Spreaders on wrong side?

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Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
I have a 1995 H23.5. Perhaps not a big deal, but when I stand in the cockpit and look forward and up at the spreaders, the one on the port side has a sticker that says "STARBOARD". If installed the other way around, the sticker would be on the top (of the starboard side of course) and not visible with the mast up. If it didn't matter, you'd think they wouldn't bother with the sticker. Should I look at switching them for next season? ...RickM...
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
Shouldn't matter

A mast is designed to be equal on both sides. The army buys sideview mirrors from a contractor. The right side mirror cost $75 and the left cost $15. If you turn the left's mirror 180 degrees, you have a right. Just go aloft and pull the sticker off and you have a Port spreader :)
 
B

Bill O'Donovan

Which side

Starboard is decided by standing at the helm, thus on the right as you face the bow. In baseball, I still don't understand right-hand hitters from lefties, but that's another sport altogether.
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
The other side

Yes, facing the bow, the starboard sticker is on spreader on the left (port) side. About the only thing I can think of is if there is ever a larger upwards or downwards force on the spreader (as opposed to a straight compressional force), then the piece may have internal bracing that is stronger in one direction than the other. Having them upside down would defeat this. I'm just guessing, assuming they had reason to put the sticker on. On the other hand, it's been how it is for 10 years now. ...RickM...
 
Jun 4, 2004
844
Hunter 28.5 Tolchester, MD
Spreader Angle

Spreaders on Hunters are angled aft; they should also have their tips slightly higher than the level of the root where it is attached to the mast. If you had a starboard spreader on the port side, wouldn't you also have the port spreader on the starboard side and they'd both be 'drooping' down? Now if the spreaders are dead level, straight across, you could switch sides and not make any difference; maybe Franklin is right.
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
Angle and another idea

With the mast up and shrouds tensioned, I don't know if the spreaders are dead level or not. I'll have to figure out a way to see. I don't know if the following issue is related, but if you read on you will see the connection that I'm drawing... A FAQ here for H19/23.5/26/240/260 is "Which shroud connects to which U-bolt?". I called Crazy Dave about it. Others have called the factory. The answers seem to be split between "fore", "aft" and "it doesn't matter". Look at pictures and you'll see it both ways. For me, it matters for two reasons: 1) when the shrouds are crossed (upper shroud to forward U-bolt), the plastic boots over my turnbuckles get mangled and bent. 2) when the shrouds are crossed, the line of the upper shroud is moved forward a couple of inches which on my boat is enough such that if I wiggle the shroud fore and aft with my hand, the spreader actually pivits fore and aft in the bracket where it connects to the mast! If the upper shroud is connected to the aft U-bolt, it is solid and doesn't move. Because of the two points above, my upper shroud goes to the aft U-bolt regardless of various answers that have been quoted here. However, it now occurs to me to wonder: perhaps the rocking back and forth is due to the fact that the spreaders are on the wrong side? But, if you think about what happens when you swap the spreaders, the leading edge is still the leading edge, such that the shapes of the connection points at the mast are the same, and the off-center slot in the spreader end that holds the shroud at the tip has not changed, so I can't see that the reversal is contributing to this either (but maybe a reader will?). Even if swapping the spreaders fixed the wobbling with the upper shroud to the fore U-bolt, I still don't like the turnbuckles crossed! ...RickM...
 
Jun 4, 2004
392
Hunter 31 and 25 and fomerly 23.5 Stockton State Park Marina; MO
To further confuse the issue

on my 23.5 one spreader is wiggly as Rick suggests while the other is pretty solid. I believe this to be caused by whether or not the spreader was fully in it's socket when bolt hole was drilled through. A sloppy hole or a spreader "standing proud" of its base would allow for wiggle. My boat is at the lake so I can't go look but I believe the lower shrouds should go to the position where they are most aligned with center of the mast;ie forward. As for the sticker, mine has a "starboard" one as well. If I recall correctly, its viewable on the top of the starboard spreader. Could it be that because it's a trailable boat it was thought that someone might disengage the shrouds at the mast tangs, remove the spreaders and coil the whole mess up for trailering with out disconnecting from the u bolts. This would preclude the eventual embarassmet of raising the mast with the cables crossed. Just my guess as I too have been mystified by this.
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
Word from US Spars

I sent this question to US Spars and received this answer from George: "It does not matter; I would pull the sticker off and throw it as far away as you can. If there was an eye or something that differentiated the spreaders and it was mandatory the item be on either the port or starboard side then maybe it would make a difference but otherwise it does not matter." ...RickM...
 
Jun 2, 2004
3,390
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
The Sticker is Very Important

It keeps you from installing the mast backwards. Never heard of anyone making that mistake? See, the sticker is working.
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
No, Rick, it's not working 100%

My mast in fact is installed backwards, so the sticker was on the correct side all along! Thanks for the tip! ;) ...RickM...
 
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