Storm Damage to Shrouds - Cal 34

Hello, I am new to the group and a new Cal owner. I just purchased a 1970 Cal-34 about 3 weeks ago. One of the items on my list was to replace the bulkhead which had some significant wood rot around the chain plate. Unfortunately, storms here in Oklahoma came through the marina and ripped the chainplate out of the hull and tore off the metal end on my spreader, which must have landed somewhere in the lake. I climbed the mast to day to inspect the damage and remove the damaged wire. I am attaching pictures and was hoping someone might know where/if I could purchase a new end to my wooded spreader and also where I may be able to purchase the upper chain plate. The picture shows both the undamaged spreader and the spreader missing the end. https://share.icloud.com/photos/04L_Omg_R4iMrDQpMIkx3pUvw#Oologah_Lake

Check in with Steve Seal, Seals Spars in Alameda, ca. He’ll know. > On May 25, 2019, at 11:05 PM, rl… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > Hello, I am new to the group and a new Cal owner. I just purchased a 1970 Cal-34 about 3 weeks ago. One of the items on my list was to replace the bulkhead which had some significant wood rot around the chain plate. Unfortunately, storms here in Oklahoma came through the marina and ripped the chainplate out of the hull and tore off the metal end on my spreader, which must have landed somewhere in the lake. I climbed the mast to day to inspect the damage and remove the damaged wire. I am attaching pictures and was hoping someone might know where/if I could purchase a new end to my wooded spreader and also where I may be able to purchase the upper chain plate. The picture shows both the undamaged spreader and the spreader missing the end. > > https://share.icloud.com/photos/04L_Omg_R4iMrDQpMIkx3pUvw#Oologah_Lake > >

Can't answer your question but I can say that the shroud should be wired to the spreader. That little metal strap is incorrect. The holes in your missing casting are for the wire. If it had been wired, it would still be connected to the wire and you would be asking for advice on repairing the chainplate. By the way, having a chainplate rip out of the boat certainly indicates serious weakness as I doubt any storm could put the force that just a hard sail would put on it but that is another story. If you are unable to find your casting, you could just make a new spreader and do what was done on my L-36 spreader. Since my spreaders happen to be in my yard I have enclosed a photo. It is just a detail in the wood and a stainless strap over it. You can see the holes, the equivalent of your casting holes, where the shroud is wired to the spreader. https://photos.app.goo.gl/fbkjk8kbvYyXTJ158 Now having said all this, I looked on Google for a photo of a shroud wired to the spreader and could not find it so it must not be all that common. Our boats have similar heritage and the the casting looks like an improvement on what was done on mine so that is what I am basing my comments on. Good luck and hope you can find your casting. Allen On Sat, May 25, 2019 at 10:05 PM rl… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] < Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > Hello, I am new to the group and a new Cal owner. I just purchased a 1970 > Cal-34 about 3 weeks ago. One of the items on my list was to replace the > bulkhead which had some significant wood rot around the chain plate. > Unfortunately, storms here in Oklahoma came through the marina and ripped > the chainplate out of the hull and tore off the metal end on my spreader, > which must have landed somewhere in the lake. I climbed the mast to day to > inspect the damage and remove the damaged wire. I am attaching pictures and > was hoping someone might know where/if I could purchase a new end to my > wooded spreader and also where I may be able to purchase the upper chain > plate. The picture shows both the undamaged spreader and the spreader > missing the end. > > https://share.icloud.com/photos/04L_Omg_R4iMrDQpMIkx3pUvw#Oologah_Lake > >

Some thoughts on your spreader, which seems to be the very least of your problem: Perhaps you can find a local foundry or machine shop to either make a casting, or machine a duplicate of the remaining end. {probably less crazymaing than finding a replacement part. That said, there are boat dismantlers around, one I know of in Bellingham, WA, who might just surprise you. Mr Google will know where they are. I couldn’t open Allen’s file, but on Nemesis, a 74 3-30, the spreaders are sitka spruce, with a groove in the end into which the shroud fits. That groove and the spreader tip are fitted with a stainless strap to hold everything in place. The strap is screwed to the edge of the spreader on the leading and trailing edge. It follows the contour of the groove. The whole enchilada should be seized to the shroud. I made new spreaders for Nemesis about 10 years age. It is not rocket science. Varnish them well, then paint the tops white to reduce sun damage. It’s a rewarding process. Good luck with he chain plate/bulkhead issue. That’s a very big deal. Fred Haas 3-30 Nemesis Tacoma > On May 26, 2019, at 7:26 AM, Allen Edwards al… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > Can't answer your question but I can say that the shroud should be wired to the spreader. That little metal strap is incorrect. The holes in your missing casting are for the wire. If it had been wired, it would still be connected to the wire and you would be asking for advice on repairing the chainplate. By the way, having a chainplate rip out of the boat certainly indicates serious weakness as I doubt any storm could put the force that just a hard sail would put on it but that is another story. > > If you are unable to find your casting, you could just make a new spreader and do what was done on my L-36 spreader. Since my spreaders happen to be in my yard I have enclosed a photo. It is just a detail in the wood and a stainless strap over it. You can see the holes, the equivalent of your casting holes, where the shroud is wired to the spreader. > > https://photos.app.goo.gl/fbkjk8kbvYyXTJ158 <https://photos..app.goo.gl/fbkjk8kbvYyXTJ158> > > Now having said all this, I looked on Google for a photo of a shroud wired to the spreader and could not find it so it must not be all that common. Our boats have similar heritage and the the casting looks like an improvement on what was done on mine so that is what I am basing my comments on. > > Good luck and hope you can find your casting. > > Allen > > On Sat, May 25, 2019 at 10:05 PM rl… [at] gmail.com <mailto:rl… [at] gmail.com> [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com <mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> wrote: > > Hello, I am new to the group and a new Cal owner. I just purchased a 1970 Cal-34 about 3 weeks ago. One of the items on my list was to replace the bulkhead which had some significant wood rot around the chain plate.. Unfortunately, storms here in Oklahoma came through the marina and ripped the chainplate out of the hull and tore off the metal end on my spreader, which must have landed somewhere in the lake. I climbed the mast to day to inspect the damage and remove the damaged wire. I am attaching pictures and was hoping someone might know where/if I could purchase a new end to my wooded spreader and also where I may be able to purchase the upper chain plate. The picture shows both the undamaged spreader and the spreader missing the end. > > https://share.icloud.com/photos/04L_Omg_R4iMrDQpMIkx3pUvw#Oologah_Lake <https://share.icloud.com/photos/04L_Omg_R4iMrDQpMIkx3pUvw#Oologah_Lake> > >

We made new spreaders from sitka spruce for Caliente, cal 36 when we noticed failure of one tip was imminent. A kind lister sent me a flat aluminum cutout, which I used for temporary while our rigger climbed while we tied extra shrouds to stabilize mast. We made a second tip out of some thick stock. Following that, a yacht club member made us correct pieces on his c and c machine. When I get back Tuesday I will see if I still have the good one, and some pics. I have the temp piece also. Even though the 36 has a double spreader rig, inboard shrouds, your tip looks like ours. I think our friend could also help make some more. I still have leftover spreaders. Not sure of length on a 34. A side note, we have seen 2 boats, an Islander 36 we think, and a cal 36 which had experienced the chainplate having been ripped along with a piece of rotting bulkhead right through the deck. First thing to assess with bulkheads is water damage from poor deck seal at chainplate entry. Next is bolts through those plates. They can be disappearing. Crevice corrosion on the bulkhead side of plate can be hidden. Check one bolt at a time at the very least. You can treat the bulkhead with penetrating epoxy if it's not weak. Painted bulkheads hide this issue. We can take this further off list if you're interested. Helen and Edward Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android On Sun, May 26, 2019 at 7:26 AM, Allen Edwards al… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats]<Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: Can't answer your question but I can say that the shroud should be wired to the spreader. That little metal strap is incorrect. The holes in your missing casting are for the wire. If it had been wired, it would still be connected to the wire and you would be asking for advice on repairing the chainplate. By the way, having a chainplate rip out of the boat certainly indicates serious weakness as I doubt any storm could put the force that just a hard sail would put on it but that is another story. If you are unable to find your casting, you could just make a new spreader and do what was done on my L-36 spreader. Since my spreaders happen to be in my yard I have enclosed a photo. It is just a detail in the wood and a stainless strap over it. You can see the holes, the equivalent of your casting holes, where the shroud is wired to the spreader. https://photos.app.goo.gl/fbkjk8kbvYyXTJ158 Now having said all this, I looked on Google for a photo of a shroud wired to the spreader and could not find it so it must not be all that common. Our boats have similar heritage and the the casting looks like an improvement on what was done on mine so that is what I am basing my comments on. Good luck and hope you can find your casting. Allen On Sat, May 25, 2019 at 10:05 PM rl… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: Hello, I am new to the group and a new Cal owner. I just purchased a 1970 Cal-34 about 3 weeks ago. One of the items on my list was to replace the bulkhead which had some significant wood rot around the chain plate.. Unfortunately, storms here in Oklahoma came through the marina and ripped the chainplate out of the hull and tore off the metal end on my spreader, which must have landed somewhere in the lake. I climbed the mast to day to inspect the damage and remove the damaged wire. I am attaching pictures and was hoping someone might know where/if I could purchase a new end to my wooded spreader and also where I may be able to purchase the upper chain plate. The picture shows both the undamaged spreader and the spreader missing the end. https://share.icloud.com/photos/04L_Omg_R4iMrDQpMIkx3pUvw#Oologah_Lake

Thanks Allen! I’ve sent a few emails to see if I can find one. If not, I’ll be calling machine shops soon to see if I can have one made.

On 5/26/2019 10:26 AM, Allen Edwards al… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] wrote: > > > Can't answer your question but I can say that the shroud should be > wired to the spreader. That little metal strap is incorrect. The > holes in your missing casting are for the wire. If it had been wired, > it would still be connected to the wire and you would be asking for > advice on repairing the chainplate. For spreaders that are adjustable as to angle (hinged), the wire can serve also to keep the spreader tip in position. The optimal spreader angle is not horizontal, but an angle that bisects the angle it makes with the shroud. My Cal 20 (aluminum spreaders) and my other boat (wooden spreaders) both have hinged, adjustable spreaders. My brother gave me a little tool that gives a very tight wrap of wife around various things. I used it to make wire wraps on the shroud above and below the spreader tip so the spreader is in the proper, angle-bisecting position. Chris Campbell