does anyone think this should be replaced it’s the upper shroud right where it goes through spreaders. H26
Rigging
- Thread starter Jimmy
- Start date
Also should the shroud be clamped tight at the spreader or just tight enough so it slides a little.
You may read or hear somewhere that the upper shrouds are tensions a little tighter than the lower shrouds. This has to do with two different sets of shrouds running from gunwall to mast peak vs gunwall to under the spreaders. I tell you this because I got that confused with different tension on the upper half (above the spreader) and The lower half (below the spreader). Spreaders are not sturdy enough to maintain such a difference.
The clamping of shroud cable to spreader end is to keep it from slipping off. Just tight enough to do that and keep the spreader from sliding up or down along the cable when it gets bouncy out there.
If you feel doubt about the strength of your cable, the small investment to replace it, for piece of mind, is more than worth it. My opinion, however, is that for your boat, it looks fine. However, I only see a picture. You see a real cable. As soon as you install a shroud over a spreader and go for a decent sail, you are likely to see that kind of stress. You want your shrouds to stay tight, but not over tight, so they are not stressed by flexing because they are loose or because they have too much force pulling on them and they get stretched.
There have been several very good threads recently about tuning your standing rigging. Check some of them out.
- Will (Dragonfly)
The clamping of shroud cable to spreader end is to keep it from slipping off. Just tight enough to do that and keep the spreader from sliding up or down along the cable when it gets bouncy out there.
If you feel doubt about the strength of your cable, the small investment to replace it, for piece of mind, is more than worth it. My opinion, however, is that for your boat, it looks fine. However, I only see a picture. You see a real cable. As soon as you install a shroud over a spreader and go for a decent sail, you are likely to see that kind of stress. You want your shrouds to stay tight, but not over tight, so they are not stressed by flexing because they are loose or because they have too much force pulling on them and they get stretched.
There have been several very good threads recently about tuning your standing rigging. Check some of them out.
- Will (Dragonfly)
Measure, by pulling hand tight from mast head to spreader end. Don't make the connection too tight or permanent, mark with a piece of yarn on the underside. Set the mast, tension the stay, and watch the spreader. If the spreader looks like it's bending downward too much with the turnbuckle (stressing the spreader), start over. The gap with the spreader and yarn may grow when you tension but the stretch on your spreader shouldn't be very much if your measurement is accurate.
Your mast is designed to go up and down so there should be some play in the spreader. That is, it should flex or move a little.
If the gap between spreader and yarn grows too much, be careful because if you tie the spreader end to that new position, it could flex upward too much when you let the tension off.
Don't forget, work both sides together to maintain balance. (Hand tighten until mast is straight laterally, then count your turns to match each side).
Your main halyard can be used as a plumb line.
The yarn can be left as a telltale after you are done.
- Will (Dragonfly)
Your mast is designed to go up and down so there should be some play in the spreader. That is, it should flex or move a little.
If the gap between spreader and yarn grows too much, be careful because if you tie the spreader end to that new position, it could flex upward too much when you let the tension off.
Don't forget, work both sides together to maintain balance. (Hand tighten until mast is straight laterally, then count your turns to match each side).
Your main halyard can be used as a plumb line.
The yarn can be left as a telltale after you are done.
- Will (Dragonfly)
Not clamped tight at all....the purpose being containment, not immobility.
The spreader tip should bisect the angle of the shroud's deflection from vertical to mast attachment. Or, the angle between the wire and spreader should be the same above and below the tip.. That's why they need to move a bit. You should be able to simulate that geometry while the mast is down if you know the horizontal distance from mast to the chainplates
Jimmy, on the end of that should be a nut. How about loosening it and take another photo with it out of the way on the upper shroud so I can take a look at the area. Post it here and send me a copy on my forum private message sir. I will respond. The spreader is a Z spar now called US Spars for what it is worth.
