by Peterw11 » Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:08 pm
I've been talking about doing this since I got my DS1 a year ago. When I first got it, my jib cleats were mounted on the thwarts (original, I would think) but as they were pointed directly at the gun'ls, an awkward reach, especially when singlehanding.
Rotating the cleats 45 degrees, toward the cuddy, made things a lot easier, so relocating them are not as much of a priority as they once were.
I still plan to do it. I bought new Ronstan cleats from Rudy last summer and they're still in my garage, awaiting installation.
My idea was to mount them on a wooden platform above the CB trunk, similar to what Kkearns describes, and every time I sail, I ponder the best approach. I think I've got it doped out.
When I removed my thwarts last fall to refinish them, I found that the metal flange that attached them to the CB trunk is about 2 inches wide and the inboard screw holes are only about 1/2" away from the end of the thwart.
If I redrill the holes approx. an inch outward, toward the center of the thwart and reinstall the screws, I'll still have the same strength at the attachment, plus I can use the original holes to mount the wooden "legs" of the cleat platform (kkearns set up), by installing wood screws from the bottom.
I've got some 1" thick mahogany scraps that'll work fine, bridging the CB trunk, and also adding a bit more brightwork to the cockpit.
Well, that's the plan, anyway...