Rreplacing my spreaders

[Steelshooter]

Hi all,

This is my first post on the website so please bare with me.

I am new to sailing and just bought my first sailboat this past August a Catalina 30. I've owned power boats most of my adult life so I do have some boating experience.

My Catalina still has the wooden spreaders on it and I would like to replace them with the aluminum spreaders that are available. Question is do I HAVE to step the mast to replace them? Wouldn't I be able to use the main halyard lets say tied off to the port side and the jib halyard tied off to the starboard side to help support the mast while I loosen the stays and replace the spreaders? I have a step ladder that is large enough to reach the spreaders so I wouldn't have to climb the mast itself during the replacement process. This seems like a workable solution but do any of you have any advise to lend?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Welcome.

Yes, because of the simplicity of your rig you can do that.

I'm surprised the C30 association website doesn't have that covered in great detail. www.catalian30.org and the same dott com, two different websites. If you have an M25 engine, you may be interested in this: http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Diesel_Engine

 

[RJ1946]

I checked with Catalina Direct and they told me they didn't make an aluminum spreader for my 1975 C-30 (#103) and to replace it with the wood spreaders. I made new spruce spreaders ,epoxy coated and painted with a good topside paint. My mast was un-stepped anyway for a re-due. Sounds like it would be OK with your lower spreaders still attached.
Good Luck

 

[Pioneer]

Spreaders

Try this web site ( JSI, The Sailing Source)


http://www.newjsi.com/spars_spreaders.aspx

 

[Moody Buccaneer]

Try this web site ( JSI, The Sailing Source)


http://www.newjsi.com/spars_spreaders.aspx

These look like a good way to go.

The early C30's cannot use the "kit" that upgrades the newer wooden spreader boats.

The first masts were simple tubes with a riveted on sail track. AFAIK it was not until they changed to the masts with internal sail tracks that the spreader mounts became standard.

The kit would not work on my mast (#10). The spreader mounts were welded to the mast and did not bear in the compression tube that holds the tangs for the lower shrouds. We ground the old mounts off, and welded new bases on to fit the new spreaders.

Where most people run into problems is trying to drive the bolt out of the compression tube to install the Catalina upgrade kit. This is not a job you want to tackle with the mast standing.

Since the boat is new to you, dropping the mast for a detailed inspection will make it much easier to do the work. The mast comes out in about 30-45 minutes and only takes about an hour to restep. You will be doing yourself a favour by being able to check and replace sheaves, wiring, lights etc. Once the mast and rigging is well sorted, the mast can stay in the boat for another 5 years or so.