fixing a leaky cleat?

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ChasB

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I've a GRP hull, circa 1982. One of the cleats is now allowing water to seep (drip actually) into the boat and must be replaced. Someone else has obviously had a go at it once - the nuts and blots have been changed. There is a plate on the other side of the hull, and it is all held together with 4 nuts and bolts.

5431.jpg


With anything else I'd remove the whole assembly, dig out the holes a bit, lay in some fibre glass filler, put some gelcoat filler on top, drill out new holes, and then remount the whole thing with fresh nuts and bolts (marine quality) and seal with silicone.

But this is a cleat and takes a lot of strain, so I'm worried that my approach wouldn't last long. Any advice here? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Also, I am correct in believing that this leak, and any others like it are slowly compromising the integrity of my grp hull? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

That last question also makes me wonder if the grp around the cleat is now waterlogged. If so, I should dry it out first, no? How do I do that quickly?
 
G'day Twisterowner,

You need to remove the cleat, drill out the 4 holes in the glass only by at least 5 mm oversize (10mm oversize is better)

Check for moisture and use a heat gun to dry it; clean with Acetone and mask the topsides around the holes.

Mix some resin and micro-balloons to about toothpaste thickness, Poke it down the hole, have someone below deck to apply sticky tape as soon at the resin mix shows, continue to fill till full. Remove any of the mix still above the hole as it's very hard to sand off later.

Let this cure for 24 hrs and re drill to a snug fit, add a little sealant under the fitting and the head of the fixing screws, all done.

Avagoodweekend.
 
Even better: drill out the hole in a conical way, so the inside diameter is at least 10mm more than the outside. Fill with epoxy resin/mico balloon mix. Let it harden, redrill hole, install backing plate, and attach.
 
404 would be my choice in micro fibres, the last thing you want is a soft mix that may crush when the cleat is loaded.

BTW it's ok to mix fibres and balloons to soften the fibre only mix. Also not this is not a job for micro balloons, they are a good filler but have very little structural strength fir this application.

Avagoodweekend......
 
Hi when putting sealer between the cleat and deck if you can just nip it up till sealant just squeeses out and tighten it tomorrow it make the sealant turn into a "gasket" if you tighten it all up when sealant still fresh it will squeese most of it out
I found out the hard way with the track on the deck till i was told of this woked a treat and filled the slight dip in the deck with the bolt hole in it
 
oldsaltoz is right. The micro ballons have little structural strength. Wood flour is a good way to stiffen the resin mix and provide the structural inegrity that fibers add.
 
Well I've bought all the bits I need (not cheap!) and the next few days appear to be dry enough to do the job, but I've had a thought:
should I fit a base plate below the deck (easily accessible at the moment) to give added strength? The current assembly doesn't have one.
And if I do, should I embed that with the resin mix too?
Presumably it would have to be marine grade stainless steel to match the M8 bolts. Does anyone know where I can source that?

Bolts centre's are 86.5mm (3.4") x 40.5mm (1.6") apart.

5431.jpg



Cheers.
 
Lack of a backing plate will be the reason you have a problem.

A cleat will definitely need a backing plate. Stainless is nice, but a decent size of marine ply is every bit as good.

Donald
 
[ QUOTE ]
A cleat will definitely need a backing plate

[/ QUOTE ]
None such here... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Cheers guys. There's an engineering place that makes lifts down the road - I'm sure they can oblige me with an offcut of steel plate.

A previous owner did so many bodge jobs on this boat, and which the surveyor stood little chance of finding, and which I'm now spending an eternity fixing! I would feel bad about passing the boat on one day in the same condition I got it in.
 
G'day ChasB,

You should use a stainless steel backing plate, Timber or Ply will need to be epoxy coated after all drilling has been carried out and still may at some time in the future go soft on you. Aluminium is also OK but you may have problems with mixing metals and end up with loose bolts.

When placing the backing plate you should apply a layer of epoxy resin and Micro Fibres mixed to about toothpaste thickness, nip the bolts up enough leave a couple of mm thickness around the edges and wipe off any excess. let this cure for 24 hours before tightening up.

Also Note: the plate should have well rounded corners and both top and bottom edges rounded off, this will help to avoid hard spots under load.

Avagoodweekend......
 
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