Deck Cleat

[j.hunter9999]

I am thinking about removing the existing fore cleat and adding two cleats (one on the port side and the other on the starboard) mounted through the hull-deck joint. I'd like to put a windlass in the spot where the current fore cleat is located. Can someone recommend a cleat size/material that will be strong enough to tie to for anchoring and mooring?

Thanks,
Jack

 

[bobnlesafloat]

Can't help if you're looking to fit a windlass in the centre, but on Spring Fever, we: -

Unbolted on end of the original timber-pole cleat and loosened the other, swung it through 180 degrees, re-drilled the deck and re-bolted it so it was circa 4-5" further forward. We then got a fairly standard 9" stainless cleat from a boat jumble and drilled bolted that immediately behind it, with a big s/steel plate below the deck to spread the load. We made and fitted similar plate to the underside of the original too, as we discovered that as 'standard' it only had a small 5 x 1" strip fitted to spread the pull of the bolts. It's worked well ever since - 8 years.

We did consider moving the cleats to either side of the bow as you suggest, but decided that this would result in more redundant holes to fill-in and that we might also need to drill out/strengthen the deck's core at the new fitting locations; in the middle of the deck we at least knew that the core there was a solid bit of wood.

Bob

 

[dougpol1]

Jack think about this a little. The existing Vega cleats are more than
strong enough to mount in the deck to hull sandwich. I am not at my boat
but I am wondering IF you can get to the bolts on the underside, to put
plates and nuts on? Of course Bronze cleats would be more in keeping
with the existing hardware than aluminum or stainless and are very
strong. I would think 5" to 6" long ones would be more than big enough
for deck cleats. Almost any metal cleat will be stronger than the deck
it is mounted on unless there is a good size metal plate underneath. A
windless for a 27ft boat could be pretty small as the anchors do not
need to be all that big and heavy and should not take up too much fore
deck space. I am 75 years old and am 5ft 6inches tall and I don't use a
windlass. IF you already have a windlass I would say use it, but you
have to buy one I would think it over. Dougj.hunter9999 wrote:

 

[dougpol1]

Also think about what size dock lines you will be useing large lines
need bigger cleats just to wind the lines around them and do a hitch to
lock in the lines. Big cleats don't hold small lines as well as
smaller ones do. And then big lines may well not fit a small cleat at
all. Size the cleats to your lines. On the boat I lived on for 15 years
I put two cleats on each side so that the anchor lines ,usually two,
could be on the first cleat forward and the tail on the second cleat
behind. Pretty hard to pull both out even in a huricane.
Doug
Douglas Pollard wrote:

 

[j.hunter9999]

Doug - Thanks for the advice. I don't currently have a windlass. So, I think I'll hold off for awhile longer. I do like the location of the current bow cleat. Thanks again for the input.

Jack
Bella - V2620

 

[dougpol1]

Jack,
There used to be a device and I don't know if it is still being made or
not. It was a lever that the base was mounted on deck (very small foot
print) It had a pawl very much like a jam cleat. To break an anchor out
you put the road in the pawl and pulled back on the handle at the top
and it pulled the anchor line a few inches then you got a new purchase
on the line and pulled again. The is good for pulling an anchor out of
the mud, then you hauled the line in by hand. Worked great. They were
not a lot of money. You might look around for a new or used one. Doug.hunter9999 wrote:

 

[j.hunter9999]

Doug - I'll take a look and see what I can find. I'm going to stick with the main anchor cleat for now and see how it works. The windlass idea, and the pawl-lever, only came up because my wife, although a wonderful cook, does not like to pull in the anchor or take the helm while I pull it in. Fortunately, if I decide t ann cleats on the deck joint forward, my wife is actually small enough to climb through the opening in the forward bulkhead and hold everything in place while I work from the top. Although, there is an awful lot of indiscernable grumbling going on in there!

Jack