DaySailer.org Forum

I’m replacing the old cleats on our early 70’s DSII. They are just too hard to cleat in a breeze, especially with my growingly arthritic hands. I’m curious on how they are held on to the centerboard trunk? Are they just screwed into the fiberglass? Is there any wood backing? Going to go with some harken cam cleats with fair leads unless anyone has a better idea.

Now, I'm sure something like that would fit on a DSII, but let's see whether anyone knows the details. As far as I know, the DSII has the CB trunk and cockpit molding nested like russian dolls, instead of the bare CB trunk as on a DS1.

Lol… that is on my DSII. I want to replace it.

Chiming in a bit late here. When I got my boat, the jib cleats were mounted outboard of the coaming, on the side deck, making them Very hard to manage at all. I could tell the cleats used to be mounted on the centerboard trunk from old holes.

I was worried about whether screws would hold the cleats securely, so, using Greenlake's jib cleat bracket as a guide (THANK YOU, sir!) I made my own. I got a piece of 1/4" 316 SS tube from Mcmaster-Carr, and cut it down to a U-channel that fit the centerboard trunk snugly. 1/4" was overkill, but it's what I could find to fit.

I carefully drilled holes thru the sides of the centerboard trunk and thru the bracket so that everything could be tightened down with long 1/4"-20 bolts. There is just enough space inside the centerboard trunk to accept a bolt without hitting the centerboard itself. I positioned the bracket such that it had 1/2" of space underneath it, between the bottom of the bracket and the top of the centerboard trunk, so there is room for the jib cleat washers and nuts. I shimmed under the bracket with two narrow strips of 1/2" starboard plastic, just so it doesn't wiggle at all.

I drilled holes in the bracket to mount the cleats, and then attached the bracket to the boat.
The thing is rock solid, we've sailed it all summer, no movement, and the jib cleats are such a breeze to use when mounted on the centerboard. And if I ever want to install swivel cleats, or anything else, it's just a matter of unbolting the bracket to make changes.

Very nice.

I suggest that you use some "rigging tape" (self-amalgamating) to cover the exposed bolt ends (if you didn't do that already). Your knuckles will thank you one day.

One difference from my setup is that you are using "captive" cleats (with the red crossbar). That's common for this setup, and I've sailed on a boat that was configured that way. I personally prefer my setup without the crossbars. The difference is that I can hold the jib sheet in my hand at any seating position and then easily transfer it to the cleat by pushing it down. I don't have to sit opposite the jib to operate the sheet.

As I single hand quite a bit, or have passengers that may need help with trimming the jib, I find this helpful. When sailing the other boat, I found myself not being able to do what I was used to. (I also have ratchet blocks on the fairleads and tend to hold rather than cleat the jib sheet in a wider range of conditions).

The advantage of the captive cleats is that it fixes the tails. You always know where to find the tail to work. Now, I solve that by tying together the tails of my jib sheets so it becomes continuous. I can then grab it anywhere to pull it towards me and start working it. I have had crews that dislike that arrangement, so it's clearly a matter of taste. The captive cleats of course work well if you have crew that always sits opposite of the jib (that is, on the windward side).

Yes, after the first sail with the new setup, I cut and filed smooth the bolt ends, so they are flush with the nuts.

My crew likes to know where the given jib sheet is to haul on, so the captive cleats work well. And with the bracket, it's easy to modify in the future.

The setup you have works well with crew, so you're fine on that score. Looks like you are all set!

I have materials/fabrication questions. Is that bracket aluminum or stainless?
And how did you get it bent so perfectly? Did you use a break to bend it?

@burningwizard writes that he started with a square tube. My own example was made in a machine shop based on my drawing (not an expensive thing, and the outcome is guaranteed). My boat used to have a bracket made from aluminum by an previous owner. That had corroded badly by the time I purchased the boat. I therefore went for a replacement using stainless steel (1/16" I believe is what we settled on as strong enough). @burningwizard writes that he over-designed the strength based on the wall thickness of the source material that was available.