personal main sheet cleats

16839

Member
When sailing in an event where the boats are supplied and you can not drill holes in the deck how do you rig a main sheet cleats. I have heard of mounting brackets that have been fabricated. Can they be purchased? If they need to be made, does anyone have a diagram?
Thanks!!
 
Hugh,

Good question. I just sailed at a regatta this summer where a visitor was sailing a borrowed boat. He brought with him a contraption consisting of two "J" shaped hooks
made out of about 1' wide stainless steel strapping that had a plastic clam cleat bolted to it. The "J" hooks were curved to fit over the rolled edge of the deck and there was a line that connected the inboard ends of the straps that could be tensioned and tied off securing the rig to the deck with no holes or hull damage (I think there was rubber padding under the straps.) In place the rig allowed the skipper to lead the mainsheet from the Harken ratchet block to the cleats for temporary cleating. Pretty slick rig. I don't have plans but somebody else reading this might have plans or another suggestion.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Thanks, Alan. It sounds like the same rig I had heard of. I can't quite envision exactly where this sits on the deck. Do the "J" hooks sit within the cockpit or do they sit on the deck in front of the cockpit where they normally would be bolted into the deck?
 
Alan, re reading your message I understand that they are fastened to the outer rail. That makes sense.
Hugh
 
at the NAs one of the guys renting a boat used a compas and had a realy good way to put it on. he took a square of plexiglass and cut a hole for the mast, and fairlead and then paced the plexiglass with the compass installed on that on top with the mast securing it in place. you might be able to adapt that idea into a cleat situation not sure though.
 
The removeable cleats are all home made. There's no commercial source for them.
BUT, reports from a lot of folks that have used them at the World's was they took a hit on their deposit due to scratching on the edges and deck.
Most folks I've talked to said if you padded the rig enough to prevent any damage it would either loosen up or side back and forth.
The best rig I saw was a pair of apx 3-4 inch wide aluminum plates bent exactly to fit the outer deck rounded lip with neoprene stuck to the inside. Lines with turnbuckles for tighten the two plates ran between them in front and back of the rachet mount.
It still left some marks on the edge and deck after the week of sailing.
 

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