Mid ship deck cleat positions

[Purim465]

Hi All,

I have eventually sourced a pair of deck cleats for my S.O 32 and will be installing them before the spring launch. The are drilled & polished aluminimum with a backing plate to spread the load. My question/s is/are - where is the best location for them, is there a recommended position for mid ship cleats? should they be at the widest point of the boat? should they be near the chainplates/shrouds? etc. All contributions welcome.

[montenido]

I installed a set of mid-ship cleats that mounted on my jib sheet tracks. They were very robust, made by Garhauer I think. Super easy if you have outboard tracks, and then you can adjust until you find the right spot.

Cheers, Bill

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Purim465

Hi All,

I have eventually sourced a pair of deck cleats for my S.O 32 and will be installing them before the spring launch. The are drilled & polished aluminimum with a backing plate to spread the load. My question/s is/are - where is the best location for them, is there a recommended position for mid ship cleats? should they be at the widest point of the boat? should they be near the chainplates/shrouds? etc. All contributions welcome.

Depends.. If it's Jeanneu SO 32 you are talking about the widest point is a bit too close to stern for my liking. A bit further to bow would be better. Dunno if the deck is foam cored but if so drill oversized holes and fill with high density filler or install compression struts. Backing plate should be bigger than the cleat. I'd keep them apart from chainplates, anyway incase of a fail in either one wouldn't be both..
BR Teddy

[Terra Nova]

A cleat at the widest point will provide the best place to hang a fender. As long as this location is a clear shot, fore and aft, spring lines can be run from there. A cleat near the chainplates will be mounted in the most durable deck area. Location of chocks must be considered at this time.

[barnakiel]

I like them on the beamiest point in small boats where there is just one beam cleat.

b.

[Purim465]

Thanks for all the advice, its a great help. i have the cleats already so the option of sliding cleats is passed. I agree that the beamiest part is probably too far aft on my S.O.32 so slightly forward should be ok. The backing plate is a 3mm x 170mm x 60mm so should spread the load ok and deck is solid so filler not needed.

Thanks all.

[gamayun]

Hey, I single hand and and that freakin' mid ship cleat is about the only thing saving my arse when I'm trying to get off a dock so that I don't completely *$%@ up. I suggest you find a spot that best keeps your boat from pivoting from the bow and that you can snug that line close to the dock (think lifelines and how close it will be to the gate opening). Mine should be further forward toward the bow so I don't look like a crazy lunatic when I let the lines loose and scramble onboard making an awkward way toward the helm. You know....?

[Scaramanga F25]

Always a little AFT of midship so that when you come onto a dock
and your mate cleats it aft, your bow will stay off the dock and not bump into the side dock.
When leaving the dock your mate carries and cleats the line forward on
the dock, skipper in reverse will move bow off the dock when side wind presses you on the side dock.

[Terra Nova]

One should be able to easily do all this by himself.

[Cheechako]

I don’t think it’s too important. More important is access under for the backing plate making sure you can get to it for installation and clear “furniture” etc. Also important is:
- how do the lines get over the toe rail/bulwark? Do you have a hawse? Will you need something there?
-Is it far enough from the chainplates to nest between them so it’s not a “toe grabber” and the lines wont rub on the chainplates etc?
-Place the cleats on the deck and think al this thru. That’s where to put them.

[YARGO]

As others have noted, location is extremely important. Without the proper location the mid ship cleat will not do as it is intended. Too far forward or too far aft and you will not have proper control when using it for docking which is its' primary use. When secured at the dock in forward gear with the mid ship cleat line secured aft and no other lines to the dock, you should be able to move the bow toward or away from the dock by steering. if you cannot, it's not in the best location.

[DennisDW]

Ha, I thought a lot about this when I installed them on my Alajuela 38. I considered the center of lateral resistance of the keel as a guide. My thought was that I could slow the boat with a line there and it would move into the dock parallel and not swing in the bow or stern. Nice plan but that position was too far aft to be useful. Also that perfect docking scenario has yet to occur. Docking is usually so much more messy. So the perfect position isn't so important. I vote in the camp a of useful and strong location somewhere in the middle.

Dennis

[deblen]

I singlehand mostly. I installed "mid-ship" cleats so I could dock/un-dock single hand. I installed smaller cleats for fenders-(don't like them stretching my lifelines)
What purpose do you intend for yours as the location criteria are different?

My main fenders go just either side of the widest hull point close enough together to keep hull parallel to dock & keep hull away from dock.

My breast line mid-ship cleats are installed just forward of front of cockpit where I can reach the permanently installed breast line without clambering fwd on deck.I leave the breast line lead out under the lifelines, coiled with a slip hitch & hanging on gate station/lifeline. Upon docking,I grab it,slip the hitch,take it ashore around "whatever" & immediately back aboard to the same mid ship cleat. I am now "docked" & can set bow,stern & springs more or less at leisure.The boat can't swing it's bow & stern very far since it is against the two spaced fenders & held tight by the breastline.

I sometimes use the mid ship cleat & it's permanent line as a spring also.

By "permanent",I mean the eye of the breastline stays on the cleat,as do my bow & stern line eyes. I take the bitter ends ashore,around the dock fitting & back aboard & cleat off aboard.This means I don't need dock help coming or going. Nor do I need a bow or stern person aboard either.

Works for my situation-each to his own

Happy New Year! / Len

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by Purim465

Thanks for all the advice, its a great help. i have the cleats already so the option of sliding cleats is passed. I agree that the beamiest part is probably too far aft on my S.O.32 so slightly forward should be ok. The backing plate is a 3mm x 170mm x 60mm so should spread the load ok and deck is solid so filler not needed.

Thanks all.

I am in exactly the same position as you.
I have the cleats and I will not install them unless I know what is the best spot -- this is something that needs to be done right the first time.

Originally Posted by Scaramanga F25

Always a little AFT of midship so that when you come onto a dock
and your mate cleats it aft, your bow will stay off the dock and not bump into the side dock.
When leaving the dock your mate carries and cleats the line forward on
the dock, skipper in reverse will move bow off the dock when side wind presses you on the side dock.

This is the best advice so far. What I have learned is that a bit aft of midships is better because you prefer the bow out and stern in, not the other way around.
However, I have no idea of what "midships" mean for my boat - in other words, where is the pivot point location on the gunwale. So my decision is postponed until the boat is at the dock and I can experiment with a line to determine the right spot.
I'll have to cut off a piece of the teak toe rail to install the cleats, and yes, it needs to be done right the first time.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by SVTatia

...I'll have to cut off a piece of the teak toe rail to install the cleats...

Better give this some more thought. Cleats are rarely mounted on toe rails. But you might need to install chocks in or on the rail.