RE: [Cal_Boats] Re: 2-30 Spreader Fabrication (EveryOne & Rog...)

Absolutely correct Ma'am. Cast aluminum. Prone to cracking if the stresses are in the wrong direction. Steve Seals has a replacement that I used on my latest rebuild. Still round alum spreaders. Cheers Charlie From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of slickbutfoxbuger Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 1:02 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: 2-30 Spreader Fabrication (EveryOne & Rog...) you know; after all the response on here about spreaders made of aluminum; i took a walk out to the back 40 where fiver has an old cal- 25 flush-deck that will never see the deep blue again. and i looked at her spreader fittings..... guess what, she had round castings for aluminum sticks/spreaders about 1" across/a-round. fiver, Master of The "BB-54" one of the famous Cal-28 flush-decks out of Sierra-5, Papa Hotel (in days gone by) now resting outside my shop Federal Way, Wa. (built like a Battleship; sails like a Sub......) ************************************ --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, Preferred Customer <deitch3000@...> wrote: > > Rog, Fiver > My cal 3-30, hull 109, 1974 also has Aluminum spreaders. They have an air foil shape and are holloow. They appear to be orginal. > > Dale > Cal 3-30 > Sandbox > > david dobbs <tmft567@...> wrote: > Rog, > The spreader discussion is curious to me, my Cal29, hull # 411, 1972 vintage came to me with aluminum spreaders, and I would swear they are factory. No evidence of modification to the mast, they are hollow and fit snugly on the brackets. They have an end cap that holds the cap shrouds attached to the spreader with two cap screws. All the other Cals I have seen have wood spreaders, except the 31s. I love them and other Cal owners have been envious, so I don't leave them unattended. My Cal was originally based in Detroit, and was raced there. > I don't think there is much difference in weight aloft, but maintenance is nil for me. I take that back, I had to get new cap screws because the old ones were seizing > > Regards, > David Dobbs Yahoo! Groups Links

Husar Charlie wrote: > > Absolutely correct Ma'am. Cast aluminum. Prone to cracking if the > stresses are in the wrong direction. Steve Seals has a replacement that > I used on my latest rebuild. Still round alum spreaders. > Wow, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. Both of my boats have hinged spreaders, so they can accommodate a bit of movement. Aluminum castings are not very forgiving. Long ago, I sailed on a "B-Lion" catamaran, a class B racing boat made by Alcort and designed to fold up for trailering. It was a lot of fun to sail, lots of WHEEE!!!, but after every sail you had to come back and get out the electric drill to remove and replace the cast-aluminum parts that had broken. Maybe we didn't pay enough attention to set-up or maybe it was just inadequate engineering. Sure was fun while sailing, though. Chris Campbell

Chris, as a correction, the Seals replacement brackets are stainless steel. Cheers Charlie annapolis From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 10:31 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: 2-30 Spreader Fabrication (EveryOne & Rog...) Husar Charlie wrote: Absolutely correct Ma'am. Cast aluminum. Prone to cracking if the stresses are in the wrong direction. Steve Seals has a replacement that I used on my latest rebuild. Still round alum spreaders. Wow, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. Both of my boats have hinged spreaders, so they can accommodate a bit of movement. Aluminum castings are not very forgiving. Long ago, I sailed on a "B-Lion" catamaran, a class B racing boat made by Alcort and designed to fold up for trailering. It was a lot of fun to sail, lots of WHEEE!!!, but after every sail you had to come back and get out the electric drill to remove and replace the cast-aluminum parts that had broken. Maybe we didn't pay enough attention to set-up or maybe it was just inadequate engineering. Sure was fun while sailing, though. Chris Campbell

Charlie: I enjoy your posts. I've been reading them for years. But can you do something about your fonts? Sometimes the print is so faint that I can barely read it. And my eyes are getting older--not younger Dick Dozier "Pantera" Cal 40 # 110 On Sep 6, 2006, at 9:50 AM, Husar Charlie wrote: > Chris, as a correction, the Seals replacement brackets are stainless > steel. > > Cheers > Charlie > annapolis > > From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On > Behalf Of Chris Campbell > Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 10:31 AM > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: 2-30 Spreader Fabrication (EveryOne & > Rog...) > > Husar Charlie wrote:Absolutely correct Ma'am. Cast aluminum. Prone to > cracking if the >> stresses are in the wrong direction. Steve Seals has a replacement >> that >> I used on my latest rebuild. Still round alum spreaders. >> > > > > > > Wow, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. Both of my boats have > hinged spreaders, so they can accommodate a bit of movement. Aluminum > castings are not very forgiving. Long ago, I sailed on a "B-Lion" > catamaran, a class B racing boat made by Alcort and designed to fold > up for trailering. It was a lot of fun to sail, lots of WHEEE!!!, but > after every sail you had to come back and get out the electric drill > to remove and replace the cast-aluminum parts that had broken. Maybe > we didn't pay enough attention to set-up or maybe it was just > inadequate engineering. Sure was fun while sailing, though. > > Chris Campbell >

Thank You, Capt. Charlie; (would that be proper?) it was my first thought to simply replace the fitting in question with a solid SS 1" four hole deck mount rail fitting. then simply drive my butt over to the local "Boeing Aircraft surplus Warehouse" and grab a stick of 1" medium wall (round) aged aluminum to cram back into the stanchion mounts for spreaders. of course, to deal with both the round surface of the mast, and what i am sure will be a very slight upward angle to the spreaders; the latter to bring said spar to a 90 degree intersection with the upper section of outer shroud: my further thought was to use either slightly flexible solid *Nylon* bar-stock (also a boeing surplus part) to fabricate the slightly convex and ever-so slightly angled SS base/mast interface piece. but if i found the Nylon to be too *forgiving* so-to-speck; my next choice would be "StarBoard". and though the boat will never see the sea again, i am saving the mast for a future project. i would however, very much like to see a picture of Mr. Seals after market fix for this problem? it sounds like He is quite the Rigger! on a much lighter note, and for the record; this girl is neither old enough to be addressed as *ma'am*; nor did her military rank ever carry her to that point. and though we are much flattered, Capt. Charlie; by your courtesy. as they used to say in the Nav.... don't ma'am me, i work for a living just like you...... :)(: fiver, Master of The "BB-54" one of the famous Cal-28 flush-decks out of Sierra-5, Papa Hotel (in days gone by) now resting outside my shop Federal Way, Wa. (built like a Battleship; sails like a Sub......) ************************************* --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Husar Charlie" <husar_charlie@...> wrote: > > Absolutely correct Ma'am. Cast aluminum. Prone to cracking if the > stresses are in the wrong direction. Steve Seals has a replacement that > I used on my latest rebuild. Still round alum spreaders. > > Cheers > Charlie >

Husar Charlie wrote: > > Chris, as a correction, the Seals replacement brackets are stainless > steel. > I know, I've got 'em. My comments were directed to the cast aluminum sockets described earlier, which sound like a poor choice both because they're cast aluminum and because they're non-pivoting. Cast aluminum is fine stuff in its place, but it has to remember its place and not get uppity. I always think of that B-Lion, the thrill of speed and the tedium of replacing broken parts afterward. I even get a bit nervous about the Cal 20's pivoting mast step, which is cast aluminum. When the thing pivots up or down, there's always some athwartships motion (the boat is rocking, the guy holding the mast is tripping over shrouds, disaster is always imminent), and I worry that it's going to do the cast-aluminum suicide. So far it has proved me wrong. But I always remember that B-Lion.... Chris Campbell

Everyone on the list needs once again to be gently reminded to please, please CHANGE THE SUBJECT LINE IN YOUR EMAIL IF YOU CHANGE THE SUBJECT/CONTENT! There. I said it and it made me feel So Much Better! Seriously, gang, lit is a real time-waster when you think you are about to read about Cal 2-30 Spreader Fabrication and you end up looking at a post about materials for Cal 25 mast bases. It also means that later on, if somebody actually wants information about materials for Cal 25 mast bases, it cannot be found. That isn't good for new members and it makes it tough on those who get the daily digest. Now, I will post another message that will actually change the subject line so you can see how it's done. Thanks from all of us longtime listees. \Rog Cal 29+ #1 Swiss Navy Cal 2-30 #77 St. Lori's Comet _____ From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 6:43 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: 2-30 Spreader Fabrication (EveryOne & Rog...) Husar Charlie wrote: Chris, as a correction, the Seals replacement brackets are stainless steel. I know, I've got 'em. My comments were directed to the cast aluminum sockets described earlier, which sound like a poor choice both because they're cast aluminum and because they're non-pivoting. Cast aluminum is fine stuff in its place, but it has to remember its place and not get uppity. I always think of that B-Lion, the thrill of speed and the tedium of replacing broken parts afterward. I even get a bit nervous about the Cal 20's pivoting mast step, which is cast aluminum. When the thing pivots up or down, there's always some athwartships motion (the boat is rocking, the guy holding the mast is tripping over shrouds, disaster is always imminent), and I worry that it's going to do the cast-aluminum suicide. So far it has proved me wrong. But I always remember that B-Lion.... Chris Campbell

slickbutfoxbuger wrote: > > > on a much lighter note, and for the record; > this girl is neither old enough to be addressed as *ma'am*; > nor did her military rank ever carry her to that point. and though we > are much flattered, Capt. Charlie; by your courtesy. as they used to > say in the Nav.... > don't ma'am me, i work for a living just like you...... :)(: > Now on this subject, my mother was an Alabamian, and in Alabama, children are taught to respond to their elders by saying "yes ma'am" or "yes sir." Mom did her best but could never induce her Michigan-raised kids to speak in such a manner. It was all "yes" or "no," with nary the ma'am or sir. We'd go visit the southern relatives and we'd marvel at their ma'aming and sirring. And now I have attained a certain age myself, chronologically, although as others have written, most of us have a mental picture of ourselves as being about 35, regardless of how far beyond that we've survived. But at any rate, when I answer my telephone at work, I'll say "yes, ma'am" or yes, sir," even though the callers are often (more often, these days) younger than I am. And some of them actually work for a living, too. I guess I regard it as a small gesture of respect. So for some of us it has nothing to do with age or rank or position and everything to do with little patterns of speech, just as we'll address others as Mr. or Ms. There are few enough little courtesies left in our world, and a few of them here and there won't hurt. And on the subject of age, we can't do much about chronology or, in my case, the departure of hair from the scalp. But we can remain active and fit so we can continue to do things that are fun. Sailing is certainly one of them but there are lots of others. The wretched pay in my job is somewhat compensated by the fact that I can ride my bike to work often, and when I get home I can ride the bike to the boat and go sailing, all in about 15 minutes. While younger folks were sitting dull-eyed in front of the TV last night, I was romping across the Bay in the Cal 20. Does life get any better? Chris Campbell > > . > >

The new spreaders went on over the weekend and the were a really easy install. Naturally, forgot to take the camera along, but will get down this weekend for Caltopia and will take some pics. Decided not to paint them. They are just too sexy in black 2X2 3K carbon fiber twill. It shows through the resin coat and sort of shimmers in the light. Some thoughts on doing this for anyone who doesn't take down the entire rig to replace spreaders: 1. In quality installations, under the spreader tips are circular, white, plastic spreader stops that are screw-tensioned around the shrouds. These are used to keep the spreaders at the correct angle to the mast. On the 2-30 there is a 4" rise from the spreader bracket to the spreader tip. On other Cals, Bill Lapworth's rig and sail plan generally show the correct angle. Check your prints. It is smart to take a felt-tipped pen or a Sharpie and make a small mark on the shroud at the bottom of the spreader stop before loosening it. Slightly loosen the two machine screws in the stop and then let the spreader slip down the shroud wire to the deck. If you are doing this short-handed, you can attach a safety line (rope) to the spreader to prevent it from shooting down the shroud and embedding itself in the deck. The spreader tip is wired to the shroud with rigging wire and should just easily slip down the shroud. Remove or cut the rigging wire from the tip and the spreader should come free. 2. To replace it, simply replace the wire at the aluminum spreader tip, lightly tape the stop to the end of the spreader and slide everything back up the shroud. When it is at the mark you made, tighten up the machine screws in the spreader stop and then put the base of the spreader back into the bracket. 3. The spreaders have stainless plates top and bottom. The plates and bases have holes through them to take vertical cotter pins. Be sure that you have the spreaders properly oriented with the longer side on the bottom and the shorter on the top so that the pins will go through their holes properly to secure the spreaders to the mast. Replace the cotter keys and spread them open. That's about it. Some tips for mast work: 1. Wear a rigger's apron or a waist-length carpenter's apron to carry your tools, tape, etc., so that you don't have to go up and down the mast to get them. 2. Plan your job. Figure out exactly step-by-step what you are going to do before you do it. Ask others to suggest what you might have overlooked. Include tools and materials in your planning and be sure that they go into the pockets of the apron before you go up the stick. 3. Make sure you know the proper safety routines for use of a boson's chair. Have at least two people with you for the job. One to handle the halyard and winch and another to handle getting tools to you (if they are too big to get into the apron) and to handle the safety line. Hope this is of value. And please, REMEMBER TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT LINE IN YOUR EMAILS IF YOU CHANGE THE SUBJECT. Hehehe. \Rog Cal 29+ #1 Swiss Navy Cal 2-30 #77 St. Lori's Comet _____ From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 6:43 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: 2-30 Spreader Fabrication (EveryOne & Rog...) Husar Charlie wrote: Chris, as a correction, the Seals replacement brackets are stainless steel. I know, I've got 'em. My comments were directed to the cast aluminum sockets described earlier, which sound like a poor choice both because they're cast aluminum and because they're non-pivoting. Cast aluminum is fine stuff in its place, but it has to remember its place and not get uppity. I always think of that B-Lion, the thrill of speed and the tedium of replacing broken parts afterward. I even get a bit nervous about the Cal 20's pivoting mast step, which is cast aluminum. When the thing pivots up or down, there's always some athwartships motion (the boat is rocking, the guy holding the mast is tripping over shrouds, disaster is always imminent), and I worry that it's going to do the cast-aluminum suicide. So far it has proved me wrong. But I always remember that B-Lion.... Chris Campbell

Just in case someone has not already posted it, here is the link to the Steve Seal spreader kit: http://www.sealsspars.com/spreader_bracket_catalog.html Bruce Stirling

Rog Jones wrote: > > 1. In quality installations, under the spreader tips are circular, > white, plastic spreader stops that are screw-tensioned around > the shrouds. These are used to keep the spreaders at the correct > angle to the mast. > Where do you purchase these devices? I've always found just the wire that secures the spreader tip to the shroud. It has to serve double duty, securing the tip to shroud AND by friction, locating the tip at the proper height/angle. Some little stops would be cool additions to my boats. Chris Campbell

Hi, Chris -- West Marine has the spreader stops. \Rog Cal 29+ #1 Swiss Navy Cal 2-30 #77 St. Lori's Comet _____ From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 9:13 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] 2-30 Spreader Installation (was Nag, nag, nag) Rog Jones wrote: 1. In quality installations, under the spreader tips are circular, white, plastic spreader stops that are screw-tensioned around the shrouds. These are used to keep the spreaders at the correct angle to the mast. Where do you purchase these devices? I've always found just the wire that secures the spreader tip to the shroud. It has to serve double duty, securing the tip to shroud AND by friction, locating the tip at the proper height/angle. Some little stops would be cool additions to my boats. Chris Campbell