how to remove standing rigging from spreaders

[Jared1048]

So the mast is down and the boat is looking sad but I'm doing my best to get her put back together.

while taking the rigging off came to the spreaders and I can't figure out how to remove the stays. It looks like there is a roll pin that secures a pin that the rigging is connected too. Do I just punch it out? I don't want to damage anything. Does it have to go through one side or the other?

thanks,
Jared

 

[Allan12210]

Jared,

In theory yes they punch out. In practice corrosion of the cast aluminum results in them being frozen in place. Pounding on them risks breaking the casting. I don't know if you can get enough PB blaster in them to break them loose. In my case I took the spreaders off and with rigging attached put them in my friends mill. We used a mill bit just smaller than the pin. After machining down about an inch we could collapse the pin and get it free. I think a drill press and vise will also work. Use slow speed and cutting oil.

After I got my new rigging instead of replacing the pin I used a bolt with a long shoulder (unthreaded) and plenty of antisieze. The head of the bolt faces forward. Use an acorn (smooth) nut on the exposed threads aft with some loctite. No cotter pins or boots or rigging tape required. I havent tried yet but the plan is to put a wrench on that bolt to break it loose the next time re rigging is due.

 

[Ron-Anne]

The spreader pins on my 1990 H30 had plastic sleeves over them, the pins just feel out after I took the lock rings off. Good luck on your project.
Ron

 

[caguy]

On the C-27, I also use a drill bit to drill them out. Took a lot of patience, several bits and a couple of battery packs. On the Luger 30 they used a few wraps of SS wire passed through the holes.