Re-setting a Cleat

[Witchi-Tai-To]

Due to some heavy weather recently on the Chesapeake, my O'Day 23 has a starboard cleat that's starting to pull out of the deck. I would like to re-install with a backing plate. A couple of questions:

1. What type and thickness of material is best for this?
2. What should I use to seal this new arrangement, marine adhesive or silicone?
3. Should I seal just the topside, or the bottomside as well (is it best to leave some
avenue of egress for any moisture)?

This is our 6th season sailing, but first season as sole owners, and I've not had to do anything like this before. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I hope you all launched last week and will spend next weekend on the water!

don

 

[jlroberts280]

Due to some heavy weather recently on the Chesapeake, my O'Day 23 has a starboard cleat that's starting to pull out of the deck. I would like to re-install with a backing plate. A couple of questions:

1. What type and thickness of material is best for this?
2. What should I use to seal this new arrangement, marine adhesive or silicone?
3. Should I seal just the topside, or the bottomside as well (is it best to leave some
avenue of egress for any moisture)?

This is our 6th season sailing, but first season as sole owners, and I've not had to do anything like this before. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I hope you all launched last week and will spend next weekend on the water!

don

The thickness of the material will depend on the material you decide to use. Do not use silicone or 5200. Seal only the top of the deck not the inside. Check out Mainsail's article on bedding deck hardware for more info such as over drilling and using epoxy to seal the core from moisture.

 

[Ron20324]

I would like to re-install with a backing plate. A couple of questions: 1. What type and thickness of material is best for this? ]

The very LEAST you can do is use fender washers for backing plates. But you really want something upwards of 'the very least'. If close-bye you have a marina where you can dumpster dive or a metal scrap shop you should be able to find something stainless steel or aluminum that will be an oval or rectangle that has a larger footprint than the cleat. At Bacon's I found a mast step that I put up from the underside of the deck. I slathered it with a fiber-filler epoxy then bolted it to the cleat./// I do alot of raftups and added two mid-ship cleats to my then-new B323. Best thing I ever did. Well, up until yetserday when I fired up the new solar panels. :dance:

 

[Witchi-Tai-To]

Yeah, I was thinking a single larger plate that would backstop both cleat bolts with fender washers thrown in for good measure - no such thing as dispersing that stress too much. I figured as large a plate (area wise) as I could sneak up under that thing within reason.

How thick an aluminum plate would you consider to be minimum? 3/16th?

Thanks for your input.

dk

 

[adirondackbob]

DK, for what it's worth, when I added a cleat to my O'Day 23 (on the port-side coaming), I used a piece of half-inch oak for a backing plate. Before installing it, I coated it in epoxy to prevent rot. Worked great.

Bob

 

[RON20406]

Due to some heavy weather recently on the Chesapeake, my O'Day 23 has a starboard cleat that's starting to pull out of the deck. I would like to re-install with a backing plate. A couple of questions:

1. What type and thickness of material is best for this?
2. What should I use to seal this new arrangement, marine adhesive or silicone?
3. Should I seal just the topside, or the bottomside as well (is it best to leave some
avenue of egress for any moisture)?

This is our 6th season sailing, but first season as sole owners, and I've not had to do anything like this before. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I hope you all launched last week and will spend next weekend on the water!

don

Don, here's your answers:
1.) 1/8" stainless is best
2.) 5200 or marine silicone. Silicone, however, is more tenacious in holding power than 5200 but more sensitive to UV rays
3.)Goop under the cleat, but not below decks. I would also recommend cutting a piece of 1/8" or 3/16" plumbers gasket slighlty smaller than the bases of the cleat as a gasket to absorb shock loads and avoid compression and/or stress damage and ,
4.) standard procedure is to drill out bolt holes and fill with thickened epoxy. West Systems has an excellent "how to" for beginners.
Good luck and good sailing, Ron

 

[jibes138]

Do not use any kind of sealant. Mainsail offers Butyl tape on this web site that provides a waterproof seal that will last, he also provides a wonderful set of instructions on how to use it with photographs. You can also get Butyl tape at other places.
If your cleat is pulling through the deck you likely have some core issues in the area, so see if the core is all mushy and wet. If it is a backing plate won't help much because you have a sandwich with no meat, the bottom skin will just deform as you try to torque the screws putting undue stress on the glass. You will need to remove the rotten core and bond in some new core to get the structural strength you are looking for. If the core is still solid you should be OK. Once the cleat is out use a piece of wire and fish around in the holes, you'll know right away if the core is mush.