adding a mainsheet jam cleat

T

thebeingwithin

New Member
Hi y'all,
i just purchased a '73 Dolphin Sr. I know, I know, this is a laser forum. but as the vessels are so similar i thought you could help.

having sailed other similar crafts, sunfish, phantoms etc, i really got used to having a jam cleat for the mainsheet. my new boat does not have one. can i just buy one and screw it into the fiberglass? taking appropriate measures to seal the holes of course. i don't remember how the others have been attached.

thanks in advance.
Travis
 
Not knowing anything about the Dolphin, it is hard to say. On the Laser, there is a wood backing plate in places where you screw through the fiberglass. The mainsheet pulls pretty hard; I would not want to rely on screws going into fiberglass only.
 
thank you for getting back to me. the vessels are very similar. the dolphin however does not have a backing plate. though that makes sense to me. i'm skeptical about screwing into the fiberglass directly and that's why i posted this question. i bet there is a way to attach them, but i have yet to find it.

thank you
 
you could add an inspection port, just like what is added to older hulls or boats under repair. the backing plate or material can be added to the area that needs it. The port can then be used to check for leaks or water inside the hull.
check the search feature for "installing inspection ports".
 
TBW: If you haven't done so already, you may want to pose the same question on the Sunfish forum given the Dolphin's similarities with the Sunfish....

I've never seen one in person but found the attached photos online. That faux teak decking is a trip!!
 

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I have used some great toggles that you can put in without much fuss. I bought them at West Marine or Boaters World. They have a loop that looks like zip ties on them which you slide a little collar down and snap off the plastic and they work great. Good luck.
 
BS,
I'm not sure what you are refering to when you mention toggles. do you mean something like the "stainless steel toggle"? there is still the question of how and where to mount it.
duh, nevermind. i had a brain malfunction. i found the toggles you are talking about. that might just work

Zoo,
that is the sort of thing i would like to mount. but i don't beleive the vessel has any backing plates and i'm not prepared to install an inspection port quite yet, so i won't be able to add any. the more we discuss it the more i'm sure that just attaching it to the fiberglass is a bad idea. those pics are pretty similar to mine. I'll post it in the sunfish section.

thanks all
 
BS,
i think those anchors will do exactly what i want them to do. thanks

Doug,
sometimes one deserves to be lazy. the cleat also keeps the mainsheet from getting strung out when you capsize the boat. and what's a day on the lake without atleast one venture into the drink!
 
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