Wooden Spreaders- Cat 30

[SaltyLife97]

Ahoy everybody!

My wife and myself just purchased a beautiful cat 30. Before we restep the mast next week, we are replacing the old wooden spreaders with new oak spreaders . No we don't want aluminum. If the old wood ones lasted that many years being an 82 model, I'm okay with that.
My QUESTION is , I traced and cut out new spreaders and used the old one as a template , but I am confused on how the rigging slides through the hole at the tip of the spreader ? Do i also cut a slit at the end of the drilled hole for the standing rigging to slide into ? Thanks everybody.
Fair winds and easy seas .

 

[Roadking Larry]

On my 1976 Cal 2-27 there were metal ends on the spreaders that took the shroud.
It is my understanding that the original spreaders were made of Spruce.
I remade mine out of White Oak. I finished them with a couple coats of West system epoxy then to protect the epoxy from UV I painted the top with white Interlux Brightside and coated the underside with Helmsman Spar Urethane. From the research I did the way I painted them provide protection and allows a view of the condition of the wood and shows it off.

I had pictures of the spreaders as I was making them and I'm digging through the computer, if I find them I'll post them up

 

[LakeShark]

I had an older Cat-30 about 12 years ago with wooden spreaders and when I replaced the standing rigging I don't remember any capture plate or hole in the spreader tip. It had a notch / groove where the cable rested and because the spreaders were long it caused a slightly downward / inward angle on the cap shroud on the way to the deck fitting from the spreader. I am not saying that this was the say it was done at the factory but it worked on my Tall rig for all the years I owned and lived on her. Having the notch also enabled me to climb the mast and remove both cap shrouds at the same time to have them remade at a local rigging shop (though the stick with no upper stays on it is a bit wobbly at the top). If you run the cable through a hole you will not be able to remove the stays without removing the spreader. On another note how were the original ones rigged that you used for a template? I like @Roadking Larry suggestion on painting and varnishing as mine were simply painted so I would go up and inspect them yearly for decay.

 

[SaltyLife97]

On my 1976 Cal 2-27 there were metal ends on the spreaders that took the shroud.
It is my understanding that the original spreaders were made of Spruce.
I remade mine out of White Oak. I finished them with a couple coats of West system epoxy then to protect the epoxy from UV I painted the top with white Interlux Brightside and coated the underside with Helmsman Spar Urethane. From the research I did the way I painted them provide protection and allows a view of the condition of the wood and shows it off.

I had pictures of the spreaders as I was making them and I'm digging through the computer, if I find them I'll post them up

I do have the metal pieces on the end with one through bolt holding it on. Does it go on the inside of the metal pieces or rest on the outside metal dip in ?

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

My boat also has wooden spreaders, circa 1961. Spruce and lasted very well till Harvey I shall use Ash for the new ones. I would guess the wire would rest on the metal- otherwise it would tend to saw into the wood.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Howard Hughes built the 'Goose' from spruce.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

LOL Very different era though. My mast is a box section spruce, 28 feet long FOUR full lenght, clear straight grained pieces of wood. I'd have an extremely difficult time reproducing it today.

 

[shemandr]

Does anyone else have a problem with oak? Besides checking and cracking it is known to twist up when the moisture changes. My Ranger 29 had wooden spreaders. I don't remember what the wood was maybe teak. I'm pretty sure it wasn't oak.

 

[justsomeguy]

Does anyone else have a problem with oak?

If you can find quartersawn white oak, it's pretty stable.

 

[lillia28]

I have a recollection from some old boat book that red oak is subject to rot, but white oak is good. I believe the original was teak. I also remember there being a slot at the end of the spreader, with a metal flat stock protector. The shroud is located with seizing wire. Call Catalina, they will give you advice you can take the bank. They are very supportive of the C-30 community.

 

[lillia28]

http://www.catalina30.com/TechLib/PartsManual/Rigging.pdf

Under the rigging section, there is a good diagram about page 3. Looks like the end piece is part number: K 30 01 27 900.

 

[Kingjim91]

http://www.catalina30.com/TechLib/PartsManual/Rigging.pdf

Under the rigging section, there is a good diagram about page 3. Looks like the end piece is part number: K 30 01 27 900.

I made replacement spreaders 2 years ago.
The diagram is accurate. The shroud runs outside the bracket.
What it doesn’t show clearly is the thru-hole just to the left of the bracket, with a metal bushing (I used copper tubing.) The hole is used to secure the shroud with seizing wire.

I used Sitka spruce by the way. The original was definitely some kind of spruce.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Red Oak is definitely not what to use- the grain is such that it will wick moisture from one end to the other. a section small enough diameter can be used as a straw of sorts. I intend to use ash- easily available, in very straight grain and quite strong

 

[Will Gilmore]

Softwoods are nice and light. Most of them have a compressive strength in excess of 4000 psi.
Here is a web page that gives a good general idea of mechanical properties of wood: http://workshopcompanion.com/KnowHo..._Properties/Mechanical_Properties_Table_2.htm
Hemlock, yellow pine, spruce, cypress and Douglas fur are good choices.
If I were looking for a wood today to replace a wooden mast, Douglas fur sounds like a good choice.
- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

If I were looking for a wood today to replace a wooden mast, Douglas fur sounds like a good choice.
- Will (Dragonfly)

Agree- I've built 15 Birdsmouth masts for customer boats, from very small to 26 feet. All still in use

Here's one being load tested

and a pic of a boat I built including both masts

 

[Will Gilmore]

Agree- I've built 15 Birdsmouth masts for customer boats

let me just double, triple thumb your post up. Thanks for showing that off.
- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[jssailem]

My CAL mast was taken down Jan 2016. I was concerned about the condition "Lack of Maintenance" for the spreaders. Sure they were 42 years old, but if the Owners had maintained them with regular paint applications They should be fine.
The spruce spreaders were trash. You could squeeze the wood and it collapsed like a sponge. Thus the reason why the turnbuckles fully tightened, and yet the shrouds were still loose.
Knowing the climbing the mast to paint the spreaders ever couple of years was not a likely practice, I replaced them with aluminum. The outcome has been wonderful.
I also would not use oak for a spreader. Wrong material. If wood is the decision, then spruce.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

A few shots of that mast under construction. All done on table saw, except for rounding which was a hand plane.
first shows all stave cut, second shows halves, apart for internal blocking. Third shows all clamped together- bicycle inner tubes spiral wrapped. Las shows being rounded

 

[Dave Groshong]

I hate to be a bummer, but oak is not the right material for spreaders, and you need some sort of end tip for the wire to pass through.

 

[Will Gilmore]

A few shots of that mast under construction.

Charlie, I am blown away.
Thank you so much for posting that.
- Will (Dragonfly)