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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

How to adjust spreader angle?

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/30/2010 : 20:18:19

My new (to me) Catalina 250 has a small issue with one of the spreaders. The spreader on one side contacts the upper shroud a few inches lower than it should. It needs to be angled up to be even with the other side, so that the shroud makes an equal angle above and below (i.e., pure compression on the spreader). Everyone tells me that I should not have to hire someone to do this, that I should be able to do it myself.

I tried reaching up with a long extension pole to push it up, but it would not budge. I don't know if it's bound too tightly with seizing wire or rigging tape, or maybe the shroud's tension should be released first.

Could someone advise the appropriate procedure for doing this? Should it be possible to push it up with a long pole standing on the cabintop? Do I need to send my son or me up in a Bosun's chair (which totally freaked out my wife when I mentioned it to her)?

FYI, my broker's wonderful parents gave me a Loos & Co. Professional Tension Gauge, so I can retension the rig after I adjust the spreader. I suspect this is required since changing the spreader angle could affect the tension on that side.

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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Response Posted - 03/30/2010 : 20:33:56

Rick,
I've done exactly what you say, I've adjusted my spreader angles with a long pole with a hook on it. My shrouds were already tight, so I'm not sure why you're experiencing problems.

If you've got the trailer, it would be worth your time to drop the mast and figure out what's going on. Technically you don't need the trailer, but it makes it easier to do.

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Nautiduck
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3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2010 : 20:46:33

Push it with a pole. Don't climb the mast. If you need to do mast work lower the mast.

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2010 : 21:17:55

The boat did not come with a trailer. It is in the water - it was launched during survey last week.

Is there a reason not to climb the mast on a C250 (rig not strong enough)? Because everyone seems to be telling me to go up the mast, but they do not own C250s.

Any idea why I encountered so much resistance last time I tried to push it up?

Someone on sailnet suggested attaching a halyard to the shroud and winching it up. That could have a lot more "oomph." (Nautical term) But could it damage the spreader tips?

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Arlyn Stewart
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2980 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 05:55:49

Attaching a stirrup and tag line to the main halyard sounds like a reasonable way to lift it. Keep in mind however that the seizing wire could be snug enough that it will resist and could distort during the process.

If the spreader is showing significant droop, it could however be due to a bent spreader mount or overstress of the spreader extrusion as I don't recall a great deal of play at the mounts.

If successful in repositioning it for this season, make a mental note to check it out during next off season.

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 06:59:15

Could you please describe (or post a link to pictures of) a stirrup (in a nautical context) and a tag line? They are not in my limited vocabulary of nautical terms.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 07:43:31

A tag line is simply a line attached to your halyard that lets you pull it back down. It's used to keep you from losing it up the mast, and to control the hook. A stirrup would be something you've fashioned into a hook to grab the speader from underneath. Use the halyard and stirrup to adjust your spreader angle, and the tag line to bring the halyard & stirrup back down to the deck. For example, you could attach your boat hook to the halyard, and the tag line to the halyard.

Edited by - delliottg on 03/31/2010 07:45:00

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 08:03:14

As far as the stirrup goes, I was thinking of just attaching the shackle around the lower shroud. As I pull it up it will eventually come in contact with the spreader tip, and as I winch it up it will apply upward force on the tip. Does that sound OK, or do I need something else to spread the load more evenly over the spreader tip?

Glad you mentioned the tag line. There would be a chance that the shackle would become lodged in the spreader, and the tag line would hopefully pull it down.

By the way, as my broker was rigging the boat for the previous owner, he commented that the jib halyard is unused. Apparently the furler had its own block at the masthead that was used to raise the jib via some other line. Is that a standard feature of the CDI-4 furlers, or is it something unique to this boat?

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 09:03:00

You could simply bend the two halyards together so they're on either side of the spreader, attach the tagline, and hoist one of the halyards until the spreader is caught in the loop formed (cleat off the other so it can't move). Adjust your spreader to your liking (it helps to have someone stand off in the distance to judge the angle for you), then pull both back down to the deck with the tagline.

Edited by - delliottg on 03/31/2010 10:33:33

Sloop Smitten
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1181 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 09:16:19

CDI-FF4 Furlers have there own internal halyard which frees up your foresail halyard for other uses (i.e. Spinnaker)

[url="http://www.sailcdi.com/sailpdf/FF4&6%20manual%207_06.pdf"]CDI-FF4 Manual[/url]

Edited by - Sloop Smitten on 03/31/2010 09:16:52

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 09:55:39

Thanks for the info. Is there any danger of the halyard pulling out of the sheave, or of damaging the sheave, from pulling the halyard in a transverse direction?

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 10:38:05

I'd say the danger of the halyard jumping the sheave is minimal, but not completely out of the realm of possibility. The angle is slight, and I'd imagine there is a similar pull on the jib/spinnaker halyard when you're on a beam reach. The risk of damage to the sheave would seem to be very-very slight, unless it's already damaged somehow. I found the upper sheave on my San Juan 21 cracked, with a chip out of it, but it was more than 25 years old.

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Nautiduck
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Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 12:26:12

The rig is plenty strong enough for you to climb the mast. The reason people advise not to is because the mast is so east to take down and put up so why take any risk of climbing?

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frog0911
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Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 16:16:14

The mast is plenty strong enough to hold you up in a boson chair. Just use a safety line. Since you have a CDI furler you can use the main halyard as primary and the Jib halyard as the safety.
I would be very leery of attaching the halyard to a winch to pull it up. Obviously something is binding on the end of the spreader, if you cannot push it up with a pole. I would rather know what is causing the problem before putting undo pressure on it. Things have a tendency to break when a lot of pressure is applied where it was not designed to have that much force.

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 20:43:55

If I do try the halyard/winch, I am going to be very careful to not to pull too hard. I know the winch is capable of pulling much harder than would be advisable. But I think the direction of pulling from the masthead, virtually parallel to the upper shroud, may work better. When I was pushing with the pole standing on the cabin top, I was pushing outward slightly, which is not the best direction to push when trying to get the spreader to slide. So I think I will try the winch, but gently.

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