Adding a Cleat/Bollard to the gunwhales

[Richard T]

12 minutes ago, NickF said:

I do agree about the tyres .. but the cleat was useful!

 

(I don't think she had the tyre fenders when I was a volunteer skipper but that was a long time ago!) (1980 to 1990 at a guess)

The Peter Le Marchant boats are 12ft wide and always moor against hard banks so use tyres as fenders. As they only ever do short runs its a lot of effort to keep putting out and then taking them in.

[system 4-50]

I am amused by the looks I get when moving my boat with 17" rim floating wheels attached!  It is not worth lifting them out for the couple of hundred (?) yard trip to the water point.

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, Richard T said:

The Peter Le Marchant boats are 12ft wide and always moor against hard banks so use tyres as fenders. As they only ever do short runs its a lot of effort to keep putting out and then taking them in.

Well as someone who has had 2 tyres round the prop and just managed to grab one in a lock mouth before it sank, lost off a wide beam coming through the lock, I think the should be ban on the inland waterways Floating wheels are different as they float so if they get pulled off can be retrieved.

[Phil Ambrose]

On 04/11/2018 at 18:23, dmr said:

I would go for 8mm bolts.

Taps have a square section end so obviously designed for an adjustable spanner.

When you walk down the gunnel you will trip over this cleat and fall into the water.

 

6mm and below is for cosmetic things and electronics.

8mm and above is engineering.

 

.............Dave

Taps have a square end to fit a Tap Wrench , a tool specifically designed for use with taps, they give superb control over the tap in use enabling the tap to be held in a vertical position. Most apprentices make a couple of tap wrenches as a starter in engineering and a start on their own tool kit.

Adjustable spanners do not come into it 

Phil 

[dmr]

28 minutes ago, Phil Ambrose said:

Taps have a square end to fit a Tap Wrench , a tool specifically designed for use with taps, they give superb control over the tap in use enabling the tap to be held in a vertical position. Most apprentices make a couple of tap wrenches as a starter in engineering and a start on their own tool kit.

Adjustable spanners do not come into it 

Phil 

Oh dear, I forgot the smiley after my comments about adjustable spanners, I assumed no one would take it seriously.

But yes, ideally should not use an adjustable spanner for tapping holes, much better to use the vernier ?.

 

............Dave

[Phil Ambrose]

8 hours ago, dmr said:

Oh dear, I forgot the smiley after my comments about adjustable spanners, I assumed no one would take it seriously.

But yes, ideally should not use an adjustable spanner for tapping holes, much better to use the vernier ?.

 

............Dave

Verniers and micrometers make very expensive tap wrenches  ?

Phil 

[blackrose]

I'm afraid that trip hazards don't just apply to the person who was responsible for placing the object there and who may be conscious of its location, but also to anyone else who might be using that surface. In some situations for example, another boater might be using your gunwale and be completely unaware of a cleat or bollard fitted there, so it's most definitely a trip hazard.

 

We talk about things like gas safety, the hazards of petrol and carbon monoxide a lot on this forum, but simple trips and falls cause the greatest number of injuries on the inland waterways, so it's a bit worrying when some experienced members don't seem to understand basic concepts of boating safety and think a trip hazard of fine just because they know where it is!

 

Cleats or bollards fitted on the edge of the open deck forward or astern of the cabin are fine providing they aren't too close to areas where people get on or off the boat.

 

Also, personally I wouldn't be relying on anything that's just held on with a tapped thread. I'd want it bolted through with a washer and nut on the other side.

Edited November 8, 2018 by blackrose

[ditchcrawler]

I have just found the drawings I did to have mine made up. As I said the plan was to cut the hole and fit them from the inside of the hull, but its a round touit

[blackrose]

These are the additional aluminium bow and stern cleats that I put on, in addition to the standard cleats the builder put on. The cleats have a female thread underneath so they're bolted on with 16mm bolts (bow) and 14mm bolts (stern) that go up from underneath through the deck and into the cleats. I put some big 2" square washers underneath to act as mini spreader plates. The smaller bollards on the bow are stainless and they're welded on and bolted through (6mm bolts). I didn't trust the 3 small 6mm bolts so welded them on too.

[Alan de Enfield]

17 minutes ago, blackrose said:

These are the additional aluminium bow and stern cleats that I put on, in addition to the standard cleats the builder put on. The cleats have a female thread underneath so they're bolted on with 16mm bolts (bow) and 14mm bolts (stern) that go up from underneath through the deck and into the cleats. I put some big 2" square washers underneath to act as mini spreader plates. The smaller bollards on the bow are stainless and they're welded on and bolted through (6mm bolts). I didn't trust the 3 small 6mm bolts so welded them on too.

 

 

Looks a good, tidy and strong set-up, but does that screwdriver-anchor really have the holding capability to stop a 'fatty' against the current ?

[blackrose]

5 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Looks a good, tidy and strong set-up, but does that screwdriver-anchor really have the holding capability to stop a 'fatty' against the current ?

I've never tried it but the idea is that you just chuck the screwdriver down the hawse pipe and it will dig into the riverbed and stop the boat.

 

No?

 

Seriously, I don't want to rely on a few links resting in the gypsy in case the boat bounces off a lock wall or something and the chain jumps out. So sticking a big screwdriver through a chain link was just the easiest way I could think of to hold the anchor up without wrapping the chain around the centre cleat or around the windlass itself.  In my mind the problem with wrapping the chain around things is that when you need the anchor you will need to unwrap it and that might take vital time. All I need to do it take the weight off the chain, pull the screwdriver out and drop/play out the anchor. You have more knowledge of anchor deployment than me. Is there a better way?

Edited November 9, 2018 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

37 minutes ago, blackrose said:

You have more knowledge of anchor deployment than me. Is there a better way?

Edited 11 minutes ago by blackrose

I guessed that was the reason - the only improvement would be to have the anchor attached at all times. Otherwise I reckon you have the 'best' way.

[blackrose]

12 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I guessed that was the reason - the only improvement would be to have the anchor attached at all times. Otherwise I reckon you have the 'best' way.

Not sure if I'm having a sense of humour failure or you are? It is attached at all times...

Edited November 9, 2018 by blackrose

[Robbo]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

All I need to do it take the weight off the chain, pull the screwdriver out and drop/play out the anchor. You have more knowledge of anchor deployment than me. Is there a better way?

You could use a anchor chain stop...

 

 

[Clodi]

6 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Looks a good, tidy and strong set-up, but does that screwdriver-anchor really have the holding capability to stop a 'fatty' against the current ?

I am SERIOUSLY jealous?

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, Robbo said:

You could use a anchor chain stop...

 

 

How does that work? What stops the hinged part swinging forward with the weight of the anchor and how do you release it when you need to drop the anchor? I'd need one for 10mm chain.

 

The screwdriver might be simpler...

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, Clodi said:

I am SERIOUSLY jealous?

It's just a screwdriver!

[aracer]

7 hours ago, blackrose said:

How does that work? What stops the hinged part swinging forward with the weight of the anchor and how do you release it when you need to drop the anchor?

I haven't got one, but from the looks of things it can't swing forwards because the prongs are too long and so the rotation is stopped as they contact the baseplate. In order to release it you simply swing it back to release the chain (I'm guessing if you swing it over the top there is some sort of stop so it sits where the chain will run freely). The screwdriver is undoubtedly simpler, but this might be easier to release and certainly easier to engage and you don't have to put it anywhere when it's not in use.

 

You could of course just google...

[Robbo]

9 hours ago, blackrose said:

How does that work? What stops the hinged part swinging forward with the weight of the anchor and how do you release it when you need to drop the anchor? I'd need one for 10mm chain.

 

The screwdriver might be simpler...

It doesn’t swing forward as the hinged part is longer but you can still pull up the chain.

 

to release the anchor you can pull up the chain and flip the hinge out of the way or pull the pin of the hinge to remove it completely.

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Robbo

[Robbo]

Another method would be to use a chain hook...

 

[WotEver]

6 hours ago, Robbo said:

Another method would be to use a chain hook...

... or a screwdriver...

[Robbo]

58 minutes ago, WotEver said:

... or a screwdriver...

If black rose  is handy with metal work I would be tempted to DIY the roller thingy and extend it with the hinges stop thingy..

 

 

 

Or something like this method...

 

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Robbo

[Alan de Enfield]

18 hours ago, blackrose said:

Not sure if I'm having a sense of humour failure or you are? It is attached at all times...

Sorry - I forgot you had a 'hanger' anchor and that the chain went down thru the pipe and out of the bow.

 

Looking at the pic originally posted, it looked as it the screwdriver was simply put thru' the 1st link and ready for a quick attachment to the anchor.

 

So - no, no suggestions to simplify or improve your set-up.

[WotEver]

1 hour ago, Robbo said:

 

 

I like the look of that.

[blackrose]

11 hours ago, Robbo said:

It doesn’t swing forward as the hinged part is longer but you can still pull up the chain.

 

to release the anchor you can pull up the chain and flip the hinge out of the way or pull the pin of the hinge to remove it completely.

 

Thanks. I've seen them as hawse pipe covers anchor chain stop before but not the hinged type.

Edited November 10, 2018 by blackrose