Better Spreader Tips
Mar 1, 2021 4:56:00 GMT
Post by timdaniel on Mar 1, 2021 4:56:00 GMT
Just took the mast down on my new-to-me SO 36.2 yesterday. It has Zspar Z95 spreaders. We need to replace the spreader tips among other things. Two questions:
1) We can get the replacement plastic tips in various places such as here and here, but I can't help to wonder if there aren't some better tips out there for these boats. These ones are pretty much done after 20 years, and they don't really do a good job of clamping the spreader to the shrouds. All of ours were loose and could slide up and down the shroud.
The new design can be externally tightened, which is a bonus, but it still looks like the plastic will fail after a while, and the clamp will quickly loosen as the wire works its way into the plastic. No problem for the upper spreaders, but the lower spreaders will drop when the clamp loosens due to the intermediate stay bending around the spreader tip.
Are there any metal tips with better clamps available that will fit the Z95 spreaders? I have been searching, with no luck so far.
2) Any good or bad experiences with ZSpar UK, Rig Rite, or USSpars? We want to get these things quickly now that we have the rig down on the dock in everyone's way.
thanks
Tim
1) We can get the replacement plastic tips in various places such as here and here, but I can't help to wonder if there aren't some better tips out there for these boats. These ones are pretty much done after 20 years, and they don't really do a good job of clamping the spreader to the shrouds. All of ours were loose and could slide up and down the shroud.
The new design can be externally tightened, which is a bonus, but it still looks like the plastic will fail after a while, and the clamp will quickly loosen as the wire works its way into the plastic. No problem for the upper spreaders, but the lower spreaders will drop when the clamp loosens due to the intermediate stay bending around the spreader tip.
Are there any metal tips with better clamps available that will fit the Z95 spreaders? I have been searching, with no luck so far.
2) Any good or bad experiences with ZSpar UK, Rig Rite, or USSpars? We want to get these things quickly now that we have the rig down on the dock in everyone's way.
thanks
Tim