Spreaders on a 1970 E-32

Just about done refinishing the 32 and getting it ready to head for Oriental NC. Running new rigging it has the orginal wood spreaders. Has anyone had luck replacing them. Im thinking using Ash and seal with epoxy Or did someone have aluminum ones made? If so how much did it cost

I refabricated all four of the spreaders from my '69 32 about six years ago using a slab of sitka spruce from ML Conlon in White Plains, NY. If you search my postings you'll find my summary of the job. I'm not a woodworker by trade but with a borrowed planer, band saw, and router they're quite simple shapes: trapezoids with some of the edges routed nicely.

I coated the new spreaders with unthinned epoxy, drilled the holes a little oversized, filled the holes with thickened epoxy, and redrilled the final holes. I haven't had the mast down since but I think these will last a really long time.

Once you go aluminum you're opening up a Pandora's box of customizing the fittings to hold them to the mast. Tough to justify the effort in my book, never mind the cost.

thanks

That is my thought also I have the tools to do the woodworking so not a concern about the work and a super hardwood store near by. Ill check the wood you used, I think the orginals were Ash. I was told if you use thinned epoxy on first coat it seeps into the wood grain better I have hull number 69

What was on my boat before I replaced them was too light to be ash and was most likely also sitka spruce. I have no way of knowing if it was original though. Amazingly light and strong--apparently it is used in high-end kitchen surfaces but that seems like a waste of nature's engineering.

Straight West System seemed to soak in well enough, but the next time I have a project like this the first coat of epoxy I'll apply will be this CPES stuff, which has the consistency of water:
http://www.rotdoctor.com/products/cpes.html

My 32 is technically hull #112 -- that number is written on the inside of the cabinetry in several places -- but I suspect they started with #100 or 101. Does yours say 169 on it somewhere?

no it says #69 -32 on the rudder shaft housing in the cockpit

this was before the engraved the serial numbers Im told it is hull num,ber 69 Found the spruce and will use that it is also used in homemade planes Very storng for the weight. Thanks so much

One more question just in front of the keel on the port side is a heavy weight piece can t figure it out has little holes in it do not see anything on inside Have come from hunters

I f you check the documents section of this site you will probably find the original drawings for the spreaders in a copy of the owners manual. That is where I found them for my 35-2. And Sitka Spruce was specifically noted as the material. Making my replacements now! Edd

32-2 serial number

"My 32 is technically hull #112 -- that number is written on the inside of the cabinetry in several places -- but I suspect they started with #100 or 101. Does yours say 169 on it somewhere?"

My 1970 E32 is hull #165. It is written on the back side of the cabinetry. FWIW straight grain sitka spruce is used as stringed instrument tone wood(violin and guitar family tops and piano sound boards) maybe you can teach you Ericson to sing.