Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick_Seattle
In an earlier post (search spreader boot) Brion says he prefers those wheels to boots. I think that makes a lot of sense...
-p
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Yeah, I thought about using spreader rollers but, in the end, I didn't like the attachment methods for the commercially available products. As I recall, one type even had set screws used to clamp it to the shroud without a backing plate (I could be wrong on that). In any case, I just didn't feel inclined to introduce more failure points in the shroud unnecessarily. I suppose that I could have fabricated my own and held them on with seizings but, again, that's just one more area for the wire to be covered up and start corroding and more rollers means more bits to maintain.
On the advice of my sailmaker, I've decided to try boots that I've made out of shearling sheepskin. Nice and soft on the sails and shouldn't hold the moisture inside the spreader end joint. Sure they'll get dirty and won't last any longer than other alternatives but, as with everything on a boat, it's a trade off.
The only thing that I was curious how others had handled was the isolation of the aluminum spreader end from the stainless wire. Even uncovered, this sort of contact between dissimilar metals will continue to corrode (though not as fast as when it's continually wet). I suppose that the ideal solution would be to fabricate some new spreader ends out of Delrin or similar material but I might have to wait until I take the mast down to do that.
John