Spreader tips not captive?

[Ian McColgin]

First, I'm hoping you mean up and down play possible.

Assuming that, many riggers cock the spreaders up a little such that the spreader bisects the angle of the stay. In that position, the spreader will usually stay put just with the friction of the stay over the spreader.

That not withstanding, in boisterous weather things can pump and bump and that's not the day you want the spreader to slip down and let the stay go slack. So most riggers find a way to keep the spreader in one place on the stay. Something seriously more attached than hoping the rubber boots keep things aligned.

There are boats where someone thought the spreaders ought to be dead horizontal and for that reason made the base attachment to the mast rigid. These spreaders absolutely must be supported, usually by seizing around the stay and then some mechanical press fit or lashing to the spreader tip.

Further, if the spreaders are prone to be stood on by people going up the mast - it is a great view after all - a light supporting stay might be run at a forty five degree down angle from the mast to the end of the spreader.

So look things over to make it work.

G'luck