26x spreaders

[argonaut]

Looking at my spreaders and wondering if they've been strengthened in newer models.
Are the 26X spreaders aluminum or stainless?
I thought that I found stainless replacement 26x spreaders advertised somewhere, maybe BWY, that made me think MacG changed from using aluminum to SS spreaders.
Mine wobble around in their sockets (mast down), they aren't shiny at all so I think they're aluminum. Can't do the magnet trick because ss also won't stick...
The bracket they fit into does looks like stainless though.

[Moe]

These helped me... just passing 'em on...

FYI, I replaced my 26X's spreaders last week. I'd bent one when I lost my grip on the mast while de-rigging the boat after retrieval.

The stock spreaders are 1" x .065" aluminum, 44" in length. A local machine shop had this stuff in stock, in 6' lengths. I bought two 6 footers for a total of $25, cut them to length and drilled the holes for the mast and stay attachments myself. 2 minutes with some scotch-brite and they look just like OEM.

Time to fabricate was less than 30 minutes, and total cost was less than half of what they sell for at sites that carry replacements.

And I still have an unbent original spreader as a spare . . .

The Ace Hardware Stores around here have the right size tubing. Take a Spreader Tip along to make sure it will fit inside as there is also some tubing available where the I.D. is not quite large enough.

Mine also wobble when down.

--
Moe

[Chip Hindes]

The stock aluminum parts including the spreaders are aluminum, anodized to provide some minimal extra protection from corrosion. Anything you buy from a hardware store will be raw or mill finish. The stuff the marine stores sell is frequently advertized as "marine" or "aircraft" grade (which really doesn't mean anything). Sometimes it's anodized and is as good as the OEM stuff, but it's way more expensive than the hardware store stuff, except for the anodizing is no different, and usually the size selection is quite limited.

Pound for pound aluminum is as strong as stainless. That's why all boats use aluminum spars. Properly installed aluminum spreaders with properly tensioned shrouds are plenty strong enough. They do flop around a little when the mast is down, but mine have over 8000 miles trailering on them and they're fine.

[Harry van der Meer]

You can buy some rigid PVC tube at Home Depot that will fit inside the aluminum spreader stiffening it up quite a bit.

[richandlori]

Interesting, the spreaders on my 2004 M fit tightly into their sockets and don't flop around at all whaile the mast is down. In fact, I stupidly bent one while lowering the mast and in the process of replacing (with a factory replacement) I could barely get the old one out and the new one into its socket!


Rich

[kmclemore]

You can buy some rigid PVC tube at Home Depot that will fit inside the aluminum spreader stiffening it up quite a bit.

Great idea, Harry!! I'm gonna do that mod.

[Jack O'Brien]

There was a thread on the old board about the SS sockets having sharp edges that could cut into the spreader. It was suggested to remove the spreaders and smooth the sockets. PVC pipe and wood dowels were also suggested for stiffening.

[Don T]

Hello:
I was trying to decide whether to dispute the "pound for pound" argument or not so, I will just say this. I replaced my spreaders with SS tubing and the amount of force required to deflect it 1" is 4 times greater than the aluminum (12lbs suspended from the end vs 45lbs). The stainless also returns after deflection and the aluminum deforms (did not return to original "0" position). Having an insert to help stabilize deformation helps a great deal. I added wood dowel because it has more "memory" than PVC. My rig is substantially stiffer now. Strong winds used to bend the aluminum aft. With SS I get less pumping in rough water and strong winds. However, they do weigh more.
So, the "pound for pound" statement may be true considering how thin the SS tubing would have to be to weigh the same as the aluminum.

[BK]

I was involved in the old board's discussion on the spreaders. I was surprised how easily a tube broke when I pushed against it. Frank C. informed me of a ridge at the outer edge of the spreader holder that cuts a score mark around the tube. Seems the spreaders work inside the holder and this cut could easily snap the tube. I used my Dremel to smooth it out and bought 2 new tubes from Macgregor for $25 each. I also put the PVC inside but like the dowel idea better because of the memory.
Glad you brought this subject up as this is something that needs to be looked at every so often.

[argonaut]

Don't bite, Don. Some of these guys have a lot of hours of cold winter left and and I don't want this thread to be 53 lines long and end up comparing bicycles to armored vehicles. I'm warm and I want to sail my dang boat, I don't want to debate metallurgy.

I just happen to not like the way the spreader forces concentrate at the dinky little stainless-steel cups that hold them, and if someone has replaced them with ss tubing and it costs me a few bucks and a weekend, I'm game. There's already a thread dealing with cup casting scoring related spreader failure and the issue reportedly got back to Macgregor. Search here on spreader -and- tubing to see some of those threads.

I just thought I'd seen retrofit ss spreaders for Macs sold somewhere.

Harry's pvc reinforcement may be the easiest-to-implement improvement (unless you have a broom handle laying around that fits inside perfectly:) . I suspect anything that prevents the tube from collapsing near the cup would be cheap insurance. Luckily they seem to fail during mast raising more often than underway. Mine usually get flexed coming back down as they get snagged on things while I'm putting the mast to bed.

Don, where did you find stainless tubing and about what did it cost, if I might ask?

[Mark Prouty]

I really like this Collapsible Spreader idea:



Erik Hardtle Mods

[Don T]

Hello:
I used the SS tubing that West Marine sells for railing use. Don't remember what it cost but it should be listed on their web site.

I know what you mean about the concentration of force. Theoretically it should only be compression. However, fractional rigs are way more dynamic than that and on my boat the sockets are not "aimed" exactly as they should be. The Otter has a retro-fit kit and was originally equiped with free moving pivoting spreaders. I shortened the forestay to move the mast more perpendicular yet the spreaders still have a slight aftwards tension when rigged. My aluminum spreaders looked like cork screws after our first "big wind" trip in the San Juans. Now after 4 seasons with the SS I can sight down them and they are perfectly straight. And we had big wind this summer.

[richandlori]

Does anyone know the internal ID of the spreader pipe? I like the idea of putting wood/PVC inside the spreader to help stiffen them up. I do notice mine have a good amount of flex while under way. My only question/concern: is it part of the design of the mast and rigging for the spreaders to "flex"? Or am I giving Roger too much "engineering"savy? I just don't want to stiffen up the spreaders and then have a mast failure or rip the stays out of the boat due to the stiffening

Rich

[Don T]

Hello:
Actually the spreaders bending also means the center of the mast is being bent forward. When the water is rough this can pump the center of the mast forward and aft causing it to fail. That is why MacGregor changed to a solid socket, the rig was not stable. Even though there have been few de-mastings reported on this site.
I wonder if his worry about stresses were more about motoring than sailing?

I even considered making new sockets and changing to the aluminum "wing" shaped spreaders you see on those higher priced fractional rigged "real" sailboats

[argonaut]

Pulling mine apart, ID at shroud tip was .87" or 56/64s (7/8").