Why is this page here and not on the WOA website?
Recently the Westsail Owners' Association website was moved to a new server that would allow the site to be more easily updated and maintained. While the basic content was successfuly transferred into the new site, a new Forum was started from scratch and the old Forum was converted to a collection of 41 PDF documents.Most of the Westsails are somewhere around 35 years old. They were well-built boats and most of the boats that were built are still sailing today... many half way 'round the world. But like all classic sailboats, they will all have problems over time, and most of the problems are relatively similar from boat to boat. There's a fair degree of likelihood that any problem that might come up has already been tackled by another owner. It's also fairly likely that the solution is buried somewhere in the archives of the Forum.
Long ago, I started downloading and archiving the entire Westsail.org website, with periodic refreshes. I did this mainly because I wanted a localized version of the site that I could access while cruising remote corners of the world, with limited access to the Internet. Perhaps the biggest benefit, however, has been the major improvement in my ability to search more than 11,000 posts efficiently.
It's likely that the old forum data could have been integrated with the new application, creating one contiguous and searchable source of information. But this would have required substantial programming and data manipulation and the decision was made by the WOA to take the current course. I therefore created this application as a means to preserve the seven years worth of resources that I consider to be incredibly valuable information for current and future Westsail owners. I hope you find it as useful as I have.
Jack Webb
1975 Westsail 32, Hull #438
svDrifter@gmail.com
Thread: "Looking For Midship Cleat Ideas"
12,268 posts on 2,444 threads • From Mar 07, 2004 - Jan 08, 2012
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Looking For Midship Cleat Ideas
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Rich Morpurgo (Member) |
I am looking for ideas for putting midship cleats on Jasmine. Are there any ideas that don't stub or break toes or foul sheets?
Photos appreciated! thanks rich} |
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Randell 'Randy' Kocurek |
Rich,
my boat has some very handly cleats just a foot or so forward of the mid-ship hawse-holes. They are probably 3" in length and are mounted to the interior of the bulwarks, below the cap rail and more or less in line with the center of the hawseholes, port and stbd. They get a lot of use for spring lines and such. I might go a little larger on the size. Good luck. |
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Aaron Norlund |
Rich,
Do you have a hawse pipe mid-ship? If so, you can use a wooden rod with a line hitched around it instead of a cleat. This way, when you're not docked, you don't have a stubber. Best! Aaron N. |
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Mark and Patti |
Hey Aaron, that idea is really good! I have always wanted a mid-ship spring line but never wanted that ankle biter of a cleat. Thanks, Mark S/V Patricia A
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Michael Dougan |
I have a track running down the side deck that the jib sheet blocks slide in. I found some cleats that fit the track, so, I can move them around if I want to. If you took the ends off the track, I supposed you could remove them when not in use, but otherwise, you do stub your toes from time to time.
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Randell 'Randy' Kocurek |
Great idea Aaron,
Think I'll keep my little cleat and use your wood rod approach at the dock. Randy |
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Bud Taplin (Member) |
Michael, Those cleats on the track are good for a line load coming down the track, such as from a genoa sheet. If the load is from the side, such as a dock line, it will twist the cleat base and also the track, and you will soon have a bent track, loosened bolts, and leaks.
Dock lines need a good strong cleat, well anchored to the deck or bulwark. The wood dowel on the hawse pipe would work fairly well, but make sure the dowel will take the loads of dock lines during a surge. |
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Ken Schatz |
We,ve used the idea Aaron talks about for years. Works great. Instead of dowels we use 24" (more or less) scraps of 1" stainless tubing. Put the tubing into a length of fire hose and sew the ends shut. We also have a couple of tubes in some plastic hose that just fits, but it was a pain to get them in. If we want the bitter end on the dock, I just use a line with an eye doubled over with a rod through it. Never had it fail. We use them with mooring lines in calm weather to keep the foredeck clear. Lines go to the sampson post if it looks like a blow coming. I just toss them next to the bulwark in the little valley beside the teak deck and they stay put, even at sea. Should have stowed them, but I forgot. No harm, no foul - it's a Westsail!
Ken |
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Randell 'Randy' Kocurek |
I think the little cleats I inherited are a great set up for just a few bucks. They have never been the least bit in my way.
However, thanks for the tip that in a blow it's a better idea to run the lines to the sampson posts. Great idea! |
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Michael Dougan |
Bud, thanks for the tip. I don't use the cleats for dock lines, and will be sure not to in the future. I usually use them for either a jib sheet, or the bitter end of a block and tackle I use for a preventer. Both pull fore or aft.
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BALANCE |
I recently mounted cleats amidships just prior to leaving for a cruise. I was never at a dock but they were used many times in many different ways. When I got them, my intention was to put them on the bulwarks but when it came time to drill I decided to mount them on the caprail. This way, I have no chafe issues. Will try to find you a picture if you want. They are the size that came with the boat on the bow or the stern.
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Rich Morpurgo (Member) |
I have a set of the rough bronze cleats that I think were original to the boat. I don't want them on the caprail because I don't want to foul a sheet on them. things get crazy at night in a blow.
I also don't want to stub my feet on them when all hell is breaking loose. Just looking for experience here, so thanks for all the responses. rich |
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Aaron Norlund |
Rich,
Something like this would surely work, but I'd probably want to through-bolt it to the outside of the bulwark.  Pop-up Cleats Best! Aaron |
