[Public-list] Wooden spreader replacement

[Bill Burke]

Hi Ted,

Built a new pair of oak spreaders when I bought my boat...  the aluminum plates fell off because the inboard ends of the spreaders were so rotten, so no insights on removing them!  I cleaned them up on a stationary sander.  

I cut a slight rabbet in the end of the new spreaders so that the plates were only slightly proud and then set them in with thickened epoxy.  The plates now slide nicely between the flanges on the mast and are structurally part of the spreader rather than just big washers, and can share the loads applied to the spreaders (rather than just loading the end grain of the wood).  

Bill Burke
Osprey #116


I have A 345 built in 1968. The spreaders are wood not the round 
aluminum ones that were used for later boats. The time to replace the 
spreaders is past due. I have read the wood should be oak. My questions are how does one remove the wood spreader from the aluminum rectangular base plate, has anyone had a base plate fabricated, and lastly how does one get the new oak spreader tightly into the new aluminum rectangular base plate?
Ted Liszczak
A 345 Freedom


 1161043792.0