Snapped spreader!!!

[Ross D]

I un-stepped my mast last week, which despite using a home made crane derrick, a couple of large trees and several block and tackles went without a hitch. However, when stripping my rigging from the mast today I managed to snap off my spreader at the fitting to the mast.

I think it is a proctor alloy mast, the plate is the right shape but has no markings left on it I think it is over 30 years old on a 28' Albin Vega. The spreaders are a fold up type that lie flat against the mast when the mast is down. I have had a quick look on the internet for replacement fittings but I don't think I'll get anywhere with that unless anyone has any suggestions.

I think having someone make up a new bespoke fitting will cost a fortune so should I simply buy a new pair of spreaders? if so where is the best (cheapest) place to buy them?

Also should I go for swept back spreaders? I am changing the rigging and chain plates this winter so I could do it but not sure what I would gain.

Many thanks for your help

Ross

 

[Norman_E]

I suggest you post a photo of the broken fitting. Someone might know how to replace it. If it is only broken on one side try to post photos of the good side as well as the broken one.

If your rig was designed with straight spreaders there is probably no advantage in fitting swept spreaders which would require you to move the chainplates further back. Swept spreaders will restrict how far out you can get the boom on a run, which is their main disadvantage.

 

[Ross D]

This is the non-snapped spreader fitting, the broken one sheared/crumbled around the bolt hole. This one is pretty knackered too so I probably need to replace both.
View attachment 7943 View attachment 7944

This is a photo of the plate on the mast, which I think is Proctor.

View attachment 7945

 

[Norman_E]

Huge collection of Proctor parts here http://www.sailboats.co.uk/Cat~Proctor_Mast_Spares_4788.html including spreaders and mast fittings, although most appear to be for small boats.

 

[Lakesailor]

Swept spreaders will restrict how far out you can get the boom on a run, which is their main disadvantage.

Agree there. My little Seahawk is fractional with no backstay and that annoys me a lot.

 

[William_H]

Spreaders

If it were my spreaders I would be looking at finding a stainless steel welder and some SS plate. I would weld the SS tube straight onto the plate and rivet the plate onto the mast. with duralac.treatment on the Al mast and rivets.
As said aft swept spreaders will cause chafe on the sail when running and you let the boom right out. That is the disadvantage.
In the case of Lakesailor with no backstay the shrouds must go backwards from abeam the mast to provide aft support (pull ) to the mast. The spreaders will simply be angled aft to meet the shrouds.

Perhaps on a more sophisticated rig with more loading, the spreaders angle aft beyond the straight line of the shroud. This means that under load the tips of the spreaders on the shroud will push through the spreader to push the middle of the mast forward. This forward push is then counteracted by intermediate shrouds pulling aft. This means that you have fore and aft positive location of the middle of the mast. So you don't need an inner forestay. (which I guess the OP has).

It follows that the chain plates must be aft of abeam the mast by quite a bit. ie about 800mm on 28ft boat, and the spreader must be quite robust in mounting to hold the spreader angled aft.
I lost a mast early on because the angle backwards of the spreader was lost when pop rivets corroded.

It is great not to have an inner forestay when tacking. But to modify the mast system to aft angled spreaders and no inner forestay is a design job to be undertaken with care and may require moving the chain plates aft. if you keep the inner forestay then no point in aft angled spreaders.
The aft angled spreaders tend to be used on fractional rigs. Though I don't know why not on masthead rig. olewill

 

[sailing school and spars]

Proctor

The mast is a Proctor and you will be lucky to get the same spreaders again, you could try Sailspar who can fabricate new spreader brackets and supply new or repair spreaders. Welding new sockets and riveting on is fine, welding the spreaders to repair them is not good practice and should be avoided.

 

[Spuddy]

You could try the Vega owners' website which, unlike some others is active. Steve Birch posts on here and is a Vega enthusiast who may know of a solution/part.

 

[Pye_End]

Try Sparcare. They carry a certain amount of Proctor spares.

 

[Chris Davison]

Spreader.

The best guys you can ask are either Atlantic spars. Origionally proctor who still have a fabricator and most origional drawings or Allspars (01752 266 766) these guys have a great stock of parts and can fabricate new ones as well. Ask for john or dave.

 

[Ubergeekian]

This is the non-snapped spreader fitting, the broken one sheared/crumbled around the bolt hole. This one is pretty knackered too so I probably need to replace both.

It's a wee bit hard to tell from the pictures, but if necessary these fitting look like something any half-decent small machine shop should be able to knock up in a couple of hours.