Victoria Shadow Association Members' Forum

Mark_Donnelly

Member

From: NE coast of Scotland

Registered: 2020-10-27

Posts: 7

Fitting central cleat on a Victoria 800

I am on a short finger pontoon in my Marina which has no centre cleat. Setting up springs is not ideal from the for and aft cleats on a canoe style boat. I could tie off on the fixings at the base of the spreaders, which although it works just this doesn't seam the best method. I did consider using a fitting on the jib track, but they're small gauge and not very substantial on my boat. Has anyone installed or have suggestions on fitting centre cleats on  a Victoria 800?

Mo_Jefferies

Additional Member

Registered: 2011-03-14

Posts: 29

Re: Fitting central cleat on a Victoria 800

Mark, we have centre cleats on our boat. The deck layup should include 12mm ply in that area (as shown in the technical manual), and as far as I can remember without looking, there's a ~5mm metal backing plate under the headlining.
We use a single long line led outside, which gives bow and stern lines plus springs.

Murray_Fraser

Member

From: Weymouth

Registered: 2016-11-22

Posts: 87

Re: Fitting central cleat on a Victoria 800

Mark, I have just resealed my V800 Port cleat, four bolts one of which had a very slight drip, with Butyl.  As Mo says there is a metal backing plate accessed by removing the headlining; mine had one small screw holding it in place and with care you should be able to lever it out without damage.  Note the edge of the lining is recessed under the wood trim of the chart table so you need to push it toward the hull to ease it out. 
You will need to add fairleads and I have also added S/S Osculati rubbing strakes as my cap rail was getting worn.  One of the fairleads on my boat lifted due to severe surging on a windy high tide and when repairing I discovered two different length screws had replaced two bolts with captive nuts, still in situ but twisted sideways and inaccessible, presumably fitted at build prior to the rail being fitted.  This meant that I had to buy a new wider cleat which I have refitted with chunky screws.  These are fine if only fore and aft tugs but I would be mindful if there was significant upward tug.  The alternative was to remove the rail and add nuts......frankly above my pay grade!

Last edited by Murray_Fraser (2023-04-05 11:56:17)

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VICTORIA 800 Dulcibella

Simon_Dewing

Member

From: Torquay / Texas

Registered: 2022-08-04

Posts: 63

Re: Fitting central cleat on a Victoria 800

Mithril my F26 has 3 tufnol cleats per side through bolted down into the hull to deck joint, I can only assume the V800 is similarly constructed.
She was home completed so differs from the yard built boats in some respects.
This neatly eliminates the need for fairleads and the opportunity for chafe.
Downside is that lazy jib or spinnaker sheets can be inadvertently hooked.

Simon

Mark_Donnelly

Member

From: NE coast of Scotland

Registered: 2020-10-27

Posts: 7

Re: Fitting central cleat on a Victoria 800

Thank you all for the help and advice regarding the cleats. I do like Simon's idea of having them as far out as possible to avoid chaffing. Thanks again.
Mark