Freezing concern for horizontal mast storage?

[hlev00]

We store our Beneteau 423 on the hard each winter in New England. Often it is with the mast up. When we have pulled the mast it has been stored in a shed or on a rack with some moderate level of rain / snow protection. We are storing the boat this year at a new-to-us yard that leaves the masts outside on racks with no rain or snow protection. This particular yard suggests covering the spreaders so that water does leak in and result in ice building up inside, cracking the spreader. Of course there is no rain or snow protection for the mast when the boat is stored with the mast up.



I will take their advice but I've not heard of this happening before. Do any of you in freezing climates cover your spreaders or have you experienced this sort of freezing problem?



Thanks,
Harry

[Knotical]

Can’t you remove the spreaders and wrap tie the mast with tarp/canvas/bubble wrap?

[Morgan Sailor]

I’ve been storing my mast outdoors, on a mast rack, in Canadian winters for the past ten years without issue. I remove the spreaders and store them in the boat. Then I wrap the mast with some rope to help keep all the rigging neat and tidy. Do not wrap any part of the mast with any kind of cover. When, not if, any water gets inside your wrap, your mast will be sitting in ice/ water all winter long.

By the way, same advise goes for your furler if you have one. Mine gets tied up against the mast. Just make sure when the mast is stored, that the furler is on the top or side of the mast, not under it.