A spreader is a
spar
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on a
sailing boat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.
Types
Although sailboat terminology ...
used to deflect the
shrouds to allow them to better support the
mast. The spreader or spreaders serve much the same purpose as the
crosstrees and
tops
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in a traditional sailing vessel.
Spreader design and tuning can be quite complex. The spreaders may be fixed (rigid) or swinging (pivoted at the mast). The purpose of the spreaders is to control, by either limiting, or inducing, bend into the spar so that when the windward shroud is loaded the mast achieves the desired bend characteristics. The spreaders may be designed to be angled in a way that either forces bend in to the spar or reduces bend, depending on the desired results.
Sailing rigs and rigging
{{Navy-stub
de:Saling
fr:Barre de flèche
no:Salingshorn