Spreader Tips and Shrouds

BWright

New Member
I'm in the process of replacing my old shrouds and found something I don't understand at the spreader tips. The old ones were covered with spreader boots. When I removed the boots I found that the shrouds were just loosely held by a slot in the spreader tip. Seems very insecure to me!

How is it supposed to work?

There's also a very small hole drilled in the spreader tip. What's its function?

Also, I installed a roller furling system on the boat last spring. Great move, but the slack in the shrouds allows too much sag in the jib luff wire now and it's not possible to correct it with the shroud adjusters so I'm planning to add turnbuckles to the new shrouds. Any experience/comments on this?

Bruce Wright
North Carolina
 
Hi Bruce,
The shrouds are held onto the spreaders using a piece of safety wire (stainless steel wire) The wire goes through the small hole you found and then it is wrapped around the shroud wire both above and below the spreader. You can use leather to finish out the job to prevent chaffing of the foresail or (my choice) the "small size" rubber boot sold by West Marine or someone on the internet.

I am no expert on the 14.2 but I do have an observation that may or may not be of interest. The boom Vang and or the main sheet seems to take the slack out of the fore-stay. I find it helpful to have the slack in the shrouds/fore-stay which allow the mast to move forward and aft on different points of sail. By taking the "slop" out of the rigging you may find the boat is less competitive.
 
Thanks for your response Jim. I'd speculated about the safety wire idea that you described and now I know how to do it.

I appreciate your comments about the vang and the main sheet. My problem with the OE shroud adjusters is that I didn't have any adjustment at all. The nominal "correct" adjustment hole left me with quite a bit of slack and a sagging forestay, but not enough slack to tighten the rig by one more hole. Since I'm getting new shrouds anyway I think I'll go for turnbuckles. That way I can experiment with the slack and I can always go back to the amount I had with the adjusters.

Thanks again,

Bruce Wright
 
I If you are not racing I see no problem with turnbuckles. In the end it is really what works for you. I have not experienced a roller furling on the 14.2 so I am in no way qualified to comment with any degree of authority. Personally, I prefer a forestay that allows quick and easy sail changes but then most of my experience has been in 30 to 58 foot boats and I have a hard time changing my mind set...

If you install turnbuckles it may be a good idea to slack of the shrouds when not sailing. I am not sure the boat is designed to have tension on all of the rigging all of the time. I have seen small boats damaged over time by storing them with the rigging tuned to around a C#; not a pretty sight!
 
I If you are not racing I see no problem with turnbuckles. In the end it is really what works for you. I have not experienced a roller furling on the 14.2 so I am in no way qualified to comment with any degree of authority. Personally, I prefer a forestay that allows quick and easy sail changes but then most of my experience has been in 30 to 58 foot boats and I have a hard time changing my mind set...

If you install turnbuckles it may be a good idea to slack of the shrouds when not sailing. I am not sure the boat is designed to have tension on all of the rigging all of the time. I have seen small boats damaged over time by storing them with the rigging tuned to around a C#; not a pretty sight!


That's a good tip abut slacking the turnbuckles between uses, Jim. That probably wouldn't have occurred to me. Thanks.

Bruce Wright
 

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