Deck cleat positioning for a Widgeon

[DabbyDuck]

Hey all new to the forum and my widgeon (1974) but not to sailing!
I was wondering what y'all thought about deck cleat positioning for a small boat like the widgeon? I'd like to add a couple and I'm curious to know what the best set-up is for them. Temporary dock tying is inconvenient without a cleat, so I was planning on putting two just forward of the transom and two somewhere on the bow or possibly amidship. I won't be anchoring much, but it's a possibility. Any suggestions or pictures from your (smaller) boats with deck cleats?

 

[David in Sandusky]

We have 2 bow cleats, 2 mid-ship, and two on the stern on our 27 footer. The midship lines are really good for spring lines (they keep the boat from moving forward or backward at the dock, and allow for easy docking.)

All are either tied into/by the toe-rail, and have hacking plates.

How long is your Widgeon? How much does it weigh? Do you have pictures of the possible mounting locations?

 

[David in Sandusky]

Looked up Widgeon and see it’s a dinghy!

Forget what I said above. I’d go for one cleat on the bow. If (as shown in one pic I saw) there is a loop on the bow to hold it on the trailer, you could fasten a painter there. My Sunfish has a handle on the bow that held my painter (bowline).

On the stern, I often ran the tail of my mainsheet through the harness for the mainsheet at the stern then tied it off to the dock. Or you could rig a clip to the end of a stern line, and clip it to the mainsheet harness as needed.

 

[Sunbird22358]

I had a single bow cleat on my WIDGEON, and a pair of small cleats at the stern (one on each side deck, just forward of the mainsheet blocks) My Widgeon was older than yours, and did not have the forward deck so my bow cleat was actually on the seat that runs across the boat where the mast steps. I never installed mid-ships cleats on the WIDGEON, I do have them on my DS II. If I had a foredeck like your boat, I'd position the cleat either dead-centered on the deck (fore & aft, Port to Starboard) or just forward of the point of the sort-of spray rail at the edge of the deck with a chock just to one side of the forestay to keep the line nearly centered. Other idea would be a pair of cleats right at the bow, one on each side of the forestay. I think for best ease of use, the single cleat (I used a 5" mooring cleat) with a bow chock will be easiest to use. Here is a diagram of where my cleats were, and a picture. I also added a picture of a DS II with the cleat mounted in the center of the deck and a bow chock mounted next to the forestay. You could mount the cleat just aft of the forestay and maybe avoid the need for the chock which would only be needed for anchoring.......worth thinking about, although I like the idea of the cleat mounted in the center of the deck or just ahead of the spray rail, even though it would need the chock, just because it is easier to reach from the cockpit.

 

[Flyingscot64]

Here is how Oday did it on my javelin I think that works pretty good , The only advice I have is make sure you can get to the underside so you can put either washer or a plate ,don't just fasten to the fiberglass with screws, if that's your only option I would not do it.

 

[Claybury]

I've been using a painter clipped to the bow eye. It's handy for launching and retrieving. The bow eye is a good hard point, better IMHO than the deck. The deck on my boat was partially debonded when I bought it. If you do mount a cleat to the front deck be careful it doesn't foul the jib and sheets.
I'm mounting a cleat on the starboard transom. Instead of screws I used eyebolts through from the inside with locknuts at the cleat. The eyebolts give places to clip items I don't want moving around or loosing in a capsize. A safety line with a carabiner for the rudder assembly for example.
Edit: Forgot to add, placing cleats on the side decks is problematic unless you cut access holes so you can back the cleats with blocks or plates. You will have work around the floatation foam too.