The Louisiana populist., 1898-03-04
THE ART OF MAST MAKING,
Big Item of Expense for Yachtsmep
and Ship Owners.


The business Of furnishing mast
and spars for yachts has developed to
wonderful degree during the past fiv'
years. So much so, indeed, has thi.
business grown that fully dozer
firms, whose business wA formerl,
confined to supplying the great flee
OF working vessels with spars, have
devoted the major part of their efforts
to supplying the thousands of pleas
ure craft along the coast and in the
adjacent waters with selected sticks
upon which to stretch their spread OF
snowy canvas.
The value of these masts is far be-
yond the price that would appear ade-
quate from the point of view of lay
man. For instance, a mast similar
in size and quality to those of the
schooner Colodia costs sum equal to
that which supports many a mechanic s
family for an entire year, or in the
neighborhood of $1,000, while other
spars on the craft are proportionate
IN value. Of course the figures are
much lower for boats of less stately
type.
Although these prices appear exor-
bitant, they are reasonable when one
examines into the trouble and ex-
pense necessary before the finished
stick can be stepped and the sail
spread to the breeze. Big timber is
required for the large masts, and when
the suitable and accessible trees have
been culled from Eastern forests,
mast timber must be brought from
Oregon or some other far-away spot.
The expense of bringing these logs
around from the Pacific, of course,
adds greatly to the ultimate cost.
Then, again, it is always difficult to
get solid stick of suitable size that
if free from blemish. For these rea-
sons sparmakers began constructing
built-up masts, and for some racing
craft the hollow mast glued and dow
elled together has proved successful.
When the great modern American
schooner came out, the demand for
mast timber was greatly increased.
With the extensive demand prices
went up in proportion, and "made-
up masts were stepped in the big
schooners. These masts were bolted
together, and proved perfectly salts
factory and serviceable. The yachts.
man. however, could afford to pay
more for his luxury than the sailor
could afford to pay for the spar for a
merchant ship, with the result that
in time it was the yachtman's trade
that was most sought after.
Inmaking built-upmasts, composed
OF number of smaller pieces, it is
easily possible to select only perfectly
sound material. They are usually
made with a spindle--a big, square
timber forming the centre, or heart
the round of the mast being formed
by slabs laid on the sides of the.
spindle. These parts are not always
a single piece. As a matter of fact,
the spindle itself in its length is CON-
posed of two or three pieces scarved
or spliced together, and the slabs
bolted to the sides are often length.
ened in the same manner, the scarves
in the slabs, however, not being
brought opposite to those in the cen,
trail spindle. The finished stick is
usually banded with hoops of iron.
and is subject, only as solid stick
mig ht be, to decay. In another
method that is often used on the coast
Of Maine the round of the timber is
formed of three pieces instead of a
spindle and slabs. Most of the deep
water ships built nowadays have low |
or masts Of iron.
There is at the present time lying
1t the South street pier big Ameri- |
IAN wooden schooner whose three
nasts are all different. tbs an unusual
'ase, but the explanation is simple.
When she came from the Maine ship
'ard, where she was built, her masts
we're all of wood, built up. In the
curse of time her foremast showed
lgns of decay and it was condemned
nd taken out. She was at that time
n New York and sparmaker of Erie
'asln had a handsome stick of Oregon
'ine, out of which foremast was made.
later on decay appeared in her main
1ast. She was in an English port
hen, and it was cheaper to get an
ION mast, which was fitted in place
due course. New York Sun.