Damaged cleat mounting, how to repair?

Murv said:
Thanks all, extremely useful advice :)
I think I have a plan...
Short term, I'm not going to get time to get to the boat this side of Christmas so can't check as to the rear access but I'm assuming there is some from the engine compartment.

If there is, I'm going to insert a piece of timber behind the hole and secure the cleat to that with some silicon around the edge of the plate to stop water ingress.
That should give a strong enough hold until the weather improves when I can do a permanent repair as detailed above.
Anyone foresee any problems with that?
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The problem may be that residues from the silicone may prevent the final repair with glass and resin ( polyester or epoxy) adhering properly to the GRP. Silicones are notoriously difficult to remove effectively and extremely good at stopping things sticking.

Find a silicone free sealant. Sikaflex or a similar polyurethane sealant from the DIY market.
Sikaflex is a good adhesive so for that reason perhaps not a good choice either
 
It just gets more and more complicated! (or should that be moor complicated?)
If I patch it then, I will just use a thin band of sealant around the hole, that way, any silicone will get cut out in the permanent repair.

Does anybody have a ballpark figure of approximate figures for what it may cost to have it repaired professionally?
 
Murv said:
It just gets more and more complicated! (or should that be moor complicated?)
If I patch it then, I will just use a thin band of sealant around the hole, that way, any silicone will get cut out in the permanent repair.

Does anybody have a ballpark figure of approximate figures for what it may cost to have it repaired professionally?
Click to expand...

Depends upon the quality of reapir required and wether access to fix it is also required. You will have to decided if the cleat is needed in that location and that will reflect in the price of the repair. Possibly not the answer you are looking for but cleat or no cleat will make a big difference.
 
As suggested don't use silicone to patch it. Cut a piece of thick polythene sheet and fix it all round with aluminium tape and wait for warm weather. Then repair properly as advised above - no need to spend a lot on professional repairs. Anyway, as it's your first boat you'll need the practice in fixing things :)
 
Murv said:
Does anybody have a ballpark figure of approximate figures for what it may cost to have it repaired professionally?
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From this (through hull skin fitting -about 2" diameter)

P1010108.jpg


..to this..

P1010129.jpg


..£150.... I could probably have done it myself but I had no time and the opening was at the waterline so I wanted a "proper" job... most of the cost is time to match the gel coat colour... at a guess yours is going to be minimum twice that... probably more... the more prep you can do the cheaper it'll be...
 
The last one i did took about 6 hours but that was in 2 days add travelling etc you will probably get charged at least 9 hours for labour
Material/tools/fuel cost about £60 more
So 9x35 +60 comes out about £375 from a private bloke. He would probably quote about 450-500 before hand..as one has no idea if the area round the hole is ok so the job may end up a bit bigger
A lot more from a company like the marina
It sounds complicate but it is really easy if you know how
Plus of course the good old VAT
 
Much appreciated, thanks. The cost of a professional repair means it's not a viable option then.
Trouble is, it's too cold to do a proper repair and we want the boat back in the water as soon as we can so we can start using the thing!
 
Murv said:
Much appreciated, thanks. The cost of a professional repair means it's not a viable option then.
Trouble is, it's too cold to do a proper repair and we want the boat back in the water as soon as we can so we can start using the thing!
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Take the cleat of the metal plate. Refix metal plate using new and slightly bigger screws, clean surrounding GRP and cover with duck/gaffer tape tape. It seems well above the waterline and shold not leak and if the tape fails put some more on.

Edit bit - http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=341261 discussion about tapes here that might be better than 'gaffer'.
 
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Your profile doesn't give any details as to what type of boat you have. As it appears to be on the side of a cockpit coaming it may never have been intended for such heavy duty use - perhaps only to secure the roller reefing line? Certainly self tapping screws are grossly inadequate for a mooring cleat. There is no quick fix for this and others have already given all the advice you need to make the repair. It's not worth doing anything that falls short of the required standard, so why do it twice?

If it is the side of the coaming, then you should find a path to the inside from one of the cockpit lockers. When you start the repair cut away until you get to sound, dry material or you will be unable to make anything stick!

Sorry if this sounds negative, but repairs are much quicker, simpler and effective if you are bold and thorough, not fiddling about in a small aperture with dodgy edges.

Rob.
 
Boathook said:
Take the cleat of the metal plate. Refix metal plate using new and slightly bigger screws, clean surrounding GRP and cover with duck/gaffer tape tape. It seems well above the waterline and shold not leak and if the tape fails put some more on.

Edit bit - http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=341261 discussion about tapes here that might be better than 'gaffer'.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, never knew there were so many different kinds of tape!

rob2 said:
Your profile doesn't give any details as to what type of boat you have. As it appears to be on the side of a cockpit coaming it may never have been intended for such heavy duty use - perhaps only to secure the roller reefing line? Certainly self tapping screws are grossly inadequate for a mooring cleat. There is no quick fix for this and others have already given all the advice you need to make the repair. It's not worth doing anything that falls short of the required standard, so why do it twice?

If it is the side of the coaming, then you should find a path to the inside from one of the cockpit lockers. When you start the repair cut away until you get to sound, dry material or you will be unable to make anything stick!

Sorry if this sounds negative, but repairs are much quicker, simpler and effective if you are bold and thorough, not fiddling about in a small aperture with dodgy edges.

Rob.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob, I honestly don't want to do it twice, but have no choice as it appears the epoxy won't set in this weather.
Boat is a Fairline holiday, annoyingly I don't have a decent picture showing the cleat location but it's the one arrowed here (you may have to squint a bit!)

FAIRLINE-HOLIDAY-MOTOR-CRUISER-DIESEL-ENGINE-NOW-REDUCED-20120811202832.jpg
 
You should be able to remove some panelling and get to the backside. Repair from the outside, inside will be the fiddliest job you have ever done. Repair the hole, flowcoat it and put in the largest piece of 18mm ply that will fit in the area inside.
 
Hoolie said:
Just cover the hole temporarily as discussed, and park the boat port side to until the weather warms up.
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Will do :D

I really do appreciate all the advice given here, and I'll trawl it all back up in the Spring but the consensus is that a proper repair won't take in this Weather so it will be a temporary job just to get us back in the water.

So far this boat ownership lark has consisted of paying out many Thousands of pounds for a 10 minute jaunt up the river!
(I know, I know... welcome to boat ownership etc :D )
 
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