Spreaders: Rigid or Movable?

[Rappey]

Refueler said " So how are you going to secure the stay at your measured point when many spreaders only have a U bracxket at end for stay to pass through - it does not clamp it in place. "
I,ve no idea and its not my problem That is rather worrying though as the spreader end could vibrate its way upwards or downwards on the cap shroud, leading to mast collapse.
I am talking about a masthead rig with one set of spreaders though, add multiple and bendy mast or fractional rig and the whole geometry of the rig gets a whole lot more complicated.
Climb the mast and you stand on the spreaders? Cant imagine them bending down due to no end clamp and what could happen.

 

[Poignard]

So how are you going to secure the stay at your measured point when many spreaders only have a U bracxket at end for stay to pass through - it does not clamp it in place.

Second - your description makes no allowance that a mast 'works' when sailing ... and is another reason why many spreaders do not lock the stay to a set point.

I fit a 6mm bulldog grip on the shroud below the spreader end to keep the spreader at the desired angle.




SS Bulldog Clips/Wire Rope Grips ...

 

[Refueler]

I fit a 6mm bulldog grip on the shroud below the spreader end to keep the spreader at the desired angle.

View attachment 86265


SS Bulldog Clips/Wire Rope Grips ...

Not for me thanks ... I'm more kind to my wire stays. They have enough to worry about IMHO.

 

[Refueler]

I have seen a mast T base on a fore and aft thread so the base can be moved to increase or decrease the mast rake. Who would have thought just a degree or two could make such a huge difference to the handling of a sailing boat !
My spreaders (very heavy mast) have two large clevis pins attaching it to the spreader mount so fore and aft movement should be zero and the base they slot inot points slighty up..

My mast base blade has a number of holes so I can decide which to set mast to ... no need to move the base T ... its already factory drilled to accept mast pin ... I think its 3 holes I have ... (I know I've always used the middle one).

 

[Poignard]

Not for me thanks ... I'm more kind to my wire stays. They have enough to worry about IMHO.

Oh dear, oh dear! Now you've got me really worried.

I've been doing this throughout the 23 years I have owned my boat.

How lucky I have been not to have my mast fall down.

And how lucky to have you to advise me how wrong I've been.

 

[Daverw]

Ours has clamps at the spreader tips to hold the wire but as the through spar does not allow any adjustment to angle it has to stay as is, the clamps are flat plate so tighten without any chance of pinching the wire

 

[lw395]

Ours has clamps at the spreader tips to hold the wire but as the through spar does not allow any adjustment to angle it has to stay as is, the clamps are flat plate so tighten without any chance of pinching the wire

Same here.
Bulldog clamps seem unnecessarily fierce to me.
As well as heavy, potentially damaging to sails and downright amateur looking.
The old way was to crimp a ferrule above and below the spreader tip.

 

[Rappey]

The great thing about having built in clamps on the spreader ends is many years later when you wish to remove the cable but due to a great combination of aluminium and stainles plus water they seize solid and by that time you cant buy replacements as they are no longer available
Bulldog clamps are surely only fierce if you tighten them within an inch of their lives?
I have twin backstays so fitted a bar between and mounted a 160w solar panel between them using bulldog clips to stop it all sliding down the backstays. works a treat and the local rigging specialist after seeing my plan was more than confident it would not affect the rigging in any way.
The only down side due to angling the panel so seagulls would slide off is that the rain now drips directly down my neck when at the helm !

 

[Poignard]

Same here.
Bulldog clamps seem unnecessarily fierce to me.
As well as heavy, potentially damaging to sails and downright amateur looking.
The old way was to crimp a ferrule above and below the spreader tip.

Complete rubbish!

The bulldog grips do not need to be very tight, certainly not tight enough to crush the wire. They are they simply to keep the spreader tip in place whilst the mast is raised.

The weight of a 6mm bulldog grip is trifling; of no significance at all.

How can something which is taped over be visible, or damaging to a sail? Even if the bulldog grip were not taped over, there is a 3" diameter plastic wheel on the shroud and resting on the spreader.

 

[Daydream believer]

I have seen a mast T base on a fore and aft thread so the base can be moved to increase or decrease the mast rake. Who would have thought just a degree or two could make such a huge difference to the handling of a sailing boat !
My spreaders (very heavy mast) have two large clevis pins attaching it to the spreader mount so fore and aft movement should be zero and the base they slot inot points slighty up..

Used CAD to determine revised forestay length & after discussion with rigger we moved tip of mast (14 metres) forward by 300mm. This made a noticeable difference to balance & speed. It is not me, because I measure it using my Aeries set up, so that does not know what i did so, just sails the boat.

 

[Refueler]

Oh dear, oh dear! Now you've got me really worried.

I've been doing this throughout the 23 years I have owned my boat.

How lucky I have been not to have my mast fall down.

And how lucky to have you to advise me how wrong I've been.

1. I did not say you were wrong.
2. It is my preference not to use bulldog grips on my stays unless really needed.
3. On boats like mine ... motor sailer / cruisers - even of reasonable size - they often don't have fixed point stays to spreaders.
4. The gear on boats like mine and many similar are over-engineered anyway ...

I must admit - I have to agree with "lw395" ....... post #27 .... I'm sure you can find something far better than a bulldog clamp ... I'm a cheapskate and often use something not usually intended - but a bulldog clamp - that's way down below what I would consider !!

 

[johnalison]

All the modern boats I have seen have had spreaders clamped to the shoud but this was much less common on small boats in the past. My Mystere had a simple rig but the shroud merely passed through a hole near the end. On a good day the shroud would be roughly horizontal but occasionally it would droop, especially if it was carrying a Blipper. Fortunately, most rigs are suitably over-engineered, and those of us who are too cowardly to set off into the oceans can usually get away with almost anything.

 

[Poignard]

1. I did not say you were wrong.
2. It is my preference not to use bulldog grips on my stays unless really needed.
3. On boats like mine ... motor sailer / cruisers - even of reasonable size - they often don't have fixed point stays to spreaders.
4. The gear on boats like mine and many similar are over-engineered anyway ...

I must admit - I have to agree with "lw395" ....... post #27 .... I'm sure you can find something far better than a bulldog clamp ... I'm a cheapskate and often use something not usually intended - but a bulldog clamp - that's way down below what I would consider !!

Well, if bulldog grips were good enough for that great, practical, seaman Bernard Moitessier, I guess they're good enough for my humble little yacht.