SO 43 DS stern cleats

[reiner]

Hi,
I like my SO 43 DS and I think it is a good boat, but the design of the stern cleats with the slot in the toe rail are a problem.
There are sharp edges although I tried to make it smoother and the guidance is also not perfect, because there are no lips. It is the second time now that I got the information that a stern line is broken in a storm. Last week it happend during the strong Jugo in Croatia.
Fortunately the marineros took care of this situation.
Does anyone made an improvement of this design?

[moonshadow]

I have been researching adding true stern cleats and reinforced backing plates on my 469. I have heard of success with glassed in aluminum backing plates. My goal is easy leading true cleats on the transom.

[alenka]

We have been lucky so far - no real damage to mooring lines, but there is always the potential with the design. For that reason we never run the lines straight aft but make sure they go from the cleat outside the toe rail.

Maybe a simple solution would be to fit a heavy duty PVC lip over the edge?!?

[zaphod]

Oct 10, 2020 14:49:50 GMT reiner said:

Hi,
I like my SO 43 DS and I think it is a good boat, but the design of the stern cleats with the slot in the toe rail are a problem.
There are sharp edges although I tried to make it smoother and the guidance is also not perfect, because there are no lips. It is the second time now that I got the information that a stern line is broken in a storm. Last week it happend during the strong Jugo in Croatia.
Fortunately the marineros took care of this situation.
Does anyone made an improvement of this design?

I can't picture what your problem is...you have a sharp metal edge on your dock line fairlead? If so you need to add chaffe protection. Our fairleads are quite smooth and rounded but a winter of storms takes it's toll on the mooring lines, so my wife made some chaffe protectors out of some heavy vinyl material that wraps around the lines and secures with velcro.

If your fairleads have sharp edges you might want to try protecting your lines with a piece of heavy vinyl tubing.

[vasko]

I’ve added last year 2 x additional cleats at the very stern - and that was one of most useful addition that I have done to the boat - cleat price is cheap £3-£10 depending on size (I installed alu one but next time will go for composite) , installation is easy - just need the correct bolts and big washers

[alenka]

Oct 12, 2020 4:26:27 GMT vasko said:

I’ve added last year 2 x additional cleats at the very stern - and that was one of most useful addition that I have done to the boat - cleat price is cheap £3-£10 depending on size (I installed alu one but next time will go for composite) , installation is easy - just need the correct bolts and big washers

An additional two on the back of a 43DS would be great if you have room.

The current position will not allow you to cross the mooring lines left to right & right to left which is some times handy when quayside mooring rings are in the wrong place.

Don't think I would be happy though not fitting them with an appropriate backing plate.

[moonshadow]

Vasco, how did you determine that there was enough support for the cleats with just big washers? I have been trying to gather information on doing this. I’m suspecting that the structure varies depending on model and production year but so far I haven’t been able to get good information.

[vasko]

Oct 12, 2020 11:37:29 GMT moonshadow said:

Vasco, how did you determine that there was enough support for the cleats with just big washers? I have been trying to gather information on doing this. I’m suspecting that the structure varies depending on model and production year but so far I haven’t been able to get good information.

Get a little hammer and test the hull - also when you drill the holes you can measure the hull thickness and make sure that you haven't done something very wrong... 

[alenka]

Reiner,

As you have no doubt gathered fitting extra cleats on the stern/transom is not particularly easy on the 43DS as access to the back inside of the transom is blocked by the gas locker on the Stb side and the electric locker on the Port side. 

When fitting our folding gang planks arrangement on the stb side we found it easier to remove the exhaust for the engine room blower. It's just about big enough for you to get an arm and a backing plate into position.  You will need to re-glue the exhaust pipe back onto the trim and the trim back into the hull.  I cannot remember what glue we used but 6 years on it is still holding well.

Good luck.

[reiner]

Hi,
first of all thank you for the answers. My idea is now to install a new real fairlead into the toe rail.
It would be good to know if the toe rail has screws going trough the hull deck joint with nuts?
In this case I think will be not easy to reach the nuts and to remove the screws. Or are the screws self tapping, perhaps much easier.
I was also thinking about additional cleats at the transom in the past, as proposed.
But I think they are mainly helpful for two crossed lines to hold the stern in position and not to take the full load from wind or waves coming from behind.
As a first solution I have to protect the lines better. The problem mainly occurs if the rings or cleats on the dock are not wider apart
than the width of the boat.

[alenka]

If you do manage to fit new fairleads into the toe rail please share your experiences.

[lazycruser]

I have found the stern cleats rather awkward what with all the cruising gear hanging of the rails so just welded some cleats on to the back stay chainplates 

[reiner]

Thanks, but I would be afraid that the chainplates for the backstay are designed for this load, it goes in the wrong direction.
My understanding is that the screws of the chainplate creates a friction between chainplate and hull taking the load of the backstay.
I think loads in other directions are not really  okay.
For the described problem, I found fairleads from Goiot and Osculati, but I have to check if they fits.
Unfortunately I have to be patient to be allowed to travel to  Croatia, where the boat is currently