Cleats from CPVC
By David Beede
By now you know that I'm a fan of PVC for a
lot
of functions on a boat. Here's someone else whose found a use on board
for this versatile and inexpensive material.
Cleat
&
Stuff...
I love discovering or inventing ways to
achieve
elegant results with simple low tech materials.
Here are some cleats I've come up with made
from plastic tubing. These
are very "quick and dirty." I made all of the ones pictured in about an
hour. The material cost is negligible. This ivory colored plastic pipe,
(I believe it's called CPVC) is available in different
diameters.
The brand name on it is Coastline. The ones in the pictures are 5/8"
I.D.
and about 7/8" O.D. Make sure you sand all edges pretty smooth to
prevent
line chafe. These are my first experiments so I don't know about UV
resistance
or longevity. I'll keep you posted.
The first one above takes the place of
a fair lead and cam cleats on a small boat. I have mine tied to
the
middle of the central frame with 3/16" line. It's not as foolproof as
"the
real thing" but is far better than just hanging onto the main sheet, or
wrapping it around a normal cleat.
Here's
a close up of it. It's cut at a 45 degree angle. A 3/16" hole is
drilled in the side. Sketch out then cut a tapered V to this hole.
Drill
the mounting hole the size you need for your mounting cord. (mine is
1/4")
With practice you can adjust it with one hand. A downward sqeeeze with
the thumb will release it. Works well in combination with a tiller
tamer
of some sort. (A simple one of these soon!)
This one is similar to a horn cleat or jam cleat, being a bit of both.
Again, the slot holes are 3/16" as are the mounting holes. They are
drilled
all the way through, then the upper holes are enlarged to 5/16" to
allow
clearance for the screw head and driver for mounting.
This last one is pretty experimental. It's designed to take a line or
bungee
cord running through it that can then be prevented from running out
either
way. Not often necessary, but handy for things like the loop of line
used
on my Venture McGreggor's rudder to both hold the rudder up and down.
Experiment with different sized tubing
and slots for the line you're using. Let me know your results!
David can be reached at:
http://www.simplicityboats.com/