"Bruce" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 05 Jul 2007 08:05:37 -0000, Two meter troll
wrote:

Probably some of the last commercial sailing boats were the Bugis
schooners from S. Sulawasi that didn't use bamboo to build their
boats.

A good place to see a large number of Bugis built traditional schooners is
in Surabaya city on the east end of Java, just prior to the shift in winds
to return them to Sulawasi.


Still doesn;t make bamboo a good boat building material.

I have neve used bamboo on the water, but I did build a traditional bamboo
house years ago and watched the structual integrity of the bamboo break down
over a few years. I should add that this was a stilt house with ample air
circulation with a dry climate for at least 6 months of the year. Best
thing about a bamboo house is that you get a nice, new fresh house every few
years.

However, if someone is quite determined to use bamboo research into the
numerous varieties of bamboo. There is one bamboo in Thailand, that is solid
and used often for tool handles such as a garden hoe handle.

Bruce, this is the bamboo that has the very sharp thorns, would know the
scientific name ?

...Ken


Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)

On Jul 6, 8:38 am, "Island Teak" wrote:
"Bruce" wrote in message

...

On Thu, 05 Jul 2007 08:05:37 -0000, Two meter troll
wrote:

Probably some of the last commercial sailing boats were the Bugis
schooners from S. Sulawasi that didn't use bamboo to build their
boats.

A good place to see a large number of Bugis built traditional schooners is
in Surabaya city on the east end of Java, just prior to the shift in winds
to return them to Sulawasi.

Still doesn;t make bamboo a good boat building material.

I have neve used bamboo on the water, but I did build a traditional bamboo
house years ago and watched the structual integrity of the bamboo break down
over a few years. I should add that this was a stilt house with ample air
circulation with a dry climate for at least 6 months of the year. Best
thing about a bamboo house is that you get a nice, new fresh house every few
years.

However, if someone is quite determined to use bamboo research into the
numerous varieties of bamboo. There is one bamboo in Thailand, that is solid
and used often for tool handles such as a garden hoe handle.

Bruce, this is the bamboo that has the very sharp thorns, would know the
scientific name ?

...Ken



Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Was the bamboo treated in any way? How many years did it last. I am
planning to get two poles and treating two masts. The idea is that if
I get five years per mast then I have a good inexpensive beautiful
lightweight mast that will go ten years. Thats not too bad for a $100
and a little build time. If they last 10 years each I will be
extremely happy. I plan to treat them and plug the ends so that the
inside wont get wet at all even with the epoxy coating. I also will
take the seecond mast the first few sails and the first few long sails
just in case I push too hard or just screw up and break a mast. I
really want to use bamboo for the look and weight.

"Bill" wrote in message
ps.com...


I have neve used bamboo on the water, but I did build a traditional
bamboo
house years ago and watched the structual integrity of the bamboo break
down
over a few years. I should add that this was a stilt house with ample air
circulation with a dry climate for at least 6 months of the year. Best
thing about a bamboo house is that you get a nice, new fresh house every
few
years.


- Show quoted text -

Was the bamboo treated in any way? How many years did it last. I am
planning to get two poles and treating two masts. The idea is that if
I get five years per mast then I have a good inexpensive beautiful
lightweight mast that will go ten years. Thats not too bad for a $100
and a little build time. If they last 10 years each I will be
extremely happy. I plan to treat them and plug the ends so that the
inside wont get wet at all even with the epoxy coating. I also will
take the seecond mast the first few sails and the first few long sails
just in case I push too hard or just screw up and break a mast. I
really want to use bamboo for the look and weight.

Not treated at all and the bamboo houses last maybe 3 years depending on
insects and the wet periods.

Best of luck to you.

...Ken

On Fri, 06 Jul 2007 15:38:24 GMT, "Island Teak"
wrote:


"Bruce" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 05 Jul 2007 08:05:37 -0000, Two meter troll
wrote:

Probably some of the last commercial sailing boats were the Bugis
schooners from S. Sulawasi that didn't use bamboo to build their
boats.

A good place to see a large number of Bugis built traditional schooners is
in Surabaya city on the east end of Java, just prior to the shift in winds
to return them to Sulawasi.


Still doesn;t make bamboo a good boat building material.

I have neve used bamboo on the water, but I did build a traditional bamboo
house years ago and watched the structual integrity of the bamboo break down
over a few years. I should add that this was a stilt house with ample air
circulation with a dry climate for at least 6 months of the year. Best
thing about a bamboo house is that you get a nice, new fresh house every few
years.

However, if someone is quite determined to use bamboo research into the
numerous varieties of bamboo. There is one bamboo in Thailand, that is solid
and used often for tool handles such as a garden hoe handle.

Bruce, this is the bamboo that has the very sharp thorns, would know the
scientific name ?

...Ken


Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)


I can't give you the scientific name but in Thai it is pietan
(probably a lousy phonetic translation and mispelled to boot). The
Thai word translates to pie (bamboo) solid (tan).

I'm not sure how many Bugis sailing schooners there are left. Ten
years, or so, ago I was building a small gas refinery in Central Java
and had several commissioning engineers over from the States. As we
lived in a little Chinese hotel and ate Indonesian food I tried to
take everybody to the closest town, Cirebon, every Sunday to get a
western meal and do some shopping. Since the guys were all homesick
for America I used to try and show them "the sights" to take their
minds off being thousands of miles from home.

One Sunday I took them down to the harbor to show them the Bugis
boats. On the way I gave them a real pep talk about these being the
last commercial sailing boats; been building them since the Portuguese
days, bla, bla.

When we finally got there were Bugis boats in droves -- and not a
single one had a mast. Apparently the Bugis have discovered the
internal combustion engine and taken it to heart. The boats look the
same, except for the lack of a mast, but they all have a big diesel
mounted on the side with a long shaft like a Thai long tail boat.
Still got the steering oars though.

More about Bamboo. Some years back there were a number of commercial
buildings, mainly in the countryside, that used bamboo in place of
re-bar. My brother in law build a small warehouse using it. The
warehouse is still standing and in use today but whether that is
because bamboo makes good re-bar or blind luck I cannot say.


Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Bruce wrote:
More about Bamboo. Some years back there were a number of commercial
buildings, mainly in the countryside, that used bamboo in place of
re-bar. My brother in law build a small warehouse using it. The
warehouse is still standing and in use today but whether that is
because bamboo makes good re-bar or blind luck I cannot say.


Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)


More FWIW stuff?

Thomas A Edison's swimming pool was made the same way - using
bamboo for re-bar.

Still water tight.

Whether that is because bamboo makes good re-bar or blind luck
I cannot say.


Richard