Cleats on bowsprit

[miketcook]

Have seen cleats on bowsprit (other boats, not Catalinas, yet). Thinking of adding them as secondary / backup to bow port and starboard cleats. Hate the idea of single points of failures in a slip, during a storm.
What have people done on their bowsprit? What are cautions? Should dock / piling lines be at shared load?

 

[MikeHoncho]

I have one centered behind the furler. It’s mounted on the sprit but bolts all the way through it and through the hull.

 

[weekendrken]

This is just an opinion, I don’t have calculations. But in a storm? You’re wanting to put significant side loading on the sprit? Not sure that’s a wise plan. As Mike has, thru bolted to the fore peak, fine (with appropriate backing.)

you might cross-ask over on the C-30 Assn forum, maybe some owner has better info?
groups.io/g/Catalina30

 

[MikeHoncho]

This is just an opinion, I don’t have calculations. But in a storm? You’re wanting to put significant side loading on the sprit? Not sure that’s a wise plan. As Mike has, thru bolted to the fore peak, fine (with appropriate backing.)

you might cross-ask over on the C-30 Assn forum, maybe some owner has better info?
groups.io/g/Catalina30

This has been a thought with mine as well when on anchor. Although it would be, for the most part in a straight line, the sprit adds a lever. Mine has a significant brace under it that is through bolted to assist. But consider sprits are added a lot for the addition of modified rigging like furlers and such.

 

[DrJudyB]

Maybe add mid ships cleats instead. I don’t think adding cleats to a bowsprit on a Catalina is a great idea because it’s a long lever arm, as weekendrken said.

Tie the boat up properly and it will be fine. Bow and stern lines plus mid ships fore and aft spring lines, Nylon rope with anti chafe and snubbers reduce the worry about single point failure. Plan for storm surge too.

Cleats on the bowsprit of a Catalina 30 are a solution in search of a problem.

 

[miketcook]

Thanks everyone for their replies and advice. Agree bowsprit would not be a strategic place for a cleat. Use of spring lines in narrow slip is difficult as stanchions hinder connections. Have mid-ship cleats, will deploy those for partial "spring" lines.