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Backing Plates under mooring cleats?

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
I just had a professional fiberglass company do some repairs to my cabin sole and bulkhead track on my E-27. The guy who did the work on my boat asked me if I had backing plates under my mooring cleats and I assumed I did. The reason he asked is because he was in the process of repairing the glass around the bow cleats on another E-27 that had them pull out during a storm at Avalon harbor on Catalina Island on October 15th. I guess they had some really big waves inside the harbor. The boat was moored with one bow and one stern cleat. The bow cleat came right out taking the glass with it. So then they tied off on the remaining cleat and it did the same thing. They ended up mooring the boat by tying off to the mast. Well sure enough, I checked my cleats over the weekend and there were no backing plates. This will be a priority project now. I am just wondering if this is the case on all E-27's and or other Ericson models. Seems like a pretty bad oversight in construction to me. Check your cleats!:eek:
 

HGSail

Member III
Thanks Jeff

Although I have a windlass on my 29 and it takes most of the load,When I put in my windlass I didn't see any. But I am most definitly will be checking for them.

Pat
E29
#224
Holy Guacamole:egrin:
 

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
Thanks Geoff,

I read the other post from 2001 and all the others said they had some kind of backing like 1/4" aluminum plates. My fiber glass guy said he likes plastic Star Board (sp?) over marine plywood. I have some 1/2" left over from another project. Any one else use Star Board?
 

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
I have used Starboard with good results. It is very easy to work with and will outlast plywood as it never rots and is even good with UV's. I have also used 1/4" thick nylon which works equally well and is cheaper. See mcmaster.com.
Stainless is nice but expensive and harder to work with. One could also debate the shock loading subject as well, but I ain't no engineer...
 

Emerald

Moderator
Jeff Asbury said:
Thanks Geoff,

Any one else use Star Board?


Hi,


not sure what Star Board is (couldn't find it easily in Google), but I once used epoxy coated MDO (medium density overlay) for backing plates. It was on a '66 Columbia 24, and for it's purpose, worked fine.


-David
Independence 31
Emerald
 

timday5

Member II
I have used Starboard with good results. It is very easy to work with and will outlast plywood as it never rots and is even good with UV's. I have also used 1/4" thick nylon which works equally well and is cheaper. See mcmaster.com.
Stainless is nice but expensive and harder to work with. One could also debate the shock loading subject as well, but I ain't no engineer...

Ted, what's your opinion of Starboard as a backer for seacocks? Forum opinion seems to be running against it for this use so far. From what I have read, it would have to be mechanically fastened to the hull as adhesives and sealants are an issue...
 

Randy Rutledge

Sustaining Member
Rumkin, my 78 E29 has one metal backing plate on port and the other is just the glass deck. The backing plate was added after stress cracks showed on port. It appears the backing plates were not part of the E-boat factory process.
Before I put her back in the water I am adding large backing plates and will fill between the deck and the plate with thickened epoxy to distribute the load. If the backing plate is not firmly bedded it just relocated the stress to the high point it rest against.

Stainless is expensive and hard to work. How expensive is a fist size hole in your deck? If it is tough to work it is tough to the load.
 
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