Starboard spring line cleat installed

End of March 2016 - Anchored in Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon, Mexico

We have been anchored out now in various places on the Mexican Riviera for over four months straight now.

Scouting out the spot for the Shaffer 6" SS cleat.

Scouting out the spot for the Shaffer 6" SS cleat.

Not our Islander Freeport  - Here is the example we followed on another 36'  Islander Freeport sail boat.

Not our Islander Freeport  - Here is the example we followed on another 36'  Islander Freeport sail boat.

Not our Islander Freeport  - Here is the example we followed on another 36'  Islander Freeport sail boat.

We got our SS (Schaefer Marine - Part Number: 60-150) spring line cleat installed on the starboard side. We copied an Islander Freeport 36’ boat like ours that had one installed. We tried to get the line (test line) so it would not touch the cap rail as it passed by the chock and the rub strake (Part Number:  RSE  12") on its way over the cap rail. It went fine until we were installing the (Perko Straight Chock - 4" x 7/8" Chrome Plated Zinc Alloy”) chock. I got caught up into getting the chock aligned with the rub strake and forgot the position it was going to be in. That is, the chock was supposed to be closer to the cleat.  Our big test line still has a bit of clearance but not much. 

. I suppose if turns into a problem we can move the chock a 1\4 inch or so closer to the cleat with minimum fill and drill and no cosmetic problem. We will not be using real big lines on this for spring lines.We will use 1\2" lines. We do not want to trip over the cleat and also use it for a variety of purposes. 

Checking for clearance with a lager than 1/2 line for the cap rail.

Checking to see how far fro the cap rail or how close we can install the Shaffer cleat.

We drilled pilot holes first then the 1\4 inch hole for the screws.

Debbie holding a piece of wood in case the screw would hit anything.

The Schaefer Cleat is in and ready for the 3M 4000 UV to be applied here and then fender washers and lock nuts and nuts.

Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon

The fisher men are pulling up the net they laid by us.

The small fish get thrown back and the Pelicans try to get them first.

The fisher men have rowed on but the Pelicans lazing out still.

Giving the Schaefer cleat a little persuasive adjustment with the glass hammer.

Ok, ready to be installed with 3M 4000 UV.

Lining things up.

Sizing things up. We tethered the Perko chock in case ....

Measuring for center of cap rail.

Fitting a chock screw into cap rail.

So we should have the chock a bit closer to the cleat.

We would have liked a SS chock but were only able to find a Chrome Plated Zinc Alloy at the time in the 4” straight type - this was in Mexico.

Measuring for Perko chock placement.

Measuring for Perko chock placement.

We put the 1"  rub strake on the cap rail next. 

Then aligned the chock to it, the chock had one screw in it..

Looking good!

Looks great and should function great!

The fore and aft cleats on the Islander Freeport are 8” in size. Debbie likes what we have done with the Schaefer 6” spring line cleat. The recommended dock line size for a 35’ boat is ½ inch and that is the size max size the Shaffer 6” so we are all set there. I think we could have gone to the 8” size to match the bow and stern cleats but this 6” should be fine as it is. The 36’ Islander Freeport boat we copied the cleat install from used 6” cleats for spring line cleats so we did. However, a 36’ Islander Freeport boat we copied that had installed a set of Kato Marine Island Davits looked fine but after using our Kato Marine Island Davits in Mexico for the first time realized they really needed improvement. That took re-engineering the davits and a lot of re-work to get them right. Of course now we love them and they are a breeze to use.

I did look at other sail boats and they had the same size spring cleat as their fore and aft cleats. So I guess I did not learn did I?

This is a great addition to the boat and we think Islander should have installed these at the factory back in 1978 when our 36’ Islander Freeport was borne.

 This seems like it will be a great position for a preventer line and block to run to the stern.

We now have the boom tied off to the spring cleat so it will not shade the solar panels. Before we tied the boom off to the cleat on the sail track or the cleat on the stay. That meant we had to climb over the line when walking on deck. Not now but we do need to duck by the boom a bit! All is good!