A Boat in the Woodsvideo

Removing the bowsprit, hanging with owls - Letter no. 10

May 9, 2025 · 18 min · 55K views · Nova Scotia

What this video covers

Joshua removes the bowsprit from his wooden boat, which has been stored on land in the woods of eastern Canada for over a decade.7:43 The bowsprit, constructed of laminated hardwood, was held in a socket by stainless steel bowsprit shrouds and a bobstay, all tensioned by bronze turnbuckles.13:20 Upon removal, Joshua discovers that many bronze screws snapped off and the anchor roller fasteners remain seized, though the spar itself retains significant sound wood.14:17 He intends to either repair the existing spar or replace it with a lighter spruce version.15:32 During the disassembly of the deckhouse, he encounters difficulty removing bungs glued in with epoxy and identifies the fasteners as Frearson screws rather than Phillips, requiring a specific bit for removal.2:57 The boat’s planking has shrunk due to long-term storage out of the water, leading to potential caulking failure.8:05 Joshua manages the project while balancing outside carpentry work and local environmental conditions, including heavy rainfall and seasonal insect activity.16:42

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Hurricane Ties, Bracing, Turning the Truck into Scaffolding - No. 46Aug 2026Framing the Roof of My Boat Shed with My Improvised Crane Truck - No. 45Aug 2026I Built My Boatshed's Roof on the Ground… Now How Do I Lift It? - No. 44Aug 2026Huge Progress on the Boat Shed - No. 43Aug 2026

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