Replacing spreader without unstepping mast

[Crashflow]

Hey all,

I have a 36 foot Pearson with a damaged port spreader. The Spreader is the lower of an upper / lower spreader setup.

My question - can I just secure the main and jib halyards on the port side somewhere and give them some tension, relieve the tension on the port shrouds and replace the spreader?

Should I lower tension on the starboard side as well? De-tension the stays?

Should I not do this at all?

Thanks in advance.

Michael

 

[woodster]

is the boat in the water ...have you worked in the building trades...how old are you ....do you have any climbing experiance....lots to think about in doing this your self...i only ask all these questions so i can give you a reasonable answer..i am 67 years old and might do it because i have all these questions in my favor but i am starting to get to where its time for some one else to do it or hire a JLG bucket boom that can reach it from where its at ......

regards

woody

 

[DougM]

That is probably not the safest way to do the task. Is the mast keel stepped? However, if you can provide a good triangular support system between the forestay, backstay, and a halyard led to the side you intend to replace you might be OK. If the rig has a couple of intermediate shrouds led slightly aft of the mast that would be even better. The question I would have is how are the spreaders attached, and how easily can you remove one? If you are In a bosun's chair swinging around it will not be as easy as on solid ground. Some masts have a common boomerang shaped bar to which both spreaders are secured and it floats across the mast section. It could possibly move around enough after the one spreader is detached to make the replacement a bit more of a challenge. All that said, estimate the time you think it would take to do the job and triple it.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Crash,

I liked the questions Wood asked. If you can answer yes than the job is not that tough. Even if you go with a mobile rigger, the cost shouldn't be more than $150.00 and, you don't get to fall.

I changed my C30 spreaders at the dock, it wasn't that hard. Take note, that there should be a reinforcing compression ring inside the mast from where the spreader bolts on. Make sure the ring is secure inside the mast so when removing the screws the ring won't fall down inside. I say this as a fellow boater told me his ring fell somewhat & he needed to drop the mast. Check with your brand boat owners to make sure you don't run into problems.

CR

 

[Crashflow]

Thanks guys for the quick responses. I'm 46 and can climb like a monkey. I used to build houses for a living. However, I've decided that I'm going to go with a rigger. I'm pretty sure I could pull it off, but being pretty sure on something that potentially dangerous isn't a risk I want to take.

As far as cost, it is going to be about 5 hours total @ $120/hr (I'm in NYC). I'm looking at it as a chance to take a small class from someone who knows what he's doing (presumably).

Thoreau said paying a man to do something you can do yourself robs you twice - first of money then of the experience you would have gotten from doing the job. But I don't think he was talking about jobs that carry this kind of risk.

Best,

Michael

 

[capta]

I am not trying to talk you out of the rigger at all, so please don't take it that way.
However I'm completely mystified by all the responses. Assuming you have both forward and after lowers, if all your lowers are set up tight then what can the mast do if you are only going to the first spreaders, deck stepped or not?
The only problem I can see is if the shrouds are going through a hole in the outboard end of the spreader rather than a groove.

 

[seanshine]

I agree with Capta, it's a fairly easy safe job. Did spreaders on my C30 with no problems. $120 per hour is insane. Also, it's not a 5 hour job. SS

 

[Crashflow]

The shrouds go through a cap that I can take off the end of the spreader (easy). The base is welded to the mast, so there's nothing to loosen there (easy). I'm sort of tempted to do it myself (with a couple of friends). On the other hand, the $ buys me a rig inspection too, and no one (but myself) has been up in the rig for quite some time.

The irony of course is that in my experience, money won't guarantee that the guy I'm hiring knows what he's doing - even if he certified.

M

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Crash,

Not being familiar with your exact setup, if there is something I am not seeing, a five hour stint does not make sense to me & others on this thread.

I question everything in life, as I DEMAND answers to ALL of my questions before making a sound decision.

Just a suggestion, but maybe you should step back and FIRST confer with owners of your-make boat before handing over five hours' money for what should be an hour or so job. Go to "ask all sailors or brand specific boat" threads & confer with your brothers in-sailing before believing what a rigger boasts. That's just my personal thought, as the time does not make sense to me.

CR

 

[Crashflow]

Thanks guys. Great advice, and I'll poke around a bit more.

Best regards,

Michael

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I'd be surprised if a rigger would charge anything less than a half day. Depending upon where you are, you have to consider that you are paying for the travel time ... there's no way around that. No professional is paying for their own travel, not unless he is desperate for work or just plain being charitable. Aside from that, the rigger should be sure you are paying for a thorough job. If he goes up there for half an hour and doesn't pay any attention to other potential problems, do you think he is trusting you that you won't blame him for anything else that goes wrong? Why do you have a bad spreader ... do you think there might be some other problem? The rigger is probably thinking along those lines.

What if he says (just for argument) this will only take an hour, and he goes up there and finds 4 hours worth of problems. Is he going to do the work and then come down and argue with you for the extra time? I don't think so.

If you plan on hiring the rigger, pay his rate and demand that his work be comprehensive ... if he is any good, he will be charging you for comprehensive work (based on a defined scope) whether that is what you want or not. If he isn't any good, he may give in to your argument that the work should be cheaper.

If you don't want to pay the fair price (shop around if you think he's not fair) then have at it on your own.

Honestly, in NYC, how is anybody going to survive if they aren't charging at least $1,000 per day. No matter how small the job, you will chew up half a day of the guys time and it isn't guaranteed that the guy can bill 40 hours per week. I always find it absurd when people argue that the hourly rate should be similar to what you might think is a fair wage. $120 billed per hour isn't much when you have to work 60 hours a week to bill 40 hours and pay expenses.