Bow fairleads and cleats

[sarabande]

after lots of discussions and back-of-envelope scribbling, I now have two fairly substantial galvanised steel fairlead/cleats on the boat.

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That pic shows the previous mooring method, with two lines running through the single bow roller.

I know these fairlead/cleats are not elegant, but

1... I am used to solid farm engineering

2...the previous small stainless fairlead can be seen on the port side. Its friend to starboard was simply pulled out while the boat was moored in the marina in the January storm

3... the intended use is low-crewed cruising and anchoring

4... shortly I move to a swinging mooring in a moderately exposed SW river


Having installed the fairleads, I made the two mooring lines fast, one to P and one to S.

[/IMG]


The boat's Operational Review Policy Team took one look at the second pic and asked why I was not using the new cleat as a fairlead and making fast to the central cleat. The team manager was concerned that Pic 2 is not the best way to make the boat fast to the mooring buoy.

Some details:

1... the toe rail is 25mm thick GRP (the deck section and hull section are both 1/2 inch GRP layups).

2... The fairlead has a 10mm oak packing piece, and 5 x 8mm bolts through the toe rail upstand.

3... the central cleat is alloy, and I beiieve it to have 2 x 10mm threaded bolts through the deck with some (as yet undetermined backing piece)


My rough and ready instinct is that the Pic 2 arrangement is stronger than the suggested alternative (shown here in red)

[/IMG]

and I wonder if the red "mooring through fairlead to central cleat" suggestion is subject to confirmation bias, perhaps because that is the way it was previously.


I am genuinely after the strongest and most practical arrangement of the mooring lines, and seek the forum's views.

Please take it as read that the central cleat will be investigated for solidity of fastenings, and bigger backing pieces installed if needed. I am not averse to another central cleat, but am wary of genoa sheets getting trapped in uncovered cleats.

thanks in advance. T.

 

[Poignard]

I think the red line route is best . The new cleats look massively strong but what they are attached to is much less so. The toe-rails could be damaged by a heavy sideways load.

I would have had new cleats through-bolted to the deck with suitable reinforcing below but if I particularly wanted them near the toe-rail I would have mounted them on an oak chock.

 

[johnalison]

The traditional arrangement is to provide a Samson post centrally and I think that this is what I would do if possible. It would have the advantage of being able to accommodate more rope than a single cleat.

 

[Seajet]

Well I really like the toerail fairlead/cleats, but I do agree I'd use them only as fairleads for serious loads; I'd add a couple of big cleats one each side of the samson post, bolted through deck with mega backing pads.

The setup as shown would be jolly handy at pontoons; are you going to do something similar at the quarters where as well as pontoon work they'd be handy - with through deck cleats - for towing boats or drogues ?

 

[prv]

The new fittings look suspect as long-term fairleads to me - small tight corners instead of big rounded ones. So if they're to be used, probably best as cleats so that the lines don't move against them. The mounting of them with lots of bolts through the hull moulding, plus clamping force, would not concern me unduly.

The mooring lines look a bit small.

Pete

 

[Len Ingalls]

My personal opinion :
1. You have eliminated chafing by tying directly to these new (fairleads?) cleats.
2. By looping the ends over the original central cleat,you have provided a backup as strong as the deck.
3. I too have some reservations about the strength of the toerail. Is it moulded as part of deck or was it added after?
4. Suggest you do not use them as fairleads at all-only as cleats. The small diameter vertical rod in them would chafe badly because of the very small radius bend.
5. I would have placed the two end vertical rods more towards the center to allow longer "horns".

I think it's an excellent idea though !!

Cheers/Len

 

[prv]

4. Suggest you do not use them as fairleads at all-only as cleats. The small diameter vertical rod in them would chafe badly because of the very small radius bend.

Exactly. Plus the even sharper edges of the base and the top plate.

Pete

 

[Len Ingalls]

Exactly. Plus the even sharper edges of the base and the top plate.

Pete

They are made locally for com. fishing boats using one inch round rod instead of flat bar for tops. The "web" is 3/4" flat bar stock on edge with rounded ends to prevent chafe. Wish I had a pic.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I like your new arrangement; a mahoosive thick backing plate under the central cleat does, or will, reduce the vertical stress on the deck to less than that imposed by the new fairleads, but you have more bolt area in shear in the new setup which is the direction you are concerned with. I think I see that you've sleeved the mooring strop which will help with the wear due to the small radius bar used - in which case I think that your first arrangement is the better.

Lastly - I can't be sure from the images, but if you're using the double strop with one to each 'fleat' then that is several times better than two strops to one centre cleat.

 

[oldbilbo]

The twinned lines shown are 18mm Polysteel - the size recommended by the club's Moorings Master - each with a rated strength in excess of 13000lbs. Of course, it is the resistance to abrasion, loaded, through the duration of an extended West Country gale that matters, and so the lines are provided with sleeves of 'layflat tubing', with cords to ensure they stay in place. That's both cheap and effective.

This material and usage has been successful in protecting the lines - and thus the security of the hulls - of two boats kept overwintered on West Country moorings, without any discernable wear.

The single central cleat requires close inspection of its fastenings. This unit - or something similar - will be used for anchoring, and one expects that the damaging load-cycle of 'heavy snubbing' in the chop of a near-gale will find any weakness in the arrangements. The same consideration applies to arrangements for acceptance of an RNLI towing warp. What's on the foredeck needs to be up to that job, too.

 

[Len Ingalls]

The twinned lines shown are 18mm Polysteel - the size recommended by the club's Moorings Master - each with a rated strength in excess of 13000lbs. Of course, it is the resistance to abrasion, loaded, through the duration of an extended West Country gale that matters, and so the lines are provided with sleeves of 'layflat tubing', with cords to ensure they stay in place. That's both cheap and effective.

This material and usage has been successful in protecting the lines - and thus the security of the hulls - of two boats kept overwintered on West Country moorings, without any discernable wear.

The single central cleat requires close inspection of its fastenings. This unit - or something similar - will be used for anchoring, and one expects that the damaging load-cycle of 'heavy snubbing' in the chop of a near-gale will find any weakness in the arrangements. The same consideration applies to arrangements for acceptance of an RNLI towing warp. What's on the foredeck needs to be up to that job, too.

I agree.
Polysteel is,I believe,the strongest synthetic rope available,without going to "dyneema" type.
It is a bit slippery & it's best to use spliced eyes but it can be cleated & tied if done correctly.
It doesn't have that soft yachty feel but it it will not wear like soft rope.

Fairleads (chocks) cause chafe & stress.
Sleeving decreases wear.

Tying directly to a cleat placed at deck edge eliminates need for a fairlead & the it"s resultant chafe.

Leading the tag ends to another cleat,as the OP does,provides a useful back up.

/ Len

http://www.polysteel.ca/