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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Replacing Bow Cleats

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Rich G
Navigator

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226 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/03/2006 : 00:02:33

I'm fed up with my bow cleats. They're too small. I can't ever fit a mooring line on to them and end up having to tie a smaller diameter dock line on to the mooring line in order to tie off my boat.

I remember reading on here somewhere that people had trouble acessing their bow cleats under the deck, but they seem to be easily accessable under the bow anchor locker. Am I missing something? Any suggestion as to what size I'll need? I'm thinkng a 10" stainless steel cleat ought to fit a 3/4" mooring line with and eye splice through the hole inbetween the fasteners so I can then loop the splice over the cleat, but maybe I need a 12"?

Rich

Cerberus
Hull #4695
1984 SR/FK No Pop-Top

Edited by - Rich G on 04/03/2006 00:07:24

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2006 : 09:23:30

"mooring line on to them and end up having to tie a smaller diameter dock line"

That's how it's supposed to be done. The proper ('Bristol') way is to have a bridle set up to go from both cleats to the 'main line'. This should be a part of your mooring 'kit'.

Why? That heavy 3/4" line doesn't have much in the way of shock absorbing properties... and most moorings are rather 'short coupled'. You can get tremendous shock loads transmitted to the boat and ground tackle if it gets rough.

In a nutshell, I wouldn't replace your cleats for that purpose.

Many yachting books have instructions on how to do this. Here's a short online guide.

http://www.sailonline.com/seamanship/Mooring.html

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2006 : 09:36:37

Hi Rich
I agree.I never was comfortable with the factory cleats for tieing off an anchor line so I added 8" four bolt cleats at the bow and both corners of the stern which are fine for 1/2" line.I still use the small cleats for my 1/2" dock lines with the spliced eye looped through the cleat.These four dock lines stay on the boat to use when I visit another marina.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 04/05/2006 : 13:53:36

Rich,

I can't imagine why you'd wnat to use 3/4" line for dock or anchor lines. Much too heavy. I've used half inch line on my boat for 16 years and haven't had a problem. I've been through some pretty nasty weather at anchor too. Keep your stock cleats and use smaller 1/2" line.

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Rich G
Navigator

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226 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2006 : 11:09:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by aeckhart
 I can't imagine why you'd wnat to use 3/4" line for dock or anchor lines. Much too heavy. I've used half inch line on my boat for 16 years and haven't had a problem. I've been through some pretty nasty weather at anchor too. Keep your stock cleats and use smaller 1/2" line.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's what the marina has on their mooring bouys. The mooring bridle on the bouy is too big for my cleats. We end up having to tie 1/2" dock line to the moring line and then tie that to the cleat. I'm trying to eliminate a step in our mooring procedure.

And it's not just my marina. Every mooring I stopped at last season from Buzzard's Bay to the Hudson river used the same large mooring lines and we couldn't get them to fit our bow cleats.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2006 : 11:27:37

Although I've never used a mooring buoy, can't one just slip a line (1/2") that has spliced eyes on both ends through the mooring loop then just secure the ends to both bow cleats?

Edited by - dlucier on 04/06/2006 11:29:21

Rich G
Navigator

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226 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2006 : 13:10:16

I'm not sure I understand why people are so opposed to the idea of replacing stock bow cleats. Is it like a vintage Fender Telecaster, it ain't vintage unless it's got all original parts? Or is there something more structural involved that I should be aware of?

And hey, look at that . . . I'm suddenly a Skipper!

Edited by - Rich G on 04/06/2006 13:11:02

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2006 : 14:09:39

attaboy!

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2006 : 16:31:15

I hate the stock cleats. Just one more place where Catalina shaved corners to cut costs. They are OK for docking, paltry for anchoring/mooring. I plan to keep them, but add a single big cleat just behind the anchor locker. Through bolted with backing plate. Its on my list.

By the way, I also hate the stock bow lights and stern light on the older boats. Those are already gone on my boat.

Edited by - on

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