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Ensign Sailing Forum

Cam cleats for the foresail sheets
Robert McTaggart

If anyone has advice on how to install cam cleats for the foresail sheets, it would be much appreciated.


Any photos would be a big plus!


Robert McTaggart

Ensign 931

Bay View, Michigan

Fleet 84

Bud Brown
See pics…
Zeke Durica
On the coaming infront of the winch

zeke

Robert McTaggart

Thank you Zeke!


That is a beautiful cockpit!


Robert McTaggart

Ensign 931

Bay View, Michigan

Fleet 84

Zeke Durica
I forgot, but a harden wedge for that cam cleat is a nice touch. 

Zeke



Robert McTaggart

Zeke,


Thank you for your suggestion of a harden wedge. I was thinking of putting pieces of wood where the cam cleats mount to raise the cleats up. With a cleat mounted on the sideboard without a wedge as shown in the photos (I'll call that position "vertical") it is necessary to get pretty close to the cleat to put the line in it. I think the cleat should be mounted at an angle for the best operation, as a flat horizontal mount would make it harder to get the line out of the cleat.


Your thoughts are much appreciated.


Robert McTaggart

Ensign 931

Bay View, Michigan

Fleet 84

Zeke Durica
Robert,

I mount them close to the winch flat with Haken wedge strait up and down no need to over think it. 
Everyone that sees them comments don’t you hit your back. Never has happened yet. The winch says don’t hit me or it hurts. So everyone just seems to miss it. 
I wish I had a better picture  

Zeke. 

Jonathan Simpson
We've had both setups in Fleet 51.  The vertical mount actually releases accidentally on occasion if the trimmer is too far away when cleating.  That results in the line not sitting fully in the cleat.

We have some boats with plastic wedges, some with hand carved wood, some with angled metal mounts.  All work well because the line seats fully.

Jon Simpson 
E160

Bud Brown
In my previous response, you can see the stainless strakes that prevent wear damage to the wood. 

I should mention the strakes are longer than needed by just the jib sheets because they also prevent wood wear should the spin sheets be taken to the winch in breezier conditions.

I use strakes wherever a line causes wear…traveler, backstay or even the bow, where strakes to either side of the forestay on the raised rubrail lip prevent paint/finish wear that a mooring bridal would cause.

IMO, chocks are problem-causing line-catchers and were replaced by strakes a long time ago.

Strakes save the coaming edges and cut down on maintenance. The ones in the pics are long because they serve the spin sheets as well as the jib.

Hope this helps.

BB
Robert McTaggart

Thank you Bud!


I appreciate the photos and the explanation.


Robert McTaggart

Ensign 931

Bay View, Michigan

Fleet 84

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