Spreader replacement

[exoduse35]

Hi all, I am currently rebuilding the mast on my 35-2. As part of this job the old spreders have got to go. The original specs and demensions are here in the tech, section so so far so good. Now the problem... The drawings call for 1 5/8" sitca spruce. I have searched high and low for a suplier and come up empty. Does anyone know where it can be had?
Also while I am at it i want to replace all the blocks. Does anyone have a suggestion of what I should use. Is there a better brand or one to avoid. (sorry I know that will bring out the loyalists but blocks don't seem to get any attention here) They are gonna be up my mast a long time and I don't want to visit them! As always thanks in advance, Edd

 

[Emerald]

I know I'm on the opposite coast, but this wouldn't be very large or heavy to ship, and Exotic Lumber here in Annapolis has spar grade Sitka Spruce for $12.50 a board foot:

http://www.exoticlumberinc.com/price_list.php

 

[upnorthfrank]

Re: Sitka

Let me make a couple of calls here. I know someone who buys VG Sitka on occasion & seems to get it for a somewhat reasonable price (relatively speaking of course, you won't find it cheap unless you go to AK & poach a tree

It's early & it's Sunday, I'll get on the horn later today & see if I can't come up w/ a # for you to call...

You can always go to the luthiers but they generally want too much $$$$ for their 'tone woods'. The hull noise easily drowns out the resonance of the precious spruce, don't need tone woods on your mast, unless you plan on tuning the shrouds to 440hz. Select VG (vertical grain) I would recommend however, for max integrity-

 

[Loren Beach]

I have observed some of these wood spreader threads for years from the peanut gallery.
Having never owned a boat with such, I am probably not very qualified to comment... but that only slows me down a little bit...

I have done a fair bit of work with glass, epoxy, and even some carbon fiber.

So the thought occurs that making some new spreaders out of carbon fiber tubing should be rather straightforward. There are lots of suppliers of tubing, and some of them are rigging suppliers, I would imagine.

The tips would need to be designed and also the base's, but you would have the remains of the original spreaders for patterns.

You would need to practice layering the carbon and finding a way to squeezing out the excess resin, but the actual project physical size is small.

I would bet that there is some good info available from the Geogeon Brothers http://www.westsystem.com/ss/
on the whole subject.

No matter what the material, you still have similar detailing for tip and root to complete -- might as well remove the future threat of rot returning...


As to choice of material, per se, remember that as recently as the late 70's, the only "proper" battens for a sail were made from ash wood, and many were skeptical about using frp for such an important application. (!)

Just a thought on a cloudy morning,

Loren

 

[tenders]

I made four new spreaders for my 32 out of Sitka spruce a few years ago, and I got the raw wood from ML Condon Lumber, which is about 10 minutes away from me in White Plains, NY. They had several pieces of it just sitting in a bin waiting for me to walk in off the street.

http://www.condonlumber.net/

The raw wood was kind of nasty-looking on the surface, but a couple of trips through a planer and it was beautiful and easy to work with. I'm not much of a woodworker but my brother-in-law had a planer, band saw, and router, which are (I now know) basic tools. I had a drill press, but a hand drill would have worked almost as well.

The spreaders are actually very simple trapezoidal shapes made a bit fancier-looking with a router bit run along some of the edges. I wanted these suckers to last a long time so I coated them in epoxy, including all the hardware holes -- I expect to get a long time out of them. That process actually took more time than the fabrication.

 

[upnorthfrank]

Re: carbon fiber

I watched these guys build a carbon fiber mast on discovery channel?!? a few years back, very interesting & something I would love to do for my boat. The autoclave looked like it might be tough to pull off but the fabrication seemed fairly simple to me, resin & cloth over a form etc. & attaching components. The baking part had me squirming though, I'm a cook not a baker

Interesting thread!!! Anyone wanna build carbon fiber masts?!? I'd like a set of those spreaders too. Haven't gotten to that part of my boat yet, I got enough going on belowdecks for now...

 

[exoduse35]

as for having the old ones for paterns... the problem is that I got a whole new (to me) mast and boom from another E35-2 that came bare with only the stuff that was welded on remaining. The plan is to completely rebuild it then have the old one replaced at one trip to the boatyard.
Hence the second question, as I am satisfied with the blocks on my current mast but it is hard to tell what they are from 25-42' below them. Besides they are now called "vintage" I am sure as the world keeps inventing better mouse traps!
It sounds like a couple of you are hard at work sourcing spar ( not guitar) stock, and thanks to you guys! So who is willing to take on the second Question? Edd

 

[Emerald]

Go for new sheaves at the mast head (and everywhere else) with roller ball bearings. Popular brands include Harken and Garhauer for this upgrade. I believe you might find that you don't find quite the right match of pin diameter for the right size sheave "off the shelf", but folks like Garhauer can do a custom one for you without issue. There have been some other recommendations in past threads for some other good sources of masthead sheaves. Either do a thread search, or hopefully someone with better memory than mine will chip in with who they were.

 

[robjpowell]

I have a 35-2 here in Boston and this last winter I had the mast pulled in order to replace all standing/running rigging, sheaves, blocks and electrical wiring. I used Zephyrwerks in WA for the sheaves and and Garhauer for the blocks. I was very pleased with Zephyrwerks. I got 4 sheaves @$44 each (I sent an old one and they were made the same dia but with a groove for 3/8 rope halyards not wire, pins $5 each, S&H to East coat $12. I could not get through the rigger Harken or Lewmar sheaves of the correct dia. Unfortunately I can't comment on the spreaders as a PO converted to Aluminum.

Cheers
Rob

 

[exoduse35]

thanks ffor the refural for the sheaves, I will probably use them as well. Both the ones on my current mast and the replacement are for wire and I will be converting to rope with internal halyards. I think my current blocks are probably Schaffer as that is what everything at deck level is. How do you like the Garhauer blocks? Emerald seems to like them as well so I am leaning twords them. Edd

 

[robjpowell]

All old blocks were also Schaefer. Since buying Blue Chip 5y ago I have been slowly moving to Garhauer for blocks, cleats, vang, and stanchions. I have been very happy with their quality and price. Do note though that I am prepping this boat for cruising and possibly the odd distance race. It is not being done for racing. If I was wanting to make her more competitive I would stick to Lewmar or Harken as they tend to weigh a little less.

Rob

 

[sleepingsquirrel]

Try ,Aircraft Spruce , you should be able to find them on line. They specialize in supplying the aircraft homebuilder market. You might be surprised at the cross over products between sailing and aircraft building.
Sleepingsquirrel

 

[exoduse35]

thanks Itried them though