Drilling new bow cleat holes

[RolfSail]

Hello veteran Hunter owners. I have a new to me 1999 260. I want to replace the bow cleats. You mentioned that there is an embedded backing plate for each cleat. The new cleats require four holes to be drilled. Since I cannot get to the backs of the plates can I just drill into the fiberglass and then into the plates and use screws? Machine screws would require a bolt on the back of each screw which I cannot get to? Would I just drill a slightly smaller hole?...

 

[ggrizzard]

If the "backing plate" is wood you can use stainless lag screws AFTER you drill over sized holes, fill 'em with thickened epoxy (to seal the hole from water intrusion), and re-drill to an appropriate size for the screws. If the plates are metal, you can do the same or, if the metal is thick enough, tap the holes to accommodate machine screws. Do use locktite on the threads of the machine screws.
There are videos on You Tube at "Sail Life" or at "Boatworks Today" that have this process in detail. You will have to review their play lists to find the appropriate episode.

 

[twalker H260]

Backing plates are embedded aluminum. You would drill holes for tapping to match the needed size bolt or machine screw. Then tap.

I would use some of Maine Sails butyl tape to bed the new cleats.

You hopefully can use at least one of the existing holes, fill any other unused holes with epoxy and finish with waxed gel coat.

 

[Rick Webb]

A friend and I discovered s method to determine the placement and size of the embedded aluminum plates. He broke a tap trying to tap holes for a ne cleat in the anchor locker of his 29.5. He read that spraying the broken tap with a can of the air duster to make it cold hit it with a punch and shatter it. That did not work but when the area was thoroughly sprayed the area where the plate was showed itself with much heavier condensation than did the are outside the plate.

I'd also suggest you make a jig from a piece of 2X4 or 2X6 with the holes drilled in a drill press. this will help to get the hoes for the new cleat exactly in the right spot and exactly perpendicular to the deck. When tapping the holes back out the tap frequently to clean out the tap not doing that will cause the tap to break off in the hole creating more issues.

 

[rgranger]

You really should thread the backing plate