More tie up cleats for spring lines and bumpers

[Brianlunn]

I want to install more cleats mid ships on both sides of a r27. If I screw directly into deck could this cause any problems

 

[Pilotnavigator]

I do not have this model but any cleat on any boat should be through bolted preferably with a backing plate or at least fender washers. Screws will not be sufficient to take the load that may be applied to the cleats.

 

[Brianlunn]

I agree but I don’t know if I can access under the deck to put a bolt on

 

[Chimo]

I want to install more cleats mid ships on both sides of a r27. If I screw directly into deck could this cause any problems

With respect, I assume you have a midship cleat on a 27ft boat. If you take a 30 ft line from forward to the cleat and then tie off aft you have your spring lines. The bow and stern lines come off the center cleat on the bow and the aft cleat. The fenders hang from the hand rails on the cabin roof or the cockpit rails. Why drill holes in your fiberglass that can leak or, worse, rip put under minimal load? Hope I didn’t come across as an a***ole! Maybe you need longer lines on the fenders?

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

In order to find proper access you should call the factory and ask someone in customer service the following.......are there panels in the cave that can be taken down to gain said access. Also same thing from under the galley cabinets. They can tell the best place for access and structural integrity.

Jim

 

[marcham]

Does it not have 4 cleats per side? It should be possible to hang fenders while minimizing the use of cleats. Sometimes I use a rolling hitch on the dock lines near the cleat to hold a fender.

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

 

[YukonRon]

I would echo what the others have said earlier against installing extra cleats with screws. Having cleats that could pull out under load only gives a false sense of security and will do damage when it happens. I could not tie up my boat with a marginal cleat and walk away wondering if it will break free while I'm gone :shock:
As said earlier, I would suggest you find a way to put bolts in with good backing; or just use the factory cleats for tying up and hang fenders from the rails.

 

[knotflying]

I have an R-27. Seven years of year round use and I really never wished I had more cleats. I would think hard before installing additional cleats. A) they will be a trip hazard when trying to walk around the cabin. B) You won't have access from inside the cabin to tend then if necessary and I doubt you could easily tie a line to one when not at a dock.

 

[Matty]

Have to agree on the comment about adding more cleats can lead to accidents. Unfortunately I learned the hard way. Not that I added any cleats but I did have the accident. While carefully holding on to a hand rail and carefully stepping along the outside to the cabin I went to step off the boat on to the cement dock we were tied up to. As I stepped backward with all that caution in mind my footwear got caught underneath a cleat. Fell straight back and hit my head on the dock. Had a 4 hour trip back to our dock where I had the pleasure of having my wife stare at me almost the whole time to make sure I did not have a bleed. Lessons learned. But I would keep the area as free from additional equipment as possible.

 

[baz]

I want to install more cleats mid ships on both sides of a r27. If I screw directly into deck could this cause any problems

Can you say why you want mid ship cleats? As others have said, if it would be for fenders then they can be hung from the cabin roof rails very easily.

 

[tugnnaweigh]

I agree on not adding more cleats as there’s enough trip hazards already. When it comes to rigging bumpers we route their lines through little white plastic curlicue things that are placed on the side rails so the cleats remain available for the heavier duty work of securing dock lines.

 

[YukonRon]

When it comes to rigging bumpers we route their lines through little white plastic curlicue things that are placed on the side rails so the cleats remain available for the heavier duty work of securing dock lines.

Beware of the "little white plastic curlicue things". Our boat came with a bunch of those on the fender lines. I went to clip one on the rail one day and the plastic fell apart in my hands, likely due to UV degradation. Fortunately, my other hand was still holding the line so I did not lose my fender in the drink.
I not only worried about losing the fenders, but also the damage that could be done to the hull if the fenders break loose while we are away from the boat.
I tossed the rest of the "little white plastic curlicue things" in the trash and now we just tie knots.

 

[baz]

Keep those little plastic thingamajigs inside somewhere handy and away from UV....but tie knots can't be beat for sure. 🙂

 

[ALICE J]

On my R 27 I have added two 8 cleats to the sides of the box that holds the windlass thru bolted with stainless backing plate, great help when using two anchors, or tying off to docks, or rafting, a cleat for each line. I also added a 6” cleat port and starboard in the top of the coaming protected by the elevated hand holds. They proved most useful in doing the locks in Canada where I placed a short line around the cable and back to the cleat itself. Only needed one person to hold the boat.