[Rhodes22-list] Genoa Cleats

[Roger Pihlaja]

Ron,

The cabin roof is about 1-1/2" thick in that area, certainly thick enough &
plywood cored.  But, how were you planning to attach the cleat if not by
thru-bolting - wood screws?  The roller furling control line can be fairly
heavily loaded.  It is considered bad engineering practice to do anything
but thru bolt heavily loaded deck fittings.

Before you do anything, please take a look at the following reference:

"Fiberglass Boat Repair & Maintenance, With WEST System Epoxy", Revised
Edition, Published By Gougeon Brother Inc., PO Box X908, Bay City, MI 48707,
989-684-1374, Cat No: 002-550, Sep., 1988, pages 46 - 50

The most recent edition of this pamphlet is available at West Marine stores
or just about any other marine chandlery that sells WEST System epoxy
products.  Or, look in the 2003 West Marine Master Catalog on page 388.

Basically, you will drill out the mounting holes oversize, tape over the
holes thru the cabin liner, & backfill the holes with epoxy using a
hypodermic syringe.  Then, you will redrill the mounting holes thru the
hardened epoxy.  This will completely seal the plywood core to prevent
moisture intrusion in the future & provide a stable, crushproof region thru
the plywood core that will not be deformed when the cam cleat is loaded.

Please allow me to introduce you to a wonderful piece of thru-bolting
hardware called the "barrel nut".  Look in the 2003 West Marine Master
Catalog on page 512.  You didn't say if the particular cam cleat you were
going to use required #10 - 24UNC or 1/4" - 20UNC screws; but, there are
barrel nuts listed to fit either size.  You can either fabricate your own
backing plate from 12 gage SS plate or you can use SS fender washers for
backing plates.  On page 512 in the 2003 West Marine Master Catalog, use a
1" OD X 1/4" ID SS fender washer with the #10 barrel nut & a 1-1/2" OD X
5/16" ID SS fender washer with the 1/4" barrel nut.  You will have to trim
the lengths of the SS mounting screws to fit the barrel nuts & the thickness
of the cabin roof under your new cam cleat.  The finished installation will
only show the SS backing plate or SS fender washers & the polished Phillips
screwheads of the barrel nuts.  It won't be a head banger, will be very
strong, & yet readily accessible if you ever need to take it apart.

Please don't use wood screws.  Good luck!

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ronald Lipton" <lipton at sprynet.com>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2003 7:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Genoa Cleats


> This must have confused some folks.  I ment the furling line, not the
> sheets.  Sorry.  I was just wondering if the cabintop fiberglass is thick
> enough to support the cleat or if some sort of backing plate is needed.
>
> Ron
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ronald Lipton" <lipton at sprynet.com>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 10:38 PM
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Genoa Cleats
>
>
> > The Genoa sheets on my '89 have an annoying habit of slipping though
> > the jam cleats, unfurling  the genoa.  I would like to
> > add cam cleats to the cabintop.  Has anyone done this? What is
> > the proper procedure? Is the fiberglass thick enough to support
> > the cleats with no backing?  Any advice would be appreciated.
> >
> > Ron Lipton
> > Empress of Blandings
> > Michigan City, In
> > __________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>