Westsail Bowsprit Elevation.
Borrowed/linked from www.sv-galena.com

I’m getting ready to begin the next project – constructing a new bowsprit for Nereus. On deck, currently, is the original one, laminated at the Westsail factory in 1973. It’s lived a good long life, but dry rot is beginning to take its toll. We’ve already “saved” it once and sailed a long way with it, but it is time to renew.

When considering replacement, there are two options: build a new one from wood, or buy aftermarket from Bud Taplin of WorldCruiser Yacht Company, built in stainless steel. I’ve sailed boats with the stainless bowsprit and it is a very nice upgrade – very solid and stable. I admit a stainless bowsprit is a terrific upgrade, but the cost, while a great lifetime value of $1200+/-, is a little prohibitive, so I’m going to go the Do-It-Yourself route and build one out of some solid wood. The forty years we got out of the last bowsprit seems to be sufficient. Plus, good old-fashioned wood really does “fit” the boat.

The main impetus here is I am looking for projects I can do locally in Las Vegas to position for the future, while Nereus sits dry stored in a yard half a country away. That way, when we do finally come together again, I’ll be ready to make fast and significant improvements, minimizing the time needed to get back out on the ocean. The bowsprit project came to mind when surfing the site of fellow Westsailor, Bill Shaw and sister ship, Galena, where I came across his online version of the Westsail contruction manual and photos of his bowsprit rebuild project, I realized it was a simple enough thing to do, so I’ve begun planning. The picture above is the construction elevation of the project. Incidentally, we were anchored in St. Augustine, FL with Galena in 2004, but where never able to connect and meet Bill, although our friends Dave and Deb on Westsail Kabuki did catch up with him in the Bahamas. Bill is now half a world away, currently in Fiji or Tonga or any one of those little South Pacific places (Check his blog for details). I dunno know, all those little islands look the same to me – how many islands of paradise can one guy handle? At least his bowsprit looks good!

So, I’ll be out looking for lumber soon and gathering supplies (West System Epoxy Resin, sanding belts, etc.). Hope to finish up a home project before moving this into the garage to get started.

Anyone else done this project? Any words of wisdom? Feel free to post any thoughts you may have.