Adding a beam cleat

[atroon]

I've been in a few situations tying up to a slip or alongside a pier where a beam cleat would seem to be handy, and my O'Day 28 lacks them.

I'm a little nervous about drilling holes in the deck, though I plan to follow MaineSail's excellent butyl tape bedding guide. Anyone done this to their O'Day? Is it helpful, or do I just need to get better at line handling with the cleats I have?

For reference, I have one large cleat at the bow where I tie off the hook if we're dropping the anchor, and two smaller cleats at the stern, one on each side. That's it for tying up, though I do have cleats aft of the winches for the jib sheets, I have used those in a pinch but they do not seem to be made to take the load of the whole boat pulling on them.

Thoughts/suggestions? Any line-handling tips also welcome. I'm practicing hard, I hope someday to be graded 'proficient'...

 

[Stu Jackson]

You really should get a midships cleat. I must admit I'd never heard of it being called a "beam" cleat, but I managed to figure it out.

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6379.0.html

Since you most likely have a track on each side, why not purchase a cleat to go on the track. We did, no holes to drill, although some of our skippers have done so with a variety of different really nice cleats.

 

[DeniseO30]

I have them on my boat and must admit i don't use them very much, I did find that many dock hands are clueless about them when I was in the Chesapeake about 3 yrs ago.

 

[njsail]

A midship cleat is perfect for a couple of important things. 1 it's a great place to attach spring lines. Another great use is docking in a wind that's pushing you away from the dock. Pull up to the doc and quickly attach a line to the mid ship cleat, then either put the boat in reverse gently and you'll stay against the doc so you have time to tie everything up. Or put the throttle slightly forward and you have the same result until you tell you everything up properly. In nasty wind a mid cleat can save your pride.

 

[JonnyQuest]

+1 for midship cleat springline making docking a single handing breeze. I too have a track mounted midships cleat, on my finger pier side. Got mine from Garhauer for my 27 footer.

 

[RubyJean]

Mid cleat

I alway's have a mid ships cleat on my boats, really a must for the spring lines........Do It....Michael...

 

[Sailvayu]

A friend posted this on my site you may find it of help or interest

http://www.projectboatzen.com/forum/content/193-midship-cleat.html

 

[atroon]

A friend posted this on my site you may find it of help or interest

http://www.projectboatzen.com/forum/content/193-midship-cleat.html

This is an excellent link, thank you very much for listing it. It's exactly what I was looking for on placement and cautionary advice (cover it so it doesn't snag the jib sheet!).

I also had never heard of cleats that go onto the track, but I do indeed have track on both sides that extends a fair way forward, so that would be an ideal way to experiment with placement.

 

[FastOlson]

We have had a Sherman Johnson folding cleat on each side of our boat (for spring lines) for a decade. Ours use the slotted toe rail but they make a bolt-down model and a track-mounted model too.
Great product!
http://www.csjohnson.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3

Loren

 

[sailorhokie]

Assuming you have tracks on both sides, splurge and buy two. I bought one to experiment with and find myself moving it frequently from one side of the boat to the other.

Also make sure the track width and track hole diameter are compatible with the cleat(s) you purchase.

Josh

 

[JonnyQuest]

I agree with Josh, buy two. I got one and put it on my finger pier/stbd side. Wouldn't you know that I immediately learned the lesson when heading to the fuel dock-- on port side of course. Not really feasible to switch them from side to side on the go like I was originally thinking.

Here's hoping Santa or the Great Pumpkin brings me a second midships cleat.

 

[RAD]

I have track on my 32 on the coach roof and that's where I put a track cleat......really works well without the need to install one on the deck and have a tripping hazard

 

[Sprega]

Breast line

A breast line attached to a midship cleat is the best line possible for docking short handed. You can control the whole boat with just the one line and properly placed fenders. You can tie the boat temporarily to the dock with the breast line led directly to the center dock cleat and the take your time with bow, stern and spring lines.

 

[Sprega]

Mid cleat.

I am thinking of mounting cleats at the forward End of my genoa tracks by drilling and tapping the track for the appropriate size machine screws. It would save a ton of money as compared to buying track cleats from WM. Any thoughts?

 

[Bill1565]

I am thinking of mounting cleats at the forward End of my genoa tracks by drilling and tapping the track for the appropriate size machine screws. It would save a ton of money as compared to buying track cleats from WM. Any thoughts?

Personally, I would not tie a line to a cleat that was not thru bolted with a hefty backing plate.

 

[Sprega]

Personally, I would not tie a line to a cleat that was not thru bolted with a hefty backing plate.

I understand your concern. The genoa track is through bolted with large washers. I have seen many boats with cleats mounted on tracks and haven't heard any negative result from doing so. Even so, I would only use said cleat for a temporary breast line while docking. Certainly wouldn't want to load it too heavly.

 

[Mackaroni]

What a great post. I just bought a 302 recently and it does not have midship cleats and it is something that I really want to add for the spring lines. I just didn't know how to add them and make them strong enough to hold the boat.

 

[shozbot]

Have cleats installed on Genoa tracks and work fine but lines run from these cleats do chafe the teak toerail and not sure what to do about that?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Rub strakes

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/taco--stainless-steel-rub-strakes--P005_151_003_006

 

[Capt jgw]

Midship cleats are a necessity but also are a tripping hazard. The track mounted ones can be removed when not in use. Had them on my last boat and only mounted them when needed, I'm on a mooring so I don't dock very often. Current boat has permanent cleats mounted next to the toerail, a little harder to get the lines on but i don't bust my toes on them.