I recently had my mast taken down for inspection, and was amazed to find the screws were not drilled through the mast spreader root to lock the spreader. Is this normal?

The boat has swept-back spreaders.

Jane Burton

Ben Sutcliffe Davies replies:

Sadly, this is all too common, especially with swept-back mast spreader setups, which is why it’s so important to check your rig regularly.

I recently had to deal with an insurance claim for a dismasting that had been caused by the spreader root screws loosening over time. Eventually, when the boat tacked, the spreader root slid out from the mast bracket – the boat lost its rig.

When I pulled out the spreader root, there were no holes drilled through the bracket where the spreader root screws were – the screws were just an interference fit in the bracket’s slot.

Whenever your mast is down or you are having the rig checked, make sure at least one bolt goes through the complete spreader arm and through the bracket connected to the mast. You can find out more at my YouTube channel, The Marine Surveyor Notebook.

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