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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Spreader bracket failures?

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:13:20

I just got mail for the first time in a while and there were the update pages from Catalina Direct. I of course went thru the new pages to see what was going on and there it was - Spreader Brackets.

"Part of the spreader bracket assembly on early catalina 25's were cast aluminum. It can fail without warning. Inspection doesn't help as a casting that looks fine today can fracture tommorow."

Yikes! I was not aware of this issue. Anyone ever heard of this?

Sten

DPO C25 #3220 "Zephyr", SR, FK
SV Lysistrata - C&C 39 - Worton Creek MD

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:39:47

>"Anyone ever heard of this?"

Yes. Replacement of the original aluminum spreader sockets is a 'standard' maintenance-upgrade on this boat. I haven't seen any details on the failures, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was due to corrosion in a saltwater environment.

Since they are not an item you want to fail... I'd plan on replacing them.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:40:28

Yup--discussed many times here, and recommended to new owners of older C-25s. I think they changed to welded stainless around 1981-2. If your brackets look shiny, they're probably stainless.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:43:28

BTW, folks... A failed spreader is a leading cause of masts coming down, so this is not worth putting off. Sten is right--"Yikes!"

Edited by - on

Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:43:40

Hi Sten,

Yes, the aluminum spreader brackets on the boats from the late 70's (I don't remember if this extended into the early 80's or not) were a real potential problem. Catalina Yachts experienced enough warranty problems that the factory developed the stainless steel spreader brackets that all of the later models came with. Additionally, all Catalina dealers at the time were notified of the potential problem and were advised to have their customers retrofit the new stainless brackets. So, many of the older boats already have been changed.

Additionally, those early boats also had aluminum mast steps. These were also changed over to stainless steel at the same time.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:47:51

Hi Bill--long time!

(New folks--Bill used to be a Catalina dealer, and is possibly the world's leading authority on the C-25.)

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 06/02/2008 08:50:03

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:56:33

OK - musta been snoozing when that topic came up. Just don't remember seeing it in the CD catalogue until seeing the update pages. And since I had an 82 I may have not had to worry, but even so!!!! I remember unstepping the mast and rerigging everything when we changed to all spectra lines and noting that the deck plate was stripped and not completely affixed to the hull... i worried about that for a whole season before finally biting the bullet. Rig failure is my worst nightmare.

sten

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 09:08:56

Whenever I attach something to my aluminum mast with stainless steel screws, I'm always concerned about the possibility of creating a reaction between dissimilar metals. This thread raises the question, "Why isn't the attachment of a stainless steel spreader bracket to an aluminum mast with stainless steel screws a problem in that respect, and if it is, does the use of caulk under the screws and bracket reduce the problem?"

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 12:16:17

Steve, for that reason, it's a good idea to use Lanocote or Nevrseize (sp?) on the threads, and it probably wouldn't hurt to cover the whole contact area. On self-tappers, I screw them in (to tap), unscrew, coat, and rescrew.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 06/02/2008 12:18:37

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 20:24:02

I hope Randy (nautiduck) is reading this

Paul

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2008 : 22:50:46

The catalina kit includes an insulating film for the back of the brackets and dielectric thread lube. I needed to replace one of mine, but they are only available as a kit so I replaced both.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2008 : 07:10:20

I know I have the stainless mast step, but I think I have the aluminium spreader sockets. I'll have to look closer in the fall when the mast comes down (I've already had it up and down twice this season, and the guys at the marina are getting tired of that game).

Here's a question though - if the spreaders are aluminium, wouldn't they also be prone to failure (Stainless is hard, aluminum is soft, instead of the socket stressing to failure, now the spreader would), and if the end of the spreader is contacting the stainless socket, shouldn't it also be coated with some kind of goo?

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2008 : 09:03:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Prospector
 ...Here's a question though - if the spreaders are aluminium, wouldn't they also be prone to failure (Stainless is hard, aluminum is soft, instead of the socket stressing to failure, now the spreader would), and if the end of the spreader is contacting the stainless socket, shouldn't it also be coated with some kind of goo?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Chris, I'll offer some opinions here, supported only by my own observations... First, cast aluminum is brittle and somewhat subject to cracking due to flaws in the casting process. Extruded aluminum (as with tubing, masts, beer cans, etc.) is much less so. Second, both aluminum and stainless protect themselves by oxidizing a coating on their surfaces. While the two metals might be somewhat reactive together (they are not terribly far apart on the galvanic scale), their surface oxidation layers might protect them in casual contact, such as a tube in a socket. The best evidence is: Nobody seems to be worrying about it. (A stainless self-tapping screw in an aluminum boom could be another matter.)

Now I've told you way more than I know.

BTW, you can recognize the stainless sockets from below--look for evidence of a weld between the tube and the base plate, and also any shininess suggests stainless instead of cast aluminum. The '85s had them--I suspect the '84s did too.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 06/03/2008 09:06:56

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2008 : 13:11:22

Per Catalina Direct:

"It is easy to tell if your boat still has the old cast aluminum spreader brackets as they are the same dull gray color as the castings at both ends of your boom. The new stainless fittings are shiny, chrome like stainless steel."

[url="http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=491"]Spreader Bracket Retrofit Kit[/url]

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