday]

I have some 50 year old white oak that has been nailed down straight in a barn. I would like to use this oak and replace the oak bow sprit on Danielle Elizabeth, I have ripped it into 2 inch strips and can clamp it together. What kind of glue would be best, very confused by my research? and should I rip the strips narrower, say 1 inch? Teak is not an option. Dennis

[BernieA]

I'd go with epoxy and clamp it tightly. make sure there aren't any voids. Two inch widths should be ok. Do any drilling you need in it, then coat the whole thing in epoxy. once you're good there, sand varnish it with your favorite product. I like Epifanes, but any good spar varnish should be ok. I replaced my oak bowsprit with Sapele. I found a solid piece and it came out very nicely.

Bernie
CD28 S/V Pinafore
Sequim Bay WA

[tjr818]

How is the grain on these boards? You might be better off ripping them to the thickness that you want for the bowsprit and turning them 90° to get better grain orientation.

[ghockaday]

How is the grain on these boards? You might be better off ripping them to the thickness that you want for the bowsprit and turning them 90° to get better grain orientation.

The grain is very fine, 50 years ago they let trees get a little bigger. I'll take a look.

[ghockaday]

I'd go with epoxy and clamp it tightly. make sure there aren't any voids. Two inch widths should be ok. Do any drilling you need in it, then coat the whole thing in epoxy. once you're good there, sand varnish it with your favorite product. I like Epifanes, but any good spar varnish should be ok. I replaced my oak bowsprit with Sapele. I found a solid piece and it came out very nicely.

Bernie
CD28 S/V Pinafore
Sequim Bay WA

I had read epoxy was not good for white oak, but I also read it was better now. That is a lot of my confusion. Dee

[ghockaday]

How is the grain on these boards? You might be better off ripping them to the thickness that you want for the bowsprit and turning them 90° to get better grain orientation.

The grain is very fine, 50 years ago they let trees get a little bigger. I'll take a look.

or maybe turn them every other one! It would give it a different look. Dee

[ghockaday]

I'd go with epoxy and clamp it tightly. make sure there aren't any voids. Two inch widths should be ok. Do any drilling you need in it, then coat the whole thing in epoxy. once you're good there, sand varnish it with your favorite product. I like Epifanes, but any good spar varnish should be ok. I replaced my oak bowsprit with Sapele. I found a solid piece and it came out very nicely.

Bernie
CD28 S/V Pinafore
Sequim Bay WA

This oak had a slight cup to it so I ripped it down.

[ghockaday]

It will be about 10 inches wide and 1 3/8 think. Strong enough? dee

Bow Sprit.jpg (98.35 KiB) Viewed 661 times

[SVFayaway]

Looking good! I'm doing exactly the same thing with a slab of teak to replace my bowsprit. In my case I'm adding three bronze threaded rods to hold it all together. Do you know if the oak bowsprit was original to the boat?

[John Stone]

Since you asked for my thoughts via PM I can offer the following.

White oak is great wood. It’s hard and reasonably rot resistant. But it does not like glue due to the tannins in the wood. And though I am not an expert epoxy is not great unless protected under either paint or varnish. In other words, based on everything I have read and learned unprotected epoxy glue joints on white oak will likely fail. How long? Can’t say.

If you are determined to use white oak I’d recommend you call CP Adhesives and ask for Jeff. He is pretty knowledgeable about this kind of thing. I would also definitely orient the grain vertically.

Hardwood should not be coated in epoxy. Epoxy does not give. Hardwood will want to expand and contract. There will be conflict. The epoxy coating will likely be breached then water will intrude under the epoxy and won’t be able to get out.

Using threaded rod transversely will help. Personally, I’d use a different wood. Or go with an SS bowsprit design.

There is great wood out there equal to or even more rot resistant than teak.

[Jim Walsh]

Here are a couple videos by Acorn to Arabella who had experienced a resorcinol glue failure in white oak. You may find something helpful in their problem solving.
I would defer to those with the knowledge and experience to offer possible substitutes. Going through the process once is always preferable to twice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB2vfjl ... &index=102


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyJJT3C ... &index=105

[SVFayaway]

Using threaded rod transversely will help. Personally, I’d use a different wood. Or go with an SS bowsprit design.

There is great wood out there equal to or even more rot resistant than teak.

For my benefit as well as Dennis, what other wood species would you use? I asked over on the Wooden Boat forum and someone there gave me the idea of using the transverse rods. A couple of others said to use a different wood entirely, and fir and spruce were mentioned by name. I'd be very interested to hear your ideas since I respect your opinion.

[ghockaday]

Looking good! I'm doing exactly the same thing with a slab of teak to replace my bowsprit. In my case I'm adding three bronze threaded rods to hold it all together. Do you know if the oak bowsprit was original to the boat?

I am not sure, I had assumed it was.

[ghockaday]

Since you asked for my thoughts via PM I can offer the following.

White oak is great wood. It’s hard and reasonably rot resistant. But it does not like glue due to the tannins in the wood. And though I am not an expert epoxy is not great unless protected under either paint or varnish. In other words, based on everything I have read and learned unprotected epoxy glue joints on white oak will likely fail. How long? Can’t say.

If you are determined to use white oak I’d recommend you call CP Adhesives and ask for Jeff. He is pretty knowledgeable about this kind of thing. I would also definitely orient the grain vertically.

Hardwood should not be coated in epoxy. Epoxy does not give. Hardwood will want to expand and contract. There will be conflict. The epoxy coating will likely be breached then water will intrude under the epoxy and won’t be able to get out.

Using threaded rod transversely will help. Personally, I’d use a different wood. Or go with an SS bowsprit design.

There is great wood out there equal to or even more rot resistant than teak.

Thank you, I do not ask for help and then complain about the answer. I know people will do that. I I respect other's opinions and I ask because I need them.
I thought oak because I had it (barn I helped build 50 years ago) knew is is a boat building material and I thought it was what was originally on her. I am reluctant to buy wood sight unseen on the internet. I am not sure either what had the strength it needed to be. The oak that is there is looking pretty bad. Cupped which makes it hard to seal to the deck. I also knew there were gluing issues with oak as admitted by West.

Yellow pine is very common in Virginia and a boat building material also, no sure of the strength for something like this. I would love to be able to use some good old southern pine. It glues very well and would laminate nicely. The western pines are just not available for me here.

I don't really care for SS on a classic boat. Not is this location anyway. I could save the oak for my next tiller.

Wood options and where to get find?

[ghockaday]

Using threaded rod transversely will help. Personally, I’d use a different wood. Or go with an SS bowsprit design.

There is great wood out there equal to or even more rot resistant than teak.

For my benefit as well as Dennis, what other wood species would you use? I asked over on the Wooden Boat forum and someone there gave me the idea of using the transverse rods. A couple of others said to use a different wood entirely, and fir and spruce were mentioned by name. I'd be very interested to hear your ideas since I respect your opinion.

What he said