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I have a Megellan 36 ketch rigged sailboat. Im about to restep the masts and looking for advice regarding the spreaders. Should they be installed at a slight upward angle. I have been told about 5 degree. Thanks
Ideally the angle between the spreaders and the shrouds should be equal above and below. Otherwise shroud tension will tend to push the spreader tip up or down depending.
Yes, the spreader is typically raised about 5 degrees, as Faster wrote, to bisect the angle of the shroud that becomes a diagonal over its tip. But the design varies. Some spreaders are stout enough at their base to resist moving down under load. Some are well attached to the shrouds so as to not move even when a bikini clad sailor uses the spreader as a diving platform. For those of us with sensitive eyes please make them even port and starboard.
Yes, they are often put in position after the rig is raised and the slack is out of the shrouds.
You start with them a little high do as they are tensioned they drop into place. Five degrees is probably a good place to start.
Once the rig is snug, but before final tuning sliding them into alignment is good practice.
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