Bought new mast spreaders ... slightly longer

[Andrei123]

Some info on the boat: Evans 16 foot (pocket cruiser)

I am trying to replace my mast spreaders, found a great supplier down in US and i just got them in. His actual spreaders are 24" long as opposed to mine that are only 23". The issue i am having is that i would like to put the new spreaders in same spot as the old ones.
I really do not want to cut the new spreaders 1" to acomodate, I was thinking to move the new ones lower ( stupid mental calculation i guess) about 1" so that they are about the same.

Second dilema i am having is what to do with the old spreader bracket as i would like to take it out. Somebody was telling me holes in the mast affect its strength etc. Thats the last bloody thing id like to have my mast bend from force.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Hydra]

Andrei,
Why do you not want to cut 1" off the new spreaders? IME, spreaders are just cut out of a length of extrusion, then drilled to receive the end fittings.

Alain

[Andrei123]

They are so nice and new and pretty and profesionally cut Mostly i was trying to figure what would happenis i extended them 1" more. Would that cause some problem ?

[hellosailor]

"I really do not want to cut the new spreaders"
Did you ever hear the old Bill Cosby routine about Noah and the Lord?
"Voompah, voompah, voompah..." Hey Noah, whatcha doing there? Building me an ark.

Really, it is OK to cut spreaders to length. On some boats the stock spreaders actually exceed the one-design racing rule for the boat, so if you want to point higher than the other boats--you cut 'em down to the class minimum, no matter how they were built.

A nice metal blade, some sandpaper, and if you aren't handy with that, drop 'em off at a machine shop with explicit instructions.

[Andrei123]

Well folks, i guess im cutting the spreaders. I do have the tools and all, just feels like its a shame to muck with pretty new spreaders.