The sizes or girths of spars vary a great deal according to the pine chosen, but the general fashion now is to have Oregon or Vancouver pine for masts, and red Riga pine for booms and bowsprits. The diameter of schooner's masts at the deck is generally from 023 to 025 of the length from deck to hounds ; thus, say a schooner has a mast 30ft. from deck to hounds, then the diameter at the deck will be 30 x .025=0.75ft. or 9in. ; this will be for tough Oregon or Riga pine; for pines of less breaking strength 027 will be a better proportion. The diameter of the mast at the hounds is generally about 85 of the diameter at the deck ; or, if the diameter at the deck be 75ft., then 75 x .85= .637ft., or fin.
The diameter of a cutter's mast at the deck varies from 025 of the length deck to hounds for 5-tonners, to 03 of the length deck to hounds for yachts of 100 tons and upwards.
The diameter of a yawl's mast is from 025 to 0275 of the length deck to hounds.
The diameter of topmasts at the heel is 02 the length heel to hounds ; and the diameter at the hounds is 6 of the diameter at the heel.
The bowsprit is more tapering, and the diameter at the stem head varies from 028 to 04 of the length of bowsprit outside, whilst the diameter at the sheave or outer end is only .72 of the diameter at the stem head.
The diameters of main booms vary considerably, and of course will be greatest if the sails be not laced. A cutter's main boom generally has a greatest diameter near the sheet of 016 to 02 of its length; the diameter of the fore end, next the mast, is usually about .7 of the greatest diameter ; whilst the diameter of the outer end is about 75 of the greatest diameter. A yawl's main boom in diameter is usually 016 of its length. For a laced sail the diameter of a boom is frequently reduced as much as 25 per cent. ; and were it not for laced sails, schooner yachts would not venture upon such a great length of boom as they do.
The diameter of a topsail yard at its centre of length is 015 its whole length. The diameter at the ends 73, the greatest diameter.
A balloon-topsail yard, or the big working-topsail yard, is generally strengthened amidships by battens of American elm, put on with seizings.
The diameter of a spinnaker boom is generally from 012 to -014 of its length, and the diameter at the ends -85 of the greatest diameter.
A great many contrivances have at various times been introduced with a view of lightening spars ; but the old-fashioned " grown stick " has not yet been displaced. The Black Maria, some twepty odd years ago,
appeared with " built " spars, something on the principle of a cooper's cask ; but the plan gained no favour among English yachtsmen. Later we think it was in 1863hollow steel spars were tried in England ; but, after two or three masts were carried away rather suddenly, funnel masts were unceremoniously discarded as much too dangerous. In 1868 someone proposed the boring of masts, and Mr. Michael Ratsey was commissioned to bore the masts and bowsprit of the Cambria. The boring was per formed by long augers inserted at either end, and meeting in the centre of the spar's length. The " bore " was about 4in. in diameter, and no doubt the spars were very much reduced in weight thereby. The Egeria afterwards had her masts bored; but the plan was speedily condemned, as in the following year the Cambria's foremast-head tumbled off. However, this did not deter the owner of the Cambria trying bored spars again ; but Mr. Ratsey thought it prudent to put three heavy iron bands round the mastheads at equal intervals, and to have masthead pendants, in addition to the usual pendants and runners. This had the effect of strengthening the mastheads; but the weight of material used in so strengthening them was equal in weight to the centre piece which had been abstracted from the spars ; and, moreover, the greater portion of the weight was concen trated at the masthead, instead of being distributed throughout the whole length of the spar. Yachtsmen, thereupon, not unnaturally concluded that no benefit was to be derived from bored spars ; but the Cambria continued to carry them, and crossed the Atlantic twice with them. Last year the John Harvey Company, of Wivenhoe, introduced a new kind of built spar ; the spar was sawn through its whole length, and a piece taken out of each half, tapering to correspond with the tapering of the spar. In boring, the bore was, of course, of uniform diameter throughout; hence the weakness at the mastheads. The John Harvey Yacht Building Company, before putting the spars together, ploughed and tongued each side, and then bound the whole together with iron bands. The Miranda schooner has raced throughout two seasons with a bowsprit made in this way, and in heavy weather. The spar has stood well, but a similarly made main-boom became damaged through imperfect fitting at the sheet-strop.