Found that one bolt on my bow cleat had backed out sitting in the slip over the weekend. I figured that the threads had stripped out but when I extracted the bolt, the threads looked clean. Upon further inspection, I discovered that the cleat was bolted into fiberglass. Not only was there no backing plate, there wasn't even a nut and washer. It's like they just tapped threads into a thickened section of fiberglass. I don't see how that can hold up. Is this normal?
No backing plate under bow cleat. 23.5
- Thread starter PropellerHead
- Start date
There may be a plate embedded in the fiberglass. Pretty common.
That was my first thought but when I tried to tighten the screw back down it didn't bite into anything. Thinking that maybe they installed a screw that was too short, I tried installing a longer one. The longer one was long enough to go all the way through the thickened area of fiberglass but it didn't bite into anything. Either they drilled the hole in the backing plate too big or it's just not there.
Exactly
You can remove the bulkhead in the vberth and get access to the back of the screwa fender washer and a locknut will fix you right up
I like Rick Webb's idea. There is a backing plate (aluminum?) embedded in the fiberglass that should be visible from below. It's a bit of a reach, but not too bad. I've been poking around under there because I'm in the process of removing the bow cleat, replacing it with a pair of cleats (one on each side of the anchor locker), and installing some sort of fairlead in place of the bow cleat to help manage the line from my roller furling jib. The PO had just run the furling line through the base of the cleat--simple, but not a particularly elegant solution.
Pull the forward bulkhead held in place by screws but it is a tight fit that you will have to carefully remove. Then see if anything such as a backing plate underneath the deck. If not, possibly an aluminum plate encapsulated in the deck and that bolt may not be as long. Sold enough of them but memory is fading as to attachment. Keep me posted and take a photo inside once the wall is off and then maybe I can hhelp you further.
Get the next size machine stainless steel bolt adding an extra inch and use that but first you will need to tap that hole as I believe it is wallered out. It appears to be the encapsulated aluminum plate that I mentioned. If you however feel you need to, you can always add a larger backing plate on the interior surface with longer bolts adding lock washers and lock nuts to boot. Make sure you use a good sealant or butyl tape as some would suggest but for goodness sakes, not 5200 here.