Typhoon rigging question

[Ben Miller]

I'm getting my Ty ready for launch and hoping there are some folks out there who are doing the same (i.e. not in the water yet) who could take a quick measurement for me. I noticed last summer that my spreaders seem to slant downward a bit. In other words, they're below horizontal, not above like I would expect. I don't see any sign that the spreader tips have slid down the shrouds, so I'm assuming they've been this way since the boat was last re-rigged (prior to my ownership).

Could someone who has their mast on the hard measure the length of their shroud from the tang on the mast to the spreader tip? That'll give me something to compare to. Thanks!

[Dick Villamil]

Just push the ends of the spreaders up to horizontal with a boat hoo or something. They tand to wiggle downward after a season of sailing.

[mgphl52]

Your spreaders should be about 4~5 degrees above perpendicular to the mast. Some seizing wire covered with rigging tape should keep them there and prevent damage to the sails.

[Ben Miller]

They've been in this spot for a couple of seasons with no apparent change in location (they're seized to the shrouds with wire). If I get a chance to fiddle with it before I launch (day after tomorrow) I might reposition the spreaders, but at the moment I'm inclined not to mess with them.

I did some internet searching and found a couple of recommendations for this method:

• Measure down from the tang where the shroud is fastened to the base of the spreader (with a tape or just a halyard/piece of line)
• Measure that same distance down the length of the shroud, starting again at the tang.
• Seize your spreader tip there

Supposedly that will get your spreader tip in pretty much the right location, and it sounds a lot easier than trying to measure shroud angles.