Spreader end caps. Tight or loose?

[Jackmc]

Hi All,

I've got a Selden mast and I just stepped it last weekend leaving the spreader end caps snug but not hard tight. On every boat I've had before the shrouds go loosely through the end caps and are eventually fixed in place by rig tension.

However, I just read that the shroud end caps should be "hard tight" on the shrouds so that they wouldn't move if you stood on them?

Does that sound right? How are you guys setting that up?

 

[Slartibartfass]

Mine are loose so the shrouds move freely thru them. I might be wrong but I think if they are tight the danger is bending or ripping off the spreader when stepping the mast....

 

[Jackmc]

Yes, every boat I've had previously has not had a solid tight fit on the shrouds so now I'm wondering if this is just a precautionary thing for Selden?

 

[odj22sailor]

Jack,

The spreaders should be tight enough to hold the tip up 2-3 inches above parallel. Typically I set them loose but tight enough so they don't slide, but able to slide them using a spin pole siting from the dock. Tune the rig go sailing, re-align spreader tips, by either going up in a chair or lower rig and tighten the tips down to a very tight setting. It is important that the spreaders are lifted up and have a 2-3 inches. The reason is when you apply backstay the upper shrouds get loose, the spreaders can fail if they get to far below a horizontal plane. There is enough slop with these spreader brackets to where this can happen.
I would not be worried about stepping the mast, if something catches the shrouds while lowering or raising the same damage can occur with either with tight or loose shrouds.



Dave

 

[Jackmc]

I ended up going back to the lake and lowering the mast to tighten the spreaders. I read through the Selden literature and it states that the spreaders should be placed a few inches upward of level (as mentioned) and then tightened so that a person could stand on them so I gave them a good snugging down. It seems to sail nicely!