Midships fairleads

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Capt'n
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Midships fairleads

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Hi to all:

If you've ever needed to use a midships spring but had no place to either tie a rope or pass a line through, then a pair of midships cleats or fairleads in the area just forward of the spinnaker track are the answer. I chose fairleads since you can pass a rope through and control it from the cockpit. Since I didn't want to drill new holes, I scouted all the local chandlers for a pair of fairleads whose distance between bolt centres would match those of the toe rail bolts. Finally, I came across a stainless steel pair for 6 euros. I then removed the bolts, cleaned up the rust spots and inserted the fairleads with new countersunk bolts and a layer of Sikaflex bedding compound. After letting the bedding compound to cure for a day, I tightened the bolts and voila!

-Nicholas
Moments of Clarity #334
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Re: Midships fairleads

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msn-puredrop5 wrote on Jan 30, '08

You can get cleats
on a slider like the jib sheet cars have, fit them on the forward end of the jib
sheet track.



Mark
bennett

CIAO
msn-ballad775 wrote on Jan 30, '08
I've got them on a track on the rail, like this;


which runs from about midships right back to the pushpit. Very useful, particularly when coming into a berth.

If you have a cleat or fairlead aft of midships you can come into a berth using just one rope, and then take all the time you like to sort out your other mooring lines.

If you pass a rope with an eye in it though the cleat or fairlead, and hold the eye at the end of a boathook, as you come into the berth hook the eye over the mooring cleat or bollard which you intend to use for the aft breast rope, and take the strain round the sheet winch to help stop the boat.

When you are happy with the position of the boat, leave the motor in forward gear on tickover, and the boat will lay nicely alongside for as long as you want, you may need to push the tiller over towards the side you're tying up to keep the bow out.

If you have a permanent berth you can make a rope just the right size to fit between sheet winch, boat cleat and berth cleat. This method makes coming into a berth singlehanded so simple.

You can do the same thing with a cleat or fairlead amidships, but you must keep the tiller towards the tying up side, or the bow will swing in, and the stern will swing out.

Hope this is of interest.

Tim
jespermilling wrote on Jan 30, '08
Everybody! please observe how Tim protects the freeboard with some sort of cover. This is how you care for your mistress!

Jesper Milling!
msn-josin3092 wrote on Feb 3, '08
Midships cleat or fairlead very useful for the solosailor, Balld 775, Tim, explains very clearly why.
But Patentnick1, Nicolas, the rust under the heads of the deck/hull bolts indicates more action needed. Almost all of mine showed the same. Indicates slightly not-tight bolts and therefore crevice corrosion under the head. Mine were sufficiently loose after many years that the deck/hull joint leaked in places during rail-under sailing. That is another, and long, story.
You should undo each bolt, say five or so at a time, lift them up until you can clean the rust away, de-grease and reseal before re-tightening. The old sealing mastic is incredibly durable, but can probably be compressed a bit more. Tighten each of a series a bit at a time, to spread the compression. When all bolts are done, go all round again to ensure the same tightening.
I counted 280 bolts! This is a test of patience and application. Result: a tight boat.
Tools to make it easier: A deep socket long enough to cope with long bolts. A universal joint. A speed handle. A drill with reverse and low speed, where there is space.
Good luck!
John
msn-patentnick1 wrote on Feb 4, '08
Hi John:

You're quite right about the toe-rail bolt issue. To that end, I've already bought a long socket for my wrench kit. To be honest, after 10 months of having spent every weekend working on the boat, I'm looking forward to a bit of sailing, so I may just tighten the bolts now and do the complete removal/inspection/sealing project in a few months' time. To be honest, one reason I've been putting it off is that I want to replace some of the bolts with threaded eyes which, in the absence of a common aluminium toerail, can be very handy. I've done it in a couple of places near the bow and it's very convenient for attaching spare halyards, blocks, etc (see photo). But, you're right, the job has be done at some point.

-Nicholas
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