Deck Cleat Placement

[Edrahe]

knot So Fast will be berthed full time at the lake this year. Crrently she has two cleats on the stern and one on the bow. I will install two additional cleats on the forward port and starboard. Being a CP 16, is it advisable to install cleats mid-ship as well? Or is this this overkill for a boat this size? 

We are still newbie boat owners and sailors.  Therefore I believe the only dumb question I might have is the one that isn't asked before it is too late.

[Finbar Beagle]

edrahe,

I have a 19, with three cleats.  I have learned to live with this at my slip simply placing loop of deck line 1 over cleat, and tying deckline 2 over it.

The reason I avoided cleats is that it may catch sail, or my foot, at wrong time and be painful,

You may just want to replace bow cleat with a larger bollard to tie to.

[rogerschwake]

  I installed mid-ship cleats on my Sun Cat three or four years ago, can't remember ever using them. Do have two cleats forward that are great when tying off in a slip. It's your boat and your money, do what you think will work best for you.

ROGER

[kahpho]

My Legacy came like your 16 with a larger cleat forward and two smaller ones aft. I added two midships because that's where a fender needed to be and nothing to conveniently tie off to. I rather like this arraignment.

[Edrahe]

Thank you for everyone's suggestions!

[Salty19]

I would say the type of protection at your slip will dictate how you many lines you need and the placement of the slip's cleats and rings would make a difference where the put everything.

Our 19 is stern end to open water on a small lake (2/3 mile wide, several miles long) tying off in several places.  Five lines in 7 seven places to be exact. Usually it's pretty calm as it's on the west side of a N/S long lake and I would feel fine with just two lines.  But with strong winds coming strong from the east it's rocking and rolling pretty hard. I do use leather chafe guards where the lines will rub and that makes a big difference in how long they last. 

With a jetty or break wall protecting a marina, you wouldn't need as many lines as there simply wouldn't be chafe or a need to have as much redundancy.   But like others have said the issue of fender placement might need a cleat midship. Some install the small two wrung teak handrails on the cabin top and tie off to them..that way you get a handhold up on deck too.

Check into 8-strand plait marine rope. 3/8" is plenty for a 16/19. Great for dock lines as they stretch a lot (which is more gentle on your boat) but are very strong and not too hard to splice.

[Salty19]

I just remembered I had footage of a textbook docking manuever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8alNxLjCBJc

[Bob23]

Salty: I knew you wore an eyepatch at one time...nice rare twin masted 19 you have there!!

[Finbar Beagle]

Probably not best practice, but, i do run a sping line from dock piling, led by winch, to jib cleat.  I do not wrap around winch, but use to to turn the line.

I also hang fenders from the winches, but this does not help on the 16.

[Pacman]

Mid-ship cleats are a great place to hang fenders when docking or rafting-up with other boats.

On a small boat they can be reached from the companionway so they can be used to tie off an anchor line that leads back from a bow roller. 

The mid-ship cleat on the desired windward side can also hold a spring line from the anchor line to modify the boat's position relative to the wind for comfort at anchor.