Hey im looking to install a cleat on my mast to relieve some of the tension and pressure on the cleat located on the deck. I have already pulled the cleat off one boat and do not wish to do that again. I realize for class rules it must be within 4ft of the bottom of the mast. However, i am at a loss at how exactly to do it. Do you drill completely through the mast and use nuts and bolts to install it or is there some other way to do it? Plus does it matter on what cleat i use? Is a cleat the same size as the one on the deck overkill? Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.
Installing Mast cleat
- Thread starter Aelston
- Start date
mike4947
Member
Back when they first legalized the mast cleat I REALLY wanted one as I had a real problem with halyard stretch from tacking upwind over a mile from our beach to the race starting line and had a heck of a half moon scar on the front deck. The swinging back and forth of the sail during tacking puts stress on the halyard causing stretch. No matter how old and stressed the halyard was.
After looking at at least a dozen options I settled on a Hobie 16 mast cheat repair kit. It comes with a carbon fiber horn cleat and large pop rivets with water proofing cups. I've used them on at least a dozen boats over the years without a failure. I figured (correctly) that a Sunfish halyard would never come close to producing the pressure that a metal halyard on a 16 Hobie produces.
After looking at at least a dozen options I settled on a Hobie 16 mast cheat repair kit. It comes with a carbon fiber horn cleat and large pop rivets with water proofing cups. I've used them on at least a dozen boats over the years without a failure. I figured (correctly) that a Sunfish halyard would never come close to producing the pressure that a metal halyard on a 16 Hobie produces.
I ordered a new deck cleat for the sunfish, probably through APS. I can't recall if it came with self tapping screws or if I went to West Marine and purchased two SST self tapping screws. Anyway, this cleat is just screwed to one side of the mast and not a hint of any problems from last years racing.