Rodney: The spreaders should take the tension from the upper shrouds so that the pressure is from the tip of the spreader straight down the spreader to where it attaches on the mast. In order to do this, you need to have the same angle from spreader to wire both below the spreader and above the spreader. Usually this means that the spreader is angled slightly upward as the lower part of the shroud is near vertical and the upper part leans in towards the mast. The spreader angle fore and aft should be in direct alignment with the chainplate and the mast head so that wire tension is not trying to snap the spreader or bend the mast too much. Sometimes they seem to have a slightly aft angle which seems to help to create a little mast rake. Hope this makes some sense. Jeff M-23 "Clarity" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rodney Holland" <rodh@earthlink.net> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 4:31 AM Subject: M_Boats: Spreaders(again) and jibsheet questions
I’m still concerned that my spreaders seem to be at too much of an angle, “up and aft”. I suspect the angle up is 45 degrees, and I’ve never noticed any on boats that aren’t perpendicular, so something seems amiss, yet the spreader boots are tight to the degree that I can’t see how and shifting could have happened, and it appears that if they were perpendicular to the mast that the stays wouldn’t be long enough to reach the chain plates. I made a reasonable attempt below at a drawing as if you are looking toward from bow as if the boat is coming directly at you. I bought this boat from a broker in Alabama who took it on a trade, so he has no clue, plus I’ve got it back in TX now anyway. I’m afraid to sail it like it is, because I’m no engineer, but I can see that a “wider distribution of the load might make it stronger, which I suppose is the whole purpose for spreaders anyway.
Also have a question of how long the jib sheets I’m going to have to buy need to be. I have a working jib, and a 150% as well. I plan to initially just buy one set, and maybe at a later point get some for the smaller headsail. Any ideas on length? I’m thinking about 22 ft each. Am I close?
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