Hi all, even for the best locally-grown Doug fir that I can find, kiln dried (which you wouldnt need), I don't think I'd be charging you more than about a third of that amount for a length of 6x1 3/4 at 12' long. The only prob is that I'm in Scotland. Maybe shop around for your timber? As for bamboo, I'm interested in your question because I am tentatively planning a conversion of our own at the moment (from gaff), and bamboo will be on the list of possible materials to go with wooden masts. The silica "coating" on the bamboos that I have worked with is fantastically hard. I've seen the sections between the joints in bamboos in 2" 50mm thick spars in a 1930's boat bound tight with what looks like heavy whipping twine, and then varnished. This may help to stop the cracking but just like wood it'd benefit from seasoning. If it behaves anything like timber, and I suspect that it does up to a point, then gradual drying over quite a long period (out of direct sun) will make bamboo poles much more stable in the long run and reduce cracking.  All the best, Pol.

 

Here's a thread on bamboo battens and their treatment.  You can find others by going to the "Members' Area" and using the search box at the top of the page.  Type in Bamboo Battens or Treatment Bamboo Battens to find lots of references.

A friend of mine had a sister ship to my boat and his battens were of bamboo poles, the battens being about 5 meters in length. So far as I know he just used  common bamboo of which there seems to be quite a lot in New Zealand although it is not an indigenous plant species. I have a neighbor along the road who has a grove of bamboo which I have often eyed thinking that the larger diameter poles would make handy battens. My friend had his bamboo poles inside plastic water pipe but I cannot see any advantage to that, it just added weight but no extra stiffness. There have been Forum threads on the treatment of bamboo but it seems to me that if you can find a local source of common bamboo of a suitable diameter give it a try and see if it works. You may find that protected as it is inside a batten pocket there will be no further treatment needed. And being a lower batten there will be not so much bending force on it, unlike with battens further up the sail. 

Hello, I'm no expert on bamboo, but properly treated, quality moso, henon, and guadua bamboo are great for construction timber, so I think for battens (or even smaller masts) they'd be perfect.

That really is expensive for such a small amount of timber, and I thought New Zealand prices were bad. What is the actual finished dimensions of the batten? You could also try some alloy tube instead of bamboo. Someone else may have more knowledge of bamboo but I imagine it is a matter of getting a sufficient diameter so that there is minimal bend, the same with alloy tube. Good luck with it.