Spreaders

[etonline]

So all you racers is there any benefit to changing the length of the spreaders? I saw the specs. say they can be of any length.

I am making new ones and just wondering.

Later
Ed from Iowa

[swiftsail]

Well, the length of your spreaders will induce bend in your mast if your spreaders are free swinging and the length also effects the stability of your mast side to side. The amount of bend you want to induce depends on the cut of your sails.

As far as side to side, if your spreaders are to short as the wind gets above 10 knots the mast will start to bend to weather at the spreaders, if they are two long the mast will start to bend to leeward.

Different mast bend differently. Some of us run are spreaders fixed, and some of us free.

A good starting point for length 21 1/2"

[etonline]

Thanks swift.

So that is just a tad longer than Rudy's heavy ones?

Later
Ed from Iowa

[Jim Berry]

Just bought an 82 DSII in Florida and trailed it home to Colorado. Among other fixes I had in mind was getting rid of the wires which hold the shrouds to the spreaders - seems akin to using nails for clevis pins. I made two clips from l/l6 gauge metal - l/2"x4". Then I heated each and bent them into a "J" shape with about 5/8" hook on the lower part and just enough space for the shroud to slip freely into. Drilled a small bolt hole about one inch from the upper end. Laid the shroud into the notches on the end of the one inch spreader tube, placed a clip against the spreader, determined where the J end of the clip would lock the shroud to the spreader notches and marked where the small bolt hole should be drilled throught the spreader (at right angle to the notches) to hold the clip inside the spreader tube. Insert the clip into the spreader, line up the bolt holes, insert a small bolt and nylon lock nut and it's done. much neater than a piece of wire and only the J bend shows. Someone else must have done this years before me.

[etonline]

That's a great idea Jim. Especially for a trailer sailer.