Must be bowsprit replacement season.

I just finished fabricating/finishing my new bowsprit and I'm beginning re-assembly

Anyway, the taper is only on the bottom, the top remaining flat. Note it's only tapered partially along the length, not the entire length. Use you old bowsprit to approximate where to begin the taper (begins just forward of the spacer/wedge if I remember correctly). I used a 4" electric planer.  Rent one if you have to... it makes it so quick & easy with a clean, straight taper.

Once you have it shaped and drilled I highly recommend 'impregnating' the new wood with some thinned West Systems epoxy.  I then finished mine in 2 part polyurethane (white) paint.

I used a sharp chisel to shape the end for the end cap. After tapering I measured the depth of the end piece and marked that dimension around the 4"X4" end.  I then cut that dimension in a bit around the end with a chisel.  I found a (something round) approximately the same diameter as the inner diameter of the end piece and 'scribed' a circle on the end.  Then I just started shaving away being careful not to chisel too much (alternating between shaving the round & 'marking' the depth deeper and deeper) and keeping it straight/perpendicular using a small square.  Once I had it close I then finished by sanded it round using a block.

Just today I installed the end cap and with a thin coat of Sikaflex it went on nice and snug.

Mike I think you are right it is bowsprit season!

Craig,

I too am replacing my bowsprit. I have a company making my bowsprit but not the platform. Based on my time versus the cost it was cheaper to have it built. I too had questions about the Westsail drawings. They don’t tell the whole story. So I just had them used my old sprit as a template. The taper is on the bottom. The taper on mine started at 5’-9” from the end of the square from the forward section. I also found my bowsprit was shorter than the drawings by about 5”. So I like Mike recommend using the old one as a template.  Mine was in really bad shape. 

I have a marked up PDF that I could email you with the dimension for my bowsprit. But like Mike and I did use your old one as a template as it appears the dimesnions might be differet from boat to boat or at least from the westsail drawings.

 

I would post the PDF here but I am not sure how!