bowsprit replacement

  • October 17, 2015 12:19 PM
    Message # 3587582

    My Westsail32 is located in Stamford, CT, and has a rotted bowsprit that needs replacement. The first price that I got from a boatyard was $10,000, more than I can afford now. Do you know of any shipwrights / carpenters that I could contact to do the work?

    Thanks,  Raymond Velez


    Last modified: June 23, 2016 12:30 PM | Anonymous member
  • October 17, 2015 2:34 PM
    Reply # 3587696 on 3587582
    Deleted user

    Raymond:  [note edited after measurement]

    I would suggest you look at http://www.westsailparts.com/ServiceManual/#A-11 and ask Bud about the ss sprit (it is a great thing), I am sure it is a lot less than 10k. (note: on the 1/2" ss all thread: if you use 4" sections of the hard plastic blue water pressure tubing from home depot, to bush the althread as it goes through the sprit, it should work out very nice.)

    If you also need the platform then why not make the platform your self (not hard at all = saw and a drill)  http://www.sv-galena.com/WOM/images/FullSize/Bowsprit_platform.jpg  mostly out of 1.75" wide [5] quarter teak with 1pc of 6"wide x 86"lg 8 quarter teak cut on the diagonal to make the two outside boards. (please note on the dwg it shows 1 1/8" thk  boards, on my platform they use 13/16" [1"]= std [5] quarter teak and it worked out very very nice, also my platform is just 2 of the right side w cutouts for the anchors. 

    I also think Bud has the railing, if your's is all gone. maybe 4K for all, if you do the work your self.  ck with Bud for $$$'s and shipping costs.

    Now; if you have rot in the deck, it is going to cost more! could be allot more?

    I am not saying that it should cost that much, for your repair; but if it does, and you can't afford it, then you are on your way to spend even more  (X $$'s /month for Y# years = big big $$$$$$)  to have the dream but not a sail boat. (I do hate to see that, as the whole world losses in the process).

    Lastly please do get at least 3 quotes on the work!! as there can be, (often is) gouging when having work done on a boat any boat. 

    To that end, I have NEVER found Bud to gouge, he has always been fair to me, so what ever he tells you, should be an OK price on what he sells. [I did not say the very lowest, but one that is better than 70% of the people out there. And when he tells you something he keeps his word]

     [ I am sorry, but from the other coast I do not have any references for a shipwright near you, which may be all you were asking for, sometime we over reply to a question. Also to this end you may want to look for some one teaching "wooden boat building" and see if they can do a new bowsprit as one of the class demo's for less $$$]  

       

    Last modified: October 22, 2015 9:08 AM | Deleted user
  • October 19, 2015 6:34 AM
    Reply # 3589932 on 3587582
    Deleted user

    I replaced mine with a fir bowsprit made to the original specs for about 600.00. Granted it was more than 15 years ago but surely inflation hasn't driven up the price that much. I was able to re use the teak platforms and hardware and did the work myself. Not an easy job but saving all the labor costs is certainly a good incentive. 10,000 is way too much and Norm has offered an excellent alternative. Check out the Westsail group on Facebook. Someone had a stainless sprit for sale in St. Augustine recently.

    Good luck,

    Werner



  • June 23, 2016 11:34 AM
    Reply # 4094840 on 3587582

    Thanks for taking the time to respond guys. I am in the process of doing the job myself ... slow, but sure so far.  Raymond

  • June 23, 2016 12:52 PM
    Reply # 4094934 on 3587582

    Down to the last phases of bowsprit replacement. Pulpit, anchor roller, and windlass are removed, and teak platform unbolted. Next is unattaching the rigging.Is there an order to which should be taken off?  Forestay, baby stay, bob or whisker stays? Or does it not make a difference? Ray Velez / Zoe

  • June 24, 2016 5:15 AM
    Reply # 4097612 on 3587582
    Deleted user

    Rig a Line through both forward hawse pipes and tie it together. Attach the halyard for the Yankee to it and winch it up nice and tight. This will act as a fore stay and then you can remove the rigging in any order. I would remove the whiskers stays last. Lining up and drilling the deck mounting holes is going to be hit and miss so you might mark the location, fill the existing holes with epoxy and drill new holes. Have fun.


    Werner

  • June 24, 2016 7:21 AM
    Reply # 4100206 on 3587582

    When I replaced my bowsprit a couple years ago I never thought to rig a temporary forestay.  I was docked at a fairly well protected marina during the work so I just figured the sidestays would be ample mast support for anything short of a hard blow.  Note I also factored in that my tabernacle is 'frozen' so that helped as well.

    Nor did I concern myself with what order to remove they rigging. I did loosen everything, not fully removing anything until everything was slack. I thought that by doing it that way there would be no undue/unusual stress on the old bowsprit or other rigging.  Only after everything was just sorta 'flopping around' did I actually disconnect anything.

    When I undertook the replacement I thought it was going to be a bear of a job.  It turned out not to be at all. I did have help with the actual removal of the old bowsprit and installing the new (it's a mass of wood to deal with) but the actual fabrication, etc. was not hard at all and rather enjoyable.  It's also very satisfying to have yourself accomplished something like this for your boat.

    Last modified: June 24, 2016 7:29 AM | Anonymous member
  • June 24, 2016 9:53 AM
    Reply # 4100484 on 3587582

    Werner and Mike, Thanks for your help. I'm anxious to finish up the job now.

    Ray Velez / Zoe

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