I'm checking to see if anyone has a better idea for installing a mooring bit, or cleat, just aft of the bow where the hull liner in the vee berth is below. I'm installing two chocks up at the bow, and an anchor roller just to one side of the forestay. Those I can back properly, going in through the vee berth door to the anchor locker. Two cleats will be installed just aft of the pulpit, one on either rail, and those I believe we can tab into the rail and hull sides. For some reason I like the idea of a small mooring bit installed on the center line behind the anchor roller, beside the deck pipe and between the cleats. But it would be useless, or worse, unless its stronger than anything else at the bow. The marina guy suggests setting the bit on a somewhat larger base to begin with, say 5" X 6" stainless plate, and then thru-bolting through the hull and liner into another stainless plate that would show in the vee berth ceiling. He would thread the bolts directly into the inside plate to make a flush fit that might help prevent head knocking. Still the whole thing is based on the deck strength alone, and there's got to be some gap between the deck and the liner. Is that installation strong enough? Would it deflect the inside liner as I tightened up the thru-bolts? Would it be better to run the stainless inside backing plate all the way to the rails on either side and maybe tie that to the cleat installation? Am I obsessing yet? Maybe I should just forget sleeping with my wife, and install a step underneath the mooring bit all the way to the front of the keel. That would be a solution, albeit not a very elegant one. Or perhaps that's why there isn't a cleat fitting there to begin with. Happy Thanksgiving to all Hugh
Mooring Bit Installation
- Thread starter Hugh289
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Hugh, well written, but
it would help to know what boat you are referring to. And happy T-day to you too.
it would help to know what boat you are referring to. And happy T-day to you too.
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