Hunter 23.5 Cleats

[Arnold Lamont]

Hail all!
I recently bought a Hunter 23.5. I live in Knysna in South Africa and I suspect that I might have the only H23.5 in the country. (I would be interested in hearing from any fellow countrymen).
I need cleats on the sides but towards the stern of my boat. Actually, I need them right under the raised seat. I noticed on photographs that many H23.5s have cleats in this position.

It is however impossible (very difficult) to put a backing plate for a cleat in this position. How did other boat owners manage to get these cleats here? Surely it is not a good idea to drill only into the raised fibre glass in this position? I have uploaded a photograph of another H23.5 which I found on this site, clearly showing such a cleat. I have circled it in red.

Any advice will be much appreciated!
Arnold

 

[justsomeguy]

If you're not averse to cutting holes in your cockpit seatbacks, these will allow access.
"Marine port hatch" by Beckson.

 

[rgranger]

I'm not sure but I suspect it might be true... that the H26 and the H23.5 have a similar set up. On my boat, the deck and the hull meet to form an overhang. The rub rail is on that overhang. Drill your cleat holes through the overhang and use a piece of rectangular aluminum bar for the backing plate. The backing plate will fit up under the overhang so you can't see it. I found a pic on line of an H23.5 set up like this...

 

[twalker H260]

On the 240 & 260 there are embedded aluminum plates where the cleats mount. That may be the case on the 23.5 as well. If so you you would need to locate the plate then drill and tap to fit the cleat you wish to put on. In the preceding photo you can see where the original cleats were mounted. This would be a much stronger installation than at the deck/hull joint.

To locate the plate it is fairly easy to look in the aft area in bright sunlight and see the location through the fibreglass. You could also use a metal detector.

Crazy Dave may be able to confirm the presence or absence of the plates on the 23.5.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Arnold, for clarification, please take another photo so I am sure of the exact location where you want to mount a cleat. I know this boat too well along with the 240 and can respond correctly on this one.

If you are telling me there are no cleats where you see others mounted as standard with the boat, there is aluminum plate encapsulated in the fiberglass which to drill and tap. If elsewhere I will help you. The color of the Sunbrella covers is Persian Green

 

[Arnold Lamont]

Hi Guys, thanks for the replies. Here are two photographs of the stern area of my H23.5, for port and starboard. I would like to put new cleats at either of positions marked as 'A' or 'B' or 'C'. Position 'A' is directly under the seat which is on stilts, Position 'B' is directly next to one of the legs of that seat and position 'C' is closer to the bow, just forward of the leg of that seat.
My first question: Are there embedded backing plates in any of these positions and if so, where?
Second : If there is an embedded plate, how do I make use of it to install a new cleat? Do I just drill from the top through the fibre glass, through the plate and put in a screw? What will make it 'make use' of the embedded plate?

Much appreciated!
Arnold

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Arnold;
Thank you for clarifying. Sadly there are no aluminum plates embedded in the fiberglass in any of those areas. I think underneath the glass you have foam. Now let me ask a question of a current 23.5 owner>

Hey guys I need help as I cannot remember. Looking at those picutures, is it accessible to get to those areas underneath behind the rear berth? Is there foam packed underneath. Please let me know and a photo would be helpful.

Arnold; If you can crawl behind the rear berth and take a photo looking upward so I can make sure what I am going to suggest where you have A, B and C marked. THank you all for your help.

 

[Rick Webb]

Some 23.5s have aluminum plates around where you are wanting to add cleats. Mid year in 95 they started adding them. They are there to add the hardware for spinnakers. Mine has them, I was able to determine their existence using a stud finder.

 

[rgranger]

Some 23.5s have aluminum plates around where you are wanting to add cleats. Mid year in 95 they started adding them. They are there to add the hardware for spinnakers. Mine has them, I was able to determine their existence using a stud finder.

Rick... I assume you used the type of stud finder that works off of variations in density and not one of the magnetic type.... just saying that in case the OP decides to try it...

 

[Rick Webb]

Right the ones that you put a battery in and goes BEEP

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Rick
Can you access the underneath from the rear inside. There is foam underneath where he wants to add the cleats as part of positive foam flotation and no there are no aluminum plates encapsulated in that area. I just need to make sure before suggesting what to do with his request for information. Thanks for your help sir.

 

[Rick Webb]

I believe you can, I'd have to get in there to look for sure. It would be a long reach and a lot of foam would have to be dug out but is absolutely doable if I remember right. I will try to get into mine this after noon and see.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Thanks Rick. Yes you are correct but need to make sure the underside does not have a fiberglass cover. There is another way of attachment but not the best though,.

 

[Rick Webb]

I looked and you can NOT get up to the area without drilling some holes in the fiberglass overhead in the aft berth.

An inspection plate installed in the over head would get you access. I'd rather have one inside the boat than on the outside though doing it on the outside would give you greater access. I am stumped for a better idea than this or a another Ubolt in the lip

 

[rgranger]

Hey Guys... before you go drilling access ports... think again about my idea to put the cleats in the rub-rail overhang. I know it was poo pooed as not very strong but that is where the shroud's chain plates are attached and they have to withstand a lot of shock loads from the rig... so I suspect they are plenty strong enough. Unless you plan on pulling water skies I can't imagine why you would need a stronger place to mount a cleat. See picture of shroud chain plates. On my hunter 26, I considered putting mid-ship cleats and I've looked this area over well. The backing plate is an aluminum bar about 1" X 1" X 6" with two holes drilled through it... it slips up under the lip of the rail and is completely concealed. Adding a cleat in the rub rail would take about 20 min. tops and you won't have any extra holes in your boat. Your boat... do what you want but if it were mine..... just sayin'

 

[Rick Webb]

The only down side I see to putting a cleat on the lip is access for the line between the cleat and the boat, that is why I was thinking Ubolt. If going that route I'd look for round vs square metal stock to alleviate the point loading at the corners of the backing plate underneath. Perhaps just rounding off the corners would suffice.

 

[rgranger]

The only down side I see to putting a cleat on the lip is access for the line between the cleat and the boat,

Good point! @Rick Webb

I wonder if something like this would work better than a standard cleat...

You could slip your line through the jaw from the outboard side as you are flipping it up. I'm not sure what the dimensions are on this cleat though. It might not fit on the rail... but from the pic it looks like it should fit.

 

[Rick Webb]

Hold on Arnold,

There is access in the area marked "A" I did not slide all the way back there when I looked because it was hot, there was a spider, it was dirty and I was not that ambitious. Thinking about it though I am certain there is access because that is where I had to put in backing plates and hold nuts when I installed my stern rail seats.

So slide back there and see how far forward you can get on yours. It is tight back there and hot. Summer is coming so get after it now. Watch out for the spiders.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

RIck;
I will look into molly style stainless steel bolts if available which might be an idea for attachment if available. Rgranger, I know those cleats but Rick is right about clearance. In addition the shrouds are not getting all of the bouncing action like a cleat would at dock if placed there and will lead to damage. I repaired some rub rails.

 

[Doug J]

Hey Guys... before you go drilling access ports... think again about my idea to put the cleats in the rub-rail overhang. I know it was poo pooed as not very strong but that is where the shroud's chain plates are attached and they have to withstand a lot of shock loads from the rig... so I suspect they are plenty strong enough. Unless you plan on pulling water skies I can't imagine why you would need a stronger place to mount a cleat. See picture of shroud chain plates. On my hunter 26, I considered putting mid-ship cleats and I've looked this area over well. The backing plate is an aluminum bar about 1" X 1" X 6" with two holes drilled through it... it slips up under the lip of the rail and is completely concealed. Adding a cleat in the rub rail would take about 20 min. tops and you won't have any extra holes in your boat. Your boat... do what you want but if it were mine..... just sayin'

View attachment 128905

I agree with Rgranger. It's worth considering the rub-rail installation. Here's a few pictures of my boat. The PO installed cleats toward the bow mounted to the rub-rail overhang. I can vouch for the fact they are plenty strong.