Hello and almost Happy New year.....I have a few cleats on my 1990 44' that are getting a little loose and on two of them I do not see a way to easily get access to tighten and seat them properly. The midship spring line cleats are the ones I am referring to. On the starboard side I was excited to find a plastic access panel in my upper kitchen cupboard but after removing it I didn't see that I could get to the cleat as it I think it is too far forward. I will bring out my new Endoscope to check it out for sure when I head back to marina soon . I am guessing on the port side I will have to drill or make an access hole somehow to get to that one through the coat closet?
The scope sounds like a good idea. I've never seen cleats on a boat loosen, and suspect the problem maybe the deck deteriorating. You may need to cut out and replace the section of deck around the cleat.
Sadly you have pointed out the potential problem, I am afraid I concur. Of course if the deck in compromised and wet you have to find out where the moisture came from, it may or may not be from the bedding of said cleat, it can come from stancion bases, deck-hull joints or stanchion bases to name a few. I hope we are incorrect.
Absolutely it can be opening a Pandora's box. It would certainly have me wiggling every stanchion and piece of deck hardware along with a close look at the deck/hull joining. I also wouldn't be trusting those cleats for more than hanging fenders on.
If your cleats are up on the cap, there is no core as far as I know. That's solid glass. Best is to create the access you need to get to the backing nuts and unfasten/remove the cleats. Inspect everything, then reinstall and re-bed the cleats upon reinstallation. Perhaps new backing plate spanning the two bolts to create a more robust installation as well. You may have to create the holes for access, but better that than any other option. Be thoughtful as to how and where you create that access.
Ok thanks. My deck and stations seem to be all very solid with no evidence of deterioration so hoping just re-bedding of the cleats will work once I can find a way to get access to them.
You may find them bolted with small fender washers. Consider reinstalling with a large backing plate spanning the two bolts, one big like-kind-metal plate. My general rule of thumb is that if something fails, rebuild it in a manner designed to improve on what failed.
On my 48 behind the medicine cabinet in the heads you can get to the mid ship, they are bolts that thread into the cleat. Under the dinette seating there is a Access panel too.
Same think happened to me on my 43' . Both spring cleats were loose. Found and access panel behind stareboard settee. On port side there was nothing. Had to cut an access panel in the teak. Then fabricated a teak cover. Looks fine put was pretty pissed I had to do that. What made things worse was the nuts/bolt ends were over with fiberglass. So I had to use a dremel tool to cut that away before I could get a socket with knuckle on it. But I tightened both and they've stayed tight for 4 years.
Glassing over the nuts isn't unusual to lock them and to make it readily visible if they have loosened.