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Spreaders and upper shouds

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tweekes
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/29/2003 : 09:19:14

Last weekend I was putting up new spreader boots and noticed that the spreader on the port side was not as stable as the one on the starboard side. Is there a way you can stablize the spreader without pulling the boat and stepping the Mast? How has anyone else tackled this in the past. As always thanks in advance for any insight you can give me
Tom

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2003 : 09:51:08

What do you mean when you say, "the spreader on the port side was not as stable as the one on the starboard side."

Is the standing rigging set up properly(ie. tuned, tensioned,...etc)?

Is the spreader properly secured to both the spreader bracket and the upper shroud?

<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>Don Lucier<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d904b3127cce9f7cd9ffdf1d0000003010" border=0>
North Star SR/FK

Edited by - dlucier on 05/29/2003 09:54:16

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2003 : 10:11:53

I take it the spreader is 'wiggly' in the socket?

Are your spreader sockets (where the spreaders attach to the mast) made out of cast aluminum (usually dull) or are they stainless steel (usually shiny)?

The aluminum ones have been known to corrode, crack and fail... with potentially disasterous results.

The upgraded replacements are available from Catalina Direct.

Currently maintaining two holes in the water...'77 Venture 23 and new to the family,
'78 Catalina 25

Edited by - on

tweekes
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2003 : 10:54:04

"Wiggly" is a good discription,

I am going to send a small guy (130 Pds) up the mast this afternoon to see if we can secure the spreader to the mast more and My brackets are not shinny, I will contact Catalina Direct and get a price for the stainless steel brackets.

I checked the tension on the shouds and the lower ones were good but, the Upper shrouds could stand to be tightened some.

As for the having the standing rigging being set up properly, it was but, now I am in the process of evaluating the problem before I make any changes.

Needless to say I will not be sailing until this is resolved.

Thanks for the quick response.

Has anyone replaced these brackets and is it necessary to pull the boat and step the Mast to change them out?
Thanks,
Tom

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2003 : 11:40:34

No you don't have to pull the boat out of the water, yes you have to drop the mast.

If you do a search on spreader brackets you will find numerous topics on the replacement. It should take you about 3 hours, but there is a high MF quotient on this job.

As for the price, catalina direct has them right on their website - one of the few items that does actually appear.

I might ad that there will be a little play in the spreaders prior to the mast going up as well as prior to your tightening the turnbuckles on your uppers.

dw

D. Wolff - "The Flying Wasp" #401 sr/sk
Chief Measurer C-25/250 National Assn.
<img src="http://www.flags.com/dreamimages/Flags/measurer.jpg" border=0>

Edited by - Duane Wolff on 05/29/2003 11:42:01

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Gary B.
Admiral

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USA
969 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2003 : 13:38:39

When you get the new brackets from CD, remind them to send the correct sized bolts (4", not the 4 1/2" they HAVE been sending for the C27). You will need to trim down the compression posts. I am in the middle of this job right now, which was SUPPOSED to have taken just an hour or two......right.

Like Buzz, I think it was, who wrote on this a couple of weeks ago, I called CD yesterday to ask questions about this. Luckily, I can use the old bolts that were on the aluminum brackets. BTW: I am putting electrical tape around the ss bolt, so that the aluminum compression post won't "weld" itself to the bolt like the last one did. I had to hacksaw off the bolt head, then hacksaw the threads off, to get the old compression post to drop into the mast, proper. When I raise it, it will come sliding out. That, and my spreader light assembly has made this a much more difficult chore than it should be.

Also, has anyone noticed that the new casting puts the spreaders at a much more severe angle than the old ones? The CD people say the spreader should be at 8 degrees above horizontal, but the old casting has the spreaders come out almost level. The two are distinctly different.

CD was going to come to this website and do some explaining, they said, but I haven't seen it yet.

Gary B.
Encore! #685 SK/SR

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2003 : 14:25:29

This should help you determine which spreader bracket you have.

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3da02b3127cce96933a922f1a0000001610" border=0>
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3da02b3127cce9693e5fceeb30000001610" border=0>

Additionally, you say that your spreader is a bit "wiggly".

When there is no tension on the spreader, it is normal for it to be "wiggly", like when it is the leeward spreader or if the upper shroud is too loose. The only thing securing the spreader in the socket is a large cotter pin and, even when properly secured, the bracket and spreader are not at all rigid.

What I'm getting at is that you may not have an equipment problem at all(other than maybe the aluminum spreaders, which have survived this long without failure so don't push the panic button), but you need to make sure that the spreader is cotter pinned securely to the bracket and the upper shroud is secured to the end of the spreader. If this is done and the rig is tuned somewhat properly, then I wouldn't worry too much about the spreader flopping around when it doesn't have tension on it.

<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>Don Lucier<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d904b3127cce9f7cd9ffdf1d0000003010" border=0>
North Star SR/FK

Edited by - on

MikeM
1st Mate

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72 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2003 : 16:12:28

Gary- in your post above I agree with the change is angle with the new brackets. Has anyone installed this bracket retrofit and have the mast up for a sail yet? Does this angle straighten out or does it just remain changed?

Thanks

Mike M
Marblehead, MA
C25 #1212

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 05/29/2003 : 18:19:49

Ideally the spreader should bisect the angle made by the shroud as it changes directions at the spreader, whether it's the new bracket or the old.

<img src="http://www.users.qwest.net/~jamason/good.jpg" border=0><img src="http://www.users.qwest.net/~jamason/bad.jpg" border=0>

John Mason
<img src="http://www.users.qwest.net/~jamason/ali.jpg" border=0>
pronounced "Ali Paroosa"
1982 - FK/SR #3290

Edited by - on

tweekes
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2003 : 09:10:03

Thanks to all but especially Don, Clambeach and Gary for your responses.

I went out to the boat yesterday afternoon, I checked the pin on the upper shrouds and tuned the rigging, and the wiggly deminished greatly.

I guess I did panic a bit, with 2 friends coming in from out of state in a few days for a ten day cruise down the wet coast of Florida I became very concerned about the problem.

Thanks for your patience with the newbie.

Edited by - on

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