MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : Fixed or Adjustable spreaders

Faced with a dilema. Jacko offers the option of fixed or adjustable spreaders on his mast. Now I have never adjusted spreaders on any of my boats apart from initial set up to the 'norm', so that says to me go for fixed. However am I missing something important?


Posted: 20/12/2005 20:52:48
By: Alan F
Adjustable spreaders maintain the possibility for change should the fashion alter.

I'd go for adjustable ones if I was you.


Posted: 20/12/2005 21:20:31
By: Chris M
But be careful with Jacko's adjustables!  They are very ingenious, but don't always work when not touched for a while.  And a little delicate...  Ours are now essentially fixed thanks to glue failure, rust and over-eagerness with the screwdriver!


Posted: 21/12/2005 00:32:09
By: deepy
When you start faffing with spreader angles you need to change rig settings for each turn you take off/ put on your spreaders. Those with adjustable ones tend to forget about them and find that when they do decide to have a play, one has come a tiny bit loose and they were racing round with squiffy spreaders for months!

Probably best to go for fixed and make sure the angle of deflection is set square - not squiffy! Speak to Jacko about how you like to sail the boat (ie with slightly fuller sails/ flatter) how much you weigh all up etc...and he can work out where to fix the angle of deflection.


Posted: 21/12/2005 09:50:10
By: Squiffy or straight?
I would definitely go for fixed, one less thing to worry about.


Posted: 21/12/2005 10:24:32
By: TB
Come on guys, this is a Merlin - why not run a rope up the mast, and have a small drum on the spreader screw to it can be adjusted whilst hiking out?


Posted: 03/01/2006 14:20:26
By: Mags
It's less complicated than that! Just call Dave White or Keith Callaghan (of merlin fame) at Z spars and see if they still have an info sheet on there alloy version that we all used on 505's back in the 80's.
Then for all you Carbon diy buffs a day in the shed should do it!


Posted: 03/01/2006 18:12:54
By: Barry Watkin
Mags, Could you do a little more design work on this, please?  It sounds very similar to a system desgined by Derrick Ethell in about 1980 that we used at the time on our Albacore. The drum (about the size of a cotton reel) was mounted inside the mast and operated like a bottlescrew (remember them?). The drum wound a pair of threaded rods, one of which came out each side of the mast within the spreader bracket and pushed against the end of the spreader arms, which were very carefully cam shaped.  The drum had a loop of string to make operation continuous.

The advantages were that the spreader angle didn't change with mast bend (unlike the old Z-spar system) since the string was not under tension, and it was possible to adjust the spreaders forward and back under load.

The disadvantage was that it was not possible to calibrate the spreaders, so it was all a matter of working by eye.

Not sure what happened to the bits when Derrick went north...

Happy days... sail the Snowflake, back for the full roast dinner, then back to student life in the evening.. Nothing but sailing and drink to worry about.

GGGGGGG


Posted: 04/01/2006 08:45:18
By: Chairman GGGGGG
This al sounds likesoimething the late Bruce Banks would have loved to do! Bags of tuphnol, titanium all oiled and "tweeked", until the day it blows up! His reefing gear for Int 14's circa 1955 was just one piece of kit, as far as I know his never went wrong but several copies blew up spectacularly including the one I witnessed on the late Glen Foster's 14 when his crew was hospitalised having mini ball bearings dug out of his eye! The time involved would be better spent, (I'm certain.) training on the water and recutting sails! But as Mags says this is the Merlin Rocket Class!!!! Perhaps other Forumers remember other gadgets that did/did not work? Brian Saffery Cooper and his father Geoffrey had a capstan on the foredeck of "Joy" that was a very early precourser of the "one string" rake adjustment for example.


Posted: 04/01/2006 09:12:17
By: Ancient Geek
I believe that Fireballs had until very recently (and indeed some may still have) adjustable spreaders.  I think they decided that it was more hassle than it was worth, and if that was the case with a stiff alloy mast then I think there probably ain't no point with our nice bendy black (or white) things.  Also, what about the weight you'd add up in the sky - the whole point of carbon masts.  And another string - really!?

Good luck if you fancy giving it a go though...


Posted: 04/01/2006 09:54:09
By: Deepy
You might be pleased to know Brian S/C is still sailing here in Cowes having bought the aptly  named Daring 'Decanter' a season or so back.


Posted: 04/01/2006 09:57:32
By: Barry Watkin
And cruising the Windies in "Lucky Dragon".


Posted: 04/01/2006 11:40:28
By: Ancient Geek

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