Cracked Spreader

Ardea · **Joined:** 19 Mar 2007 16:40 **Posts:** 195

Any one ever have spreader with a crack like this? How was it repaired?

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Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

Never seen one mounted vertically like that, no wonder it cracked! Snicker

Looks simple enough to repair...make a temporary wooden spreader to keep the rig in place, then take the aluminum one to a competent welder to run a bead along the crack. Should do the trick. If you don't feel that this is strong enough (should be), wrap a band of aluminum, say 1" wide by 1/8" thick, around it and weld the band to the spreader at the very end near the damage. This will thicken the end substantially.

Now the question is, why did it crack in the first place? Has the rig ever been pulled? When handeling the spar, they could have bumped the spreader into something.....

Ardea · **Joined:** 19 Mar 2007 16:40 **Posts:** 195

Welding and sleeving is what my rigger wants to do. The inquiries I've made suggest that welding is a bad idea as it anneals the heat affected zone resulting in future failure. That said I welded a similar failure on my T-30 myself years ago and it was still good when I sold it 5 years later. Since posting I think I've decided to replace both spreaders with new ones. It's about the same price the rigger wanted to perform a non-engineered repair so why take any chances.

Failure may have been due to spreader end being to close to mast fitting to handle fore and aft movement of the spreader in relation to the mast. So either to much movement or pivot bolt is too far from the end of the spreader. My guess is the former. I pull the rig every five years to rebed the fittings. Can't say whether the yard banged it up last time putting it in as I wasn't there at the time but it's certainly possible.

Vertical spreaders are pretty common on San Francisco Bay this time of year. Very Happy

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

I kind of wonder why there isn't two bolts per spreader anyway......it would eliminate some of the wiggle back and forth....
You can always drill for an additional bolt.

Ardea · **Joined:** 19 Mar 2007 16:40 **Posts:** 195

Actually, as my granddaughter likes to say, the spreader is suppose to pivot on that bolt. The lower end of the cap shroud doesn't move because it's attached to the chainplate so the spreader has to have some fore and aft give as the mast rocks fore and aft while underway. If the spreader ends hit hard against the spreader bar you'll get a crack at the edge of the spreader like my picture or worse a dimple in the mast. So that degree of freedom is important.

I went and looked at the damaged spreader today and was kind of shock at how wimpy it appears. I guess as long as it stays in column it can do it's job ok. It also looks like a pair of new spreaders is going to be in the $1100 range. The moral of the story is treat your spreaders kindly.

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

Mine cracked as well after 30 years. Seems like a likely outcome of many years of flexing and possibly the stress of removal here in Maine---I am stuck with a marginal boatyard crew here--not the guys at Svendsen's like I used to have back in Alameda. When I noticed the crack this last spring I put a hose clamp around the base for the summer as there was no time to get it properly fixed. So are you ordering those replacement spreaders from Tartan or Hall Spars?? I am probably going to get mine repaired as I have a very skilled machinist/metalurgist friend here who is reasonably priced. You might think about sending yours here for repair---the guy is brilliant and he does the metal work for some of the mega yachts built here in Maine. Surely cheaper than replacement.

Ray

Ardea · **Joined:** 19 Mar 2007 16:40 **Posts:** 195

I ordered the spreaders from Rigrite. They had a foil extrusion that matched "nearly" perfectly. They should be arriving at the rigger's sometime this week. The rigger offered to do a repair but he's not an engineer and I didn't really care for his non-engineered design so I opted to replace them with new. If I was dealing with someone that understood the finer points of welding and engineering I would have gone with the repair but if I had let the rigger do it like my wife says I would have never trusted the spreaders again. I went with an independant rigger for the new standing rigging rather than pay Svendsen's guys to make cell phone calls on my dime. That yard/chandlery has really gone down hill since the old man retired.

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

Do you think having a band of some sort around that point could prevent this from happening to others?

Ardea · **Joined:** 19 Mar 2007 16:40 **Posts:** 195

Beats me. Could just cause it to break someplace else. I'd be nervous about having a repair/modification that is not engineered. I can tell you I'll be keeping an eye it from now on. I still don't have a good expaination as to why it cracked. Perhaps the yard that the stepped the mast did something wrong. I don't have complete faith in them. I received the new ones last week and moved the boat over the the riggers yesterday so hopefully it will be fix this week just in time for the rainy season.

Tartan37.com

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