Cleat Mounting

[Wildey]

If you've ever wondered about the integrity of the cleats and their mountings on your boat, this photo gives you an idea of how well some are attached.

 

[76SeaRay]

How timely. I was just working underneath my gunwale and looking at the cleat mount this afternoon. Mine are just through bolted to the fiberglass cap. I was considering adding some extra plywood backing for reinforcement. I doubt my existing cleats would have held up as good as those in the pic....

 

[Scott Danforth]

How timely. I was just working underneath my gunwale and looking at the cleat mount this afternoon. Mine are just through bolted to the fiberglass cap. I was considering adding some extra plywood backing for reinforcement. I doubt my existing cleats would have held up as good as those in the pic....

you may want to check. SeaRay burried a chunk of aluminum in the fiberglass on many boats just like other builders.

for example, there is a 3/16" plate of aluminum in the gunwales on both sides of my boat for cleats and hardware.

 

[76SeaRay]

Hmmm, thanks for the note. Maybe that is how the boat in the pic above was made. I will check it out but I think I could see light through the fiberglass where the cleat was mounted near the transom.

 

[Wildey]

Seen several reinforced with a block of glassed in plywood.
Bow eyes too.

 

[76SeaRay]

I just checked and mine do not have any backing or reinforcement including no embedded aluminum plate. I am going to add 3/4 inch marine plywood as a backing. There is backing on my bow eye.

 

[76SeaRay]

Just added the 3/4 inch backing plywood to my aft cleats and the back two hand rail mounts on each side as those didn't have any reinforcing at all. Still have the front hand rail mounts to do.

Wildey, thanks for posting the pic as I had forgotten to look at those during my restoration so that triggered my check and glad it did.

 

[Wildey]

Cool, might save you some heartache someday.
I "double up" on mine. Ya never know ..........