SPREADER BOOTS

[CHRIS]

HELLO ALL IT WILL NOT BE LONG NOW BEFORE START TEARING THE WRAP OFF OUR BOATS. I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE KNEW OFF THE TOP OF THE HEAD WHAT THE SPREADER DEMENSIONS ARE ON A ODAY 25. I WANT TO BUY A PAIR ON EBAY BUT MY BOAT IS RAPPED AND AND HAS NO DOOR TO GET IN TO MEASURE. I THINK IT'S 1 1/8" BUT I AM NOT SURE. ANYONE DONE THIS RECENTLY AND REMEMBER THE SIZE THEY USED? THANKS WON'T BE LONG KNOW BEFORE I AM COVERED IN BOTTOM PAINT

 

[Ross in Tampa]

I need to know too.

I was out on a day sail on Sunday look up at my port side spreader, and noticed that I have a bit of a problem with the spreader/boot/ and stay.I have to take my mast down, I have been keeping the mast up on a trailer, and inspect what I am hoping is just a bad boot. I looks like the port outside stay has come off the spreader. Can anyone let me know how the cable attaches to the end of the spreader? I haven't ever taken the boots off to check?Any help would be appreciated.Thanks,Ross in Tampa1979 Oday 25 "Lola"

 

[r.w.landau]

Ross, Your mast is not stable, and be

careful when you drop it. I would drop it soon. There are two ways to connect the shroud to the end of the spreader. remember that you don't want to secure it, just keep it in the groove. I would drop the mast a see how the other side was done.Method #1: about 10" piece of stainless rigging wire through the hole in the spreader with one side , cross over and then back through the hole on the other side. Then with the other tail, cross over and through the hole in the other side. Repeat this two or three times then gentley twist the ends and tuck behind so that if the boot comes off that the wire end doesn't tear he sail. Method #2: use about a 10" piece of a larger diameter wire, put it throught the spreader hole and on the shroud below the spreader wrap the wire arond the shroud about 8 or 10 times, then trim the excess. The do the same above the spreader. This will allow te shroud to pass through the wraps and allow the spreader to position itself.If you try to secure the spreader to the shroud, the spreader can not locate itself and it will add stress to the spreader.Chris, Sorry, the boat is 1 hour away. If I get there this weekend I will check.r.w.landau

 

[Ross in Tampa]

that's what I thought

Thanks R.W.I knew I had to do it. Luckily, I have raised and lowered the mast dozens of times. I will pick up some rigging wire and take care of the monster.I thought I could "feel" a little shudder when we would sail. The I thought that perhaps my fore stay was not as tight as it could be. Turns out, I was in the right church, wrong pew.Thanks for the help.Ross in Tampa1979 Oday 25 "Lola"

 

[Dale]

Spreader angle

I have always read that the angle between the spreaders and the shroud should be the same above and below the spreader which would mean the spreader should be angled upward slightly. On my O'Day 25 the spreaders seem to be level or angled slightly downward. How do they look on other 25's? I have found no way to adjust this angle. What does everyone else think? Is this a problem?Dale1976 O'Day 25 K/CB"Peppermint Patty"

 

[Dave K.]

Spreader angle

I've read the same thing - that the spreader should "split the difference" and the angle to the wire should be the same above and below. This causes the spreader to tilt just a little bit up. The spreaders on a trailered boat can get pretty beat up with all the rigging and de-rigging and folks tripping on the shrouds when the mast is lowered. To limit how far my spreaders can be bent down, I put a little clamp on the shroud just below the spreader. It does not attach the two together, it just stops the spreader from sliding much (1/8" or so) below the optimum point.The clamps are stainless steel and came from West Marine - they look like the worlds' smallest muffler clamps, if that is any help. They are covered by the spreader boots so they won't abrade on the sails.

 

[Ross in Tampa]

It is done...

Thanks for all the advice, I actually have one of my spreader boots in the car with me at work today. It is so badly deformed that I doubt I can get a good measurement from it. Luckily there are only so many sizes to choose from.I went to West yesterday and bought my 14 dollar seizing wire (good grief). Had to buy a 1/4 pd spool for a 10" job. Oh well, not I am prepared for whenever anyone in Tampa Bay needs to seize something. As I had expected, the only thing that was keeping my port outside shroud was the rigging tape. Once I got the mast down, and gave it a quick inspection, a chill ran down my spine. Now I have to wonder as to how long that was like that. It is fixed, now I am going to do the same thing on the starboard shrouds since the mast is down. Thanks again for all the advice, gonna pick up some new spreader boots at the boat show in Miami. I will have to have my son carry them as my hands will be full of beer.Ross in Tampa1979 Oday 25 "Lola"