BAMBOO AND RATTAN AS SPAR/MAST MATERIAL

[edmorales]

Technically,both are not wood. One is from the grass family while the other is a vine. Light, cheap and abundant in the Philippines, they are used to make anything from chopsticks to wicker furniture. Can it be used as spars? Class legal?
Ed Morales

[Steve Landeau]

I'd have to say no, because they are inconsistent in diameter, shape, hollows, etc. IOM spars must be constant.

[edmorales]

steve,
bamboo in its natural state is , yes you are correct, the shape, diameter are inconsistent but these material can be given a constant shape by little working (i.e. chopsticks).

rattan on the other hand has a constant shape but unlike bamboo is solid. i can be formed into any shape after being exposed to steam
ed

[Arvin S.]

Ed,

I think both materials aren't going to make great spar materials. This is because both materials are actually either Bendy or it will have to be thick to be of the right rigidity. Plus as Steve mentioned they would be very difficult to work with to make them straight. My uncle has a Rattan furniture factory and never even considered tapping that resource for spars.

The cheapest easy to work with material is still aluminum tubing in my opinion. Even way easier to work with than wood.

TTFN
Arvin

[Chairman]

The IOMICA Technical Sub-Committee were very interested in the "bamboo" question, and have prepared this advice which will shortly be published on the IOMICA Web site.

[quote="TSC advice"]Is bamboo “woodâ€

[edmorales]

i am going to make a spar with a cross section similar to the one shown on lester's page http://www.onemetre.net/Reports/Wor2003/TomFjib.jpg
i will use a spokeshave to work on a section of bamboo until i get the desired shape and then weight it against my aluminum spars.

[edmorales]

i might have to seal it with some resin so it doesnt get soaked while sailing and prevent it from getting heavy