Just built my gin pole mast raising system and have a question for others with this system. I use my boom vang (which is way over sized) to attach to the plastic cleat on the bow. Seems like that cleat should be metal to me. I know it is very well backed as I checked inside the boat. From the pics I see from others, it looks like everyone uses the plastic cleat. Has anyone had any problems with this. It seems to work ok, but it only takes once to break. Sure makes it easy to raise the mast though. Was a bit harder this year to raise the mast by hand. Getting older sucks.
plastic bow cleat
- Thread starter chp
- Start date
there are nylon cleats and there are glass fiber filled nylon cleats... the glass filler makes them much stronger than nylon alone, and at the angle you are pulling from the center cleat, the glass reinforced ones should be fine... if its a cheap nylon cleat, discard it and get one that you can be sure will hold when you want it too.
but it would still be better to replace the standard cleat with one 8" stainless cleat with a large backing plate... this makes a good place to tie to when you want secure without doubt...
but it would still be better to replace the standard cleat with one 8" stainless cleat with a large backing plate... this makes a good place to tie to when you want secure without doubt...
The stock backing plate will not impress you.
I never swapped out my bow cleat, mostly because I didn't want to kick a more substantial SS cleat. (yes, I often sail barefoot)
-and if I needed to secure a heavy load, like towing or anchoring in a storm, I would run the line though the bow eye 1st then up to the bow cleat, where the bow eye took most of the load
I never swapped out my bow cleat, mostly because I didn't want to kick a more substantial SS cleat. (yes, I often sail barefoot)
-and if I needed to secure a heavy load, like towing or anchoring in a storm, I would run the line though the bow eye 1st then up to the bow cleat, where the bow eye took most of the load
I added two more deck cleats to my bow. The plastic - not sure if its glass-reinforced - has held up just fine, but I wanted to be able to deploy 2 anchors from the bow if needed. These SS cleats are the same length (8" I think?) as the factory plastic one and are backed with big SS fender washers and ny-lock nuts.
We still mainly use the factory one for the docklines, but almost usually put out 2 anchors for the night and the new ones are always used for that
But never had an issue with the plastic ones - except with their smaller footprint and only 2 fasteners, they seem to wiggle a little more than the wide foot, 4 fastener types
We still mainly use the factory one for the docklines, but almost usually put out 2 anchors for the night and the new ones are always used for that
But never had an issue with the plastic ones - except with their smaller footprint and only 2 fasteners, they seem to wiggle a little more than the wide foot, 4 fastener types
I think the OPs biggest issue may be the angle of pull exerted on the cleat.
The more horizontal, the better.
The more horizontal, the better.
True. Pulling up - instead of horizontal - and you better have more than just the factory backing plate (on mine, it is just a strip of fiberglass resin). And a horn of the cleat is more likely to break.
on the stock Mac forestem use the back hole, the one for the Jib tack to attach the Block and tackel to pull the mast raising system towards the foredeck and attach the Forestay to the frnt hole
I used the main sheet till I made up a 2nd one just for this to step the mast using the supplied Mac mast raising system
I used the main sheet till I made up a 2nd one just for this to step the mast using the supplied Mac mast raising system
I think the black nylon one is fine but as mentioned that's for a shear load. I wouldn't want to "lift" the boat with it. Of course it can be made of the hardest steel in the world and without a good backing, it doesn't matter what material it is when it yanks through the deck with that kind of pull.
Note to self... I noticed movement in mine, need to re-bed and tighten the bolt.
Note to self... I noticed movement in mine, need to re-bed and tighten the bolt.
this thread is/was about attaching mast stepping gin pole system with it's block and tackel, the bow cleat should not be used for this, the org. forestem where the Jib tack is provided, is the proper attaching pt. for this proceedure, how it go into the dynamics of cleat material is just another example how things constantly change here
Well we just got back from our 1 week sail of the Thousand Islands and I used the nylon cleat to raise and lower the mast. It worked just fine. I made a 7' gin pole and I have a fairly high mast crutch. Made raising the mast a pleasure. Also had to lower the mast on the water. Again a piece of cake. The cleat does not move at all. There is absolutely no movement of the deck. I will however change the cleat to a metal one and put a metal backing plate. Should have done this years ago.
My 95 S has a stainless eyestrap located just behind the cleat, apparently for this purpose. That is what I use in lieu of the cleat. Not sure if it was added later or part of the original equip.
Curious to know how you raised and lowered the mast, with the winch, or just pulling the rope by hand?
Curious to know how you raised and lowered the mast, with the winch, or just pulling the rope by hand?
I have a pretty heavy duty boom vang. 4:1. The initial start is a bit heavier, but gets easy very quickly. I can pull the rope with one hand. Even my wife can raise the mast with it. I just put the mast back up today to re-slip it after our trip to the Thousand Islands.
My 92s has the stainless eyestrap as welll.....also what I tie on to raise my mast....
hi chip, I am in the process of building a portable mast raising system, the one I got with the boat is made from a 4" wide aluminum extrusion that's 8 feet long and depends on a winch installed on the trailor... Not very practical. I was looking for stock for the gin pole and I found a 1" OD x 3/32 do you think its strong enough to withstand the compression of lifting the mast? I suppose I could go to a metal warehouse and find something more substantial but I'm lazy and would rather avoid it
I
I used inch and a half x 1/8" wall square aluminum tube 7' long. I used square tubing because it made it easier to bolt the eye straps and the legs to slide the pivot bolt through on the tabernacle. The legs are made of inch and half x 1/8" aluminum with 3/8th hole drilled for the pivot bolt. If you have a metal supermarket somewhere there you can get the material for $23.