MacGregorSailors.com

Howdy all!
Been a while since I've been here.
Any chance anyone has installed any midship cleats on their 26x?
I just did some tapping around and it doesn't feel like any good spot are available without some minor glasswork for pressure distribution.
Suggestions?

I bought a set of stainless steel horn cleats that slide onto the 1" T-track on the deck.Works just fine.
Besides the winches and side stay chain plates this is probable the strongest point with the most through hull bolts and displaced over about a 4 foot linear foot run.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/schaefer ... 64_001_506

Aw good idea !!!!
Wondering why I didn't think of that!
My main use for midship cleats would be for spring line type stabilization at dock.
I'm sure I'll find a million other uses.
Thanks!

Yup, I bought for using with a spring line at the dock - but still end up using the bottom of stantions in well protected marinas.

Best other use so far is to tie a short (12 inch) line loop through the horn and use as a grab line when on deck in bad weather.

I'm fortunate that my dock has three cleats, so the middle dock cleat is used for two spring lines, fore and aft. But having a mid cleat on the boat would be handy for coming into fuel docks and such, where it's most convenient to hand or toss a single line to someone on the dock, or get off with line in hand, just to keep the boat close until bow/stern lines can be secured.

With the single line, I wouldn't have to worry about having the boat rotate away from the dock before I can secure the other lines, and since I mostly single-hand, I have to think about how I'm going to secure to a dock based on wind and current, before I get there. My last boat had a mid-cleat, and it was very useful for many things.

I've thought about using the jib car when the genoa is on the furler, but never tried it. It would be a little rough on the line, as it doesn't lay flat to the outside. And I'm too cheap to buy a cleat for the track. I also don't see a good place to add a permanent cleat, and a pop-up cleat would take space under the headliner, which I don't want.

I dropped my hand-held VHF into Lake Ontario last night in the dark while getting beat up by the flogging main (securing it), so there's a more pressing need for funds now anyway (something a $1 carabiner would have prevented ).

I single hand a lot as well, and for docking I use a 25' bow line that runs from the bow cleat, back to the cockpit, along the rub-rail, outside the side stay, and tied off on the cockpit stantions. (both port and starboard). I leave them attached all the time.

When getting off at the dock, I grab this line to stabilize the boat, because it is attached at the bow and the cockpit you have control of both ends of the boat with one line.

As a single hander, you will also appreciate that this rub-rail line can double as a grab line if you go over the side. Because this line runs the length of the boat near the rub-rail you're able to grab it from the water and pull yourself up onboard. 4' freeboard makes it a tough grab, but is doable.

This is a great idea, I was concerned about how to dock the boat and keep control of both ends while trying to get it out of the water at the local lake, now I know how to handle it.

What a great idea. Is the line long - slack enough to put on a center cleat attached to the dock so you can do bow and stern lines? Was going to do my first solo tomorrow and was dreading the return trip. I now have hope of only slightly embarrassing myself trying to dock single handed.

I've always had an easy time docking using a long bow line ran outside to the cockpit. Then you only need to get the stern close and hop off with 2 lines in hand.
Timing was key. Wind n current etc.
A Midship cleat would make a rookie look like a pro though!

In lieu of a midship cleat, I've always used the cabin top winch to rig a short term spring line.

Thought of that . winch is a temp fix.
Lines interfere with boarding and sun tarp and lines rub rigging . I'm shooting for a quick release type of line attachment. Just stable enough for 50 mph winds. If I expect higher wind speed the ol shoelace trick will appear ha!
Almost considering a couple cargo D rings each side and have leave em lines at dock to clip to......maybe.....works good for my logic 12!

I have a 20 foot slip, so the bow line is actually an after spring. My boat has the single forward cleat, right in the middle just forward of the hatch. With the bow sticking out 8 feet, it has a pretty sharp angle by the time it gets to the cleat.

A mid ship cleat (a little forward) would give me a breast line that would stabilize the boat side-to-side.

-john

Tomfoolery wrote:...With the single line, I wouldn't have to worry about having the boat rotate away from the dock before I can secure the other lines, and since I mostly single-hand, I have to think about how I'm going to secure to a dock based on wind and current, before I get there. My last boat had a mid-cleat, and it was very useful for many things....

As you mentioned a mid cleat greatly simplifies docking the boat.

We started with me getting off the boat with the bow line and cleating it first. If there was any forward motion, the line would go taught and swing the bow into the dock.

Once we put in a mid-cleat and tied to it all of that disappeared. Even if there is still some forward speed when you take the mid-cleated line to the dock and tie off it just pulls the boat in sideways when it goes taught. Then tie off your bow and stern lines and if you are in any tide and will be there a while you really need to run spring lines.

Spring lines and learning how to use them can really help to also get off the dock in wind and currents. The Endeavour is so heavy we will practice using them with that boat as you don't just push it off,

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

I single hand , and fixed me a line holder on my boat hook, to hold a slip loop on the end of the line. Tie off to the rear cleat on the side I am going tp dock at. Use the boat hook and loop to lasso a dock cleat or pole as the boat moves forward it will pull it to the dock the fore dock line is run from the front cleat on the boat to the rear outside of the stanchions , then I will get on the dock tie off and adjust the lines as needed. I works good most of the time . Wind and currents the wrong way may take two or more tries.