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Attaching Fairleads


Alway Swilby

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Well, Midland Swindlers call them fairleads. The cleat type things on the grab rails for the centre rope to go through.

Anyway, how would you attach them to the grabrail? There can be quite a pull on them so I suspect a little self tapping screw wouldn't be good enough?

 

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Well, Midland Swindlers call them fairleads. The cleat type things on the grab rails for the centre rope to go through.

Anyway, how would you attach them to the grabrail? There can be quite a pull on them so I suspect a little self tapping screw wouldn't be good enough?

 

 

.. but the main force is likely to be sideways, rather than upwards?

 

I am getting quite tempted by these

 

http://www.cquip.com/shop_1390817511.php

 

or the cleat equivalent, which I saw on a boat recently, for fixing onto the gunwale.

 

http://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-stainless-steel-folding-cleat-8.html?sqr=folding%20cleat.V0dRa_krJxA

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Well, Midland Swindlers call them fairleads. The cleat type things on the grab rails for the centre rope to go through.

Anyway, how would you attach them to the grabrail? There can be quite a pull on them so I suspect a little self tapping screw wouldn't be good enough?

 

That's one reason I wouldn't have them

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.. but the main force is likely to be sideways, rather than upwards?

 

I am getting quite tempted by these

 

http://www.cquip.com/shop_1390817511.php

 

or the cleat equivalent, which I saw on a boat recently, for fixing onto the gunwale.

 

http://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-stainless-steel-folding-cleat-8.html?sqr=folding%20cleat.V0dRa_krJxA

Since they only seem to be held on by two screws surely the force of a rope would be more than adequate to shear the screw off? I had my centre rope foul the ventilation mushroom on the roof and it quite gaily sheared all five of the brass screws before unceremoniously catapulting the mushroom itself into the cut sad.png . Are two screws really going to hold?

 

That's one reason I wouldn't have them

I think I'm with you on that. I had thought about getting recesses cut into the grab rail though.

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Since they only seem to be held on by two screws surely the force of a rope would be more than adequate to shear the screw off? I had my centre rope foul the ventilation mushroom on the roof and it quite gaily sheared all five of the brass screws before unceremoniously catapulting the mushroom itself into the cut sad.png . Are two screws really going to hold?

 

I think I'm with you on that. I had thought about getting recesses cut into the grab rail though.

I'm not 100% on this but surely fairleads are a sticks n rags thing and intended to merely guide a rope rather than constrain it? so not intended to be subject to huge stresses

Phil

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I'm not 100% on this but surely fairleads are a sticks n rags thing and intended to merely guide a rope rather than constrain it? so not intended to be subject to huge stresses

Phil

Quite right.

 

Naughty-Cal is fitted with quite a hefty bow fairlead but it is not intended to take any stress or strain from the ropes, it merely guides them to a more convenient angle for mooring. The rope is still taken back to a suitable cleat.

 

DSC_0102.jpg

 

528530_3993435358492_906312426_n.jpg

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Since they only seem to be held on by two screws surely the force of a rope would be more than adequate to shear the screw off? I had my centre rope foul the ventilation mushroom on the roof and it quite gaily sheared all five of the brass screws before unceremoniously catapulting the mushroom itself into the cut sad.png . Are two screws really going to hold?

 

Yes maybe surprisingly, they do. Even the M8 brass ones have been fine despite considerable loads whilst single handing in wide locks.

 

FWIW the brass folding roof steps I use are secured by only two M6 setscrews into similar tapped holes in cabin sides, although I did use stainless. Note that as supplied they only have mounting hole clearance for M5 fixings!

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Well, Midland Swindlers call them fairleads. The cleat type things on the grab rails for the centre rope to go through.

Anyway, how would you attach them to the grabrail? There can be quite a pull on them so I suspect a little self tapping screw wouldn't be good enough?

 

On my boat I drilled and tapped holes and fixed the fairleads in place with stainless steel countersunk socket screws.

Takes a bit of time, but you only need to do it once...

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FWIW the brass folding roof steps I use are secured by only two M6 setscrews into similar tapped holes in cabin sides, although I did use stainless. Note that as supplied they only have mounting hole clearance for M5 fixings!

If they are only tapped into the cabin sides 4-5mm thick I am not sure which is best, would you get more thread with a 5 mm? I am not an expert on threads.

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If fixing into thin plate (not ideal) probably best to use metric fine screw threads. That said I used ordinary m6 on the fairleads on our cabin and they have survived 12 years of abuse now (I agree they are not really designed for this type of load.)

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When they fail they do not get torn out of the rail. The 5mm set screws are not strong enough and snap off. I have had this happen because the wind blew me sideways into a lifted lift bridge. I've had a second one "ping" off aftermy wife wrapped the rope around the fingers of the fairlead without the boat being stationary.

 

In both cases I was able to drill out the remains of the bolt, tap new threads and go up to M6. As someone else said the fairleads holes also had to be opened out because they are only of M5 size.

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  • 2 months later...

I was about to post a question on these but "the search function" HAS saved a repeated posting. THAT said, do you think that "rivet nuts" would be strong enough rather than tapping into the handrail? - whilst I don't intend on them being under much strain (one either side for twin centre lines) in reality, I'll probably forget when single handing and put a bit of strain on them.

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- whilst I don't intend on them being under much strain (one either side for twin centre lines) in reality, I'll probably forget when single handing and put a bit of strain on them.

That's exactly my arrangement and usage. There can be a bit of strain I guess, but it's a handling line so you really should be in control of that stress at all times. Even if you're using it to take the last bit of way off, you'll be allowing some slip to gradually bring the boat to a halt. Maybe 2 turns round a bollard for an instant stop from 2mph would shear the bolts, but that wouldn't be the finest display of boat handling!

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That's exactly my arrangement and usage. There can be a bit of strain I guess, but it's a handling line so you really should be in control of that stress at all times. Even if you're using it to take the last bit of way off, you'll be allowing some slip to gradually bring the boat to a halt. Maybe 2 turns round a bollard for an instant stop from 2mph would shear the bolts, but that wouldn't be the finest display of boat handling!

I have found myself in that position a few times! Let the centre rope out as long as possible and it behaves like a big elastic band, taking a lot of the stress off the fairlead. Also wrings the rope out if it is wet.

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I have found myself in that position a few times! Let the centre rope out as long as possible and it behaves like a big elastic band, taking a lot of the stress off the fairlead. Also wrings the rope out if it is wet.

 

Take a turn and gently check away to ease the strain as you bring the boat to a controlled stop is how I've best seen it put! :D

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Take a turn and gently check away to ease the strain as you bring the boat to a controlled stop is how I've best seen it put! biggrin.png

Yes that is how I have seen horse drawn boats brought to a halt. I usually get the rope around my leg or similar when trying this ;)

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