Fir vs. Spruce for spars

[Longbow]

I need to build an 18' mast for my sailing skiff. I can get Spruce up to 16' or Fir up to 24'. Is Fir suitable for a mast or should I try to scarf the Spruce to get the length I need?

[Scott Rosen]

DF would be suitable, in that it would have good strength, but it would be heavy. The benefit of Sitka Spruce is light weight and good strength.

[Dan McCosh]

Just an opinion, but at that size, the quality of the wood available probably means more than the species, particularly if the spar is hollow.

[Thorne]

Do you plan on a solid mast or birdsmouth/box construction?

At that size, don't think it will make a whole lot of difference in weight, but the cost for spruce will be quite a bit higher -- plus all the scarfing work. But if your back or arms are less than 100%, the weight difference might be worth it.

I built a 16' solid DF mast for my dory skiff, just glued two semi-clear 16' DF 2x4's together and shaped the resulting stick. I recommend using epoxy for critical joints like this -- "don't ask me how I know this..."