Removing Clam Cleat

[barry]

I'm looking to replace the clam cleat used to hold the main sheet.  I was expected to see thru bolts holding the clam cleat and rope clutches.  Much to my surprise I didn't - Does anyone know how this hardware is attached?

[Stu Jackson]

...can be misleading.

Some of the deck gear has backing plates that have been encased in the fiberglass core of the deck, with holes tapped for machine screws.

Others have either been added by previous owners with thru bolts, or factory installed that way.

The easiest thing to do is simply UNDO what is there and find out what it is you have.

[dave davis]

I can not tell what hull number you have but this may apply to the older boats.

I replaced the cleat with a rope clutch and thru bolted the clutch just like all the other clutches with 1/4*20.
Remember when sailing to leave the mainsheet loaded to the winch only. Do not have the sheet secured to both the winch and the clutch at the same time. But I'm sure you know that.

[c34member]

I have come across metal reinforcement/backing plates in several places - some suprising.  I added a GPS antenna and chose to lead the coax in just below the lip at the transom.  I ran into a 1/2" layer of mystery metal (brass or bronze?)that I presume must be part of a plate(s) bedded in to support the backstays and pushpit.  Glad to have it but a complication to the job at the time.

There's also a beefy plate under on the port side area beside and behind the forestay tang at the stem of the boat.  That one might be an aluminum alloy of som type.  I would love a map of such sites.

[Stu Jackson]

Barry -

Dave's right.  If you want to read a little bit longer discourse on this, use the message board search engine (upper right above), and type in "sheetstopper".

Read my May 10, 2001 description of what Dave described in more detail.

Stu

[barry]

Thanks for the search word pointer .. I figured someone else had an issue with that grey cleat and the sheet angle ...

My plan is to eliminate the need to unload the winch .. I have replaced the original block (attached to the traveller) with a triple w/cam cleat .. This will be used for gross tuning and the winch will be used for fine tuning .. It's a 5:1 system with two control ends.

[dave davis]

barry, I have done the same modification to the mainsheet. One end goes to the winch and the other end goes to a triple block/cam. It works really nice. The only trouble, if the winds are above 20 and you have the sheet very tight, it is almost imposable to unload the cam cleat. Maybe I need bigger crew. Don't tell my crew that I said that. By the way, my triple has a built in rachet that is not yet available from Garhauer. Guido says that he is looking into it.

We held are C27 Natioinals at Lake St. Clare many years ago and had a wonderful time at the Gross Point YC.

[barry]

Dave, I understand the problem of breaking a very tight sheet from a cam cleat all too well and have found that you need keep slack in the main sheet and then simply snap the line up (or down depending on cam cleat orientation) and the line will release with very little effort -- Make sure you hold of the sheet because the slack will be instantly removed.