Spreaders and should lines go inside the mast?

[jimTheSailorMan]

COMPLETELY NEW to sailing and purchased an American Fiberglass 2+2 - only paid $500 for boat and trailer so I expected to have to fix some things.

Rudder was starting to rot so rebuilt it from some spare wood - this seemed to have gone well.

The mast has fittings for a spreader(s) but nothing came with the mast.

Since this is a project, I would like to make as much as possible - wondering if I could make these out of 1/2 or 3/4 conduit (smoothing edges)?

Also there are no through holes for the lines to go through the mast. I took it out yesterday for a test run but accidentally fouled the main halyard with the shroud cables. Didn't figure this out till I was about 20 feet from the doc and didn't want to come in and drop mast and then go out again.

Was thinking there is a big hollow area inside the mast going to waste. Could I drill some small holes for the main halyard and jib halyard thus reducing the number of ropes up the mast.

Mast is a Dwyer. Kind looks like this sketch from their site.

Finally - is there a 3/16 size quick disconnect for connecting the shrouds to the chainplate? I am using some machine screws and nuts but would like to use something quicker. Front cable has a push to disengage a small bump that holds it in place. Can somebody send me a link to the right hardware to use in this case?

Can send more pictures if this would help.

[roverhi]

Yes you can. There are exit fittings to make a nice finished look or you can just cut a channel for the halyard to exit. Be careful when running the halyards that they don't get twisted around each other. The slot should be high enough on the mast so you can comfortably hand the line. Schaefer Halyard Exit Plate Flat | APS

[Suijin]

There is the issue of getting the halyards to run smoothly into the mast. You'll need sheaves of some sort, or move the existing pulleys/blocks so that the lines enters the mast with no chafe/rub. Same is true of the exit; most apertures for lines to exit the mast are longer "slots" so the lines run unobstructed.

Yes, for attaching the shrouds to the chainplates you can get clevis pins of the right length and diameter. If you're stepping and unstepping the mast a lot, you can use those pins...I don't know what they are called...almost like a bobby pin that stays in but you can easily pull out.

As for the spreaders...you can make them out of anything that is strong enough and weather resistant. They should technically be wide enough overall that the run of the shrouds down from them to the deck is vertical.