[alberg30] Wood Spreaders (was Jammed main Halyard cable)

[Dan Sternglass]

From: Dan Sternglass <dans at stmktg.com>

John Birch wrote:
> 
> From: John Birch <sunstone at idirect.com>

> ...

> Check your spreader bases if they're wood, think about getting a nice pair
> of air foils in aluminium.    The wood tends to rot in the aluminium sleeve.

My experience with the wood spreaders is that there are two things that
make them rot, both easily preventable:

(1) Not coating the ends and aluminum plates with epoxy, and not using
caulking in the screw holes

(2) Leaving them on when the tarps are covering the boat in the winter
if you're in a place where it snows!

Item 2 took me a -long- time (10+ years) to figure out. If the tarps
contact the spreaders (hard to avoid), and with the mast horizontal,
snow loads will tend to press them down and enlarge the screw holes
which are quite close to the edge of the wood. Since I've learned this,
I have had no problem with the varnished Red oak spreaders, and they
-look- great, especially in light of all the other varnished teak on the
boat.

BTW, one of the aluminum castings cracked a long time ago, had a new one
machined from Aluminum stock by a friend. Said he'd make me two, but
only made the one, other (original one) seems fine, though.

My $0.02 worth,

--Dan Sternglass
Watcher of the Skies, 1966, #211, Cayuga Lake, Ithaca, NY

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