I have a 98 , 26X. It has two broken cleats, one on the bow and the other is on stern. These are the ones that came with the boat. The question is how hard is it to replace these cleats? I know the bow has a panel above the v-berth, but how do you access the cleats on the stern. Do you cut a hole in the cockpit area to get to the nuts, or can you get to them from inside? I do want to replace tem all with SS.
Broken Cleats
- Thread starter JWH2050
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I replaced a couple on my C model , and I am about to replace the two plastic ones on the stern of my X model. I used some anchors that I found at Home Depot.( Kept the boat in place during a tornado) . They also have a epoxy to seal the old holes . Don't forget to seal the new holes as you tighten down the new cleats.
Good time to do a better job backing them to!
i towed another sailboat in a couple years back in rough water, all the while praying that my stern cleat would not pull out.
i towed another sailboat in a couple years back in rough water, all the while praying that my stern cleat would not pull out.
Anyone find a replacement with the same size bolt holes (spacing) ?
1+ on the backing! stock is a very thin alum plate.
1+ on the backing! stock is a very thin alum plate.
You are lucky if you even have aluminum backing. Some places it's just left over pieces of fiberglass!
accessing the bolts for cleat replacement
On the stern cleat...with the transom seat lifted (on my vessel anyway) there is a plug in the combing that can be popped out and that lets me have access to the bolts and nuts for the stern cleat and the seat hinge
For the bow cleats..again on my boat anyway...I slid myself along on my back into the V-berth and there are screws holding a plate onto the bottom of the hull liner under the chain locker. (it does look like it was cut out afterwards) with those screws out the plate comes off and I can pull out the styrofoam floatation blocks. with the same process of the extensions I can just access the bolts and nuts for the bow cleats.
If you are replacing with nylon cleats the sizes and hole spacings are standard. I have not done mine yet but plan to this year and may use the stainless type...but yes with new holes to be drilled. Since Epoxy sticks to prettymuch anything...here is what I plan to do
once the old cleats are removed.
measure and drill the holes for the new cleats
make up a backing plate to match the new cleat - (before installation)
drill and install a bevel head bolt and a couple of nuts (that comes from the side of the backing plate which willl be up against the deck) this give me the way to attach the plate to my socket extentions and push it into the tight little space
rough up up the surface of the backing plate so the epoxy has a rough surface to bond to... then put enough epoxy on the top of the plate to fill the holes from the old cleat bolts and to create a good contact with the underside of the deck. I am going to try the epoxy that is like a paste - hoping it will stick better than epoxy glue.
with someone topsides to help final positioning of the holes in the plate with the deck holes...raise the backing plate into place. with luck it will stick there while you get the nuts ( stainless nylon locking nuts) ready..and while the person topsides positions the cleat and inserts the bolts.
I also think it is best to wait to squeeze in the sealant on the deck just before the cleat is ready to be tightened in place.
If you have trouble starting the nut on the cleat bolt because the nut sits in bottom of the socket...put two nuts in the socket so the last nut is near the top of the socket.
Oh yes..and if anyone from MacGregor yachts is reading this...why not give first time owners the choice of Nylon or stainless cleats - and we would not have to do this!
Good Luck
I have the same problem on my 1997 26X...I slid myself along on my back into the aft berth with my flashlight and just before I reached the transom looking up - I can just see the nuts and bolts for the dockline cleats. I took a couple of long extentions and was able to get a socket on the nuts. it is definately a two person job!
On the stern cleat...with the transom seat lifted (on my vessel anyway) there is a plug in the combing that can be popped out and that lets me have access to the bolts and nuts for the stern cleat and the seat hinge
For the bow cleats..again on my boat anyway...I slid myself along on my back into the V-berth and there are screws holding a plate onto the bottom of the hull liner under the chain locker. (it does look like it was cut out afterwards) with those screws out the plate comes off and I can pull out the styrofoam floatation blocks. with the same process of the extensions I can just access the bolts and nuts for the bow cleats.
If you are replacing with nylon cleats the sizes and hole spacings are standard. I have not done mine yet but plan to this year and may use the stainless type...but yes with new holes to be drilled. Since Epoxy sticks to prettymuch anything...here is what I plan to do
once the old cleats are removed.
measure and drill the holes for the new cleats
make up a backing plate to match the new cleat - (before installation)
drill and install a bevel head bolt and a couple of nuts (that comes from the side of the backing plate which willl be up against the deck) this give me the way to attach the plate to my socket extentions and push it into the tight little space
rough up up the surface of the backing plate so the epoxy has a rough surface to bond to... then put enough epoxy on the top of the plate to fill the holes from the old cleat bolts and to create a good contact with the underside of the deck. I am going to try the epoxy that is like a paste - hoping it will stick better than epoxy glue.
with someone topsides to help final positioning of the holes in the plate with the deck holes...raise the backing plate into place. with luck it will stick there while you get the nuts ( stainless nylon locking nuts) ready..and while the person topsides positions the cleat and inserts the bolts.
I also think it is best to wait to squeeze in the sealant on the deck just before the cleat is ready to be tightened in place.
If you have trouble starting the nut on the cleat bolt because the nut sits in bottom of the socket...put two nuts in the socket so the last nut is near the top of the socket.
Oh yes..and if anyone from MacGregor yachts is reading this...why not give first time owners the choice of Nylon or stainless cleats - and we would not have to do this!
Good Luck
You migh want to consider contact cement to hold the backing plate rather than epoxie, it is a push and stick, no waiting.
He he he...
Maybe you could rent a neighborhood kid?
A few ice cream sandwiches and a 20$ should do the trick.
I took all of my deck hardware off my boat last season for a paint job. But I have an 8 year old daughter who can fit in the tight spaces. I sent her below with a set of vice grips.
Maybe you could rent a neighborhood kid?
A few ice cream sandwiches and a 20$ should do the trick.
You might also give the kid something to lay on while they're down there, like a big sheet of corrugated cardboard. That fiberglass is irritating. DAMHIKT.
Try a 18 inch quarter inch extension with a socket if you need to go off center try a universal drive with some eletrical tape to hold the socket at the right angle.
Chewing gum will hold the nut in the socket.
Chewing gum will hold the nut in the socket.
Beemans Pepsin Chewing Gum:dance:, Beemans Pepsin Chewing Gum:dance:, Beemans Pepsin Chewing Gum:dance:
I'll co-sign that!
I'm just a rookie working on my first Mac project: a '78 22-footer; but I have a few things to reseat (cleats, motor mount, rudder brackets, etc.) and once I got down inside the boat I found myself thinking, "The only way I'm going to feel secure about this is if I reinforce it with a piece of 3/4" plywood, epoxied on, glassed in, and then with the part bolted through the hull and the gusset.
If ya gotta re-do something, it makes sense to make it stronger than it originally was; no?
VBR,
Pat
Personally I would use 1/8 inch aluminum.
It is light, will not rust, will not rot and the bolts are long enuff with not buying new ones.
Just bevel the edges so that it will not cause a stress point where it meets the glass and contact cement it in place and use fender washers under the nuts.
It is light, will not rust, will not rot and the bolts are long enuff with not buying new ones.
Just bevel the edges so that it will not cause a stress point where it meets the glass and contact cement it in place and use fender washers under the nuts.
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