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How to Make
a Movable Deck Cleat

Proper tie up of a boat is difficult without a center
dock cleat at the spreaders to attach spring lines to.  Similarly the absence of a side cleat
near the rear makes tie-ups at short docks difficult without line chafe.

I
solved these problems by creating two sizes of deck cleats that I could install
at any position I desired on the side decks.

This
cleat design fits toe rails with ¾” holes on 3”
centers.  Boats put into production
after 1979, IE W36, W32, W29, W25, W33 and W30 models have this toe rail.  However the design could be easily
adapted to fit the W27 toe rails with the slotted holes.

The cleats
are mounted in such a way that no metal touches the aluminum railing to prevent
galvanic action.  All of the metal
parts are stainless steel.  Pressure
treated wood was used as the body for ease of construction but aluminum could
be machined or epoxy poured in a mold if you have those talents and equipment
available.

The
larger size uses an 8 inch cleat and the smaller one a 6 inch cleat.  Nylon Spacers and washers are used to
protect the aluminum toe rail.

The SS weld nuts on the backside of the wood bracket add
tremendous strength.  This also
allows more thickness of wood than if nuts and washers were recessed into the
wood.  However if you prefer to use
local hardware stores which do not carry SS weld nuts then you may substitute
SS Nylock nuts where are readily available however the recess will need to be
deeper and thus weaker unless you also widen the base and use longer
bolts.  The most difficult task is
drilling the 3 different diameter, stepped holes.  The holes are stepped for the bolt
diameter, the weld nut body diameter and the flange diameter on the weld nut.

This project evolved over a couple of years.  Initially plated furniture nuts were
used until the rusted, and much time was spent searching for the best SS parts
to make this work.  This is why
materials came from various places.
Almost everything except the cleat and the wood could be purchased from
McMaster-Carr @ www.mcmaster.com.  Similarly if you were willing to change
the design slightly and use Nylock nuts and standard bolts instead of button
head cap screws, then everything could be purchased at a Lowes Home Improvement
store.  I really like the finished
look of the button head cap screws and the lack of any sharp protruding object
on the edge of the tow rail.

Image below is the drawing for the Large Cleat adapter bracket

The Image below is for the small 6-inch cleat adapter bracket.

This was a fun project and added a lot to the ease of
running spring lines and docking in unusual setting.

John
Myers

S/V
Y KNOT, 1983, W25 #68