Attaching Mast Cam Cleat To Mast

What hardware is everyone using to attach their cam cleat to the mast for rake/jib adjustments on the fly?
I was thinking about drill and tapping but wanted to see if someone had a better/easier way.
Thanks in advance!

I install a cleat on my mast with a pass through long bolt and found that the tension is too great to do any adjusting...spend your money elsewhere ....

_________________
Bill 404 21SE

Don't change the rake when the halyard is under tension. Make the adjustments as part of a mark rounding when the mainsheet is eased.

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Sail More. Tinker Less. Enjoy a Hobie Day.
-2013 H16 #1`13780
-2014 Getaway w/wings,spinnaker,& trapeze

I have just purchased the kit for this from the Hobie shop. Their recommendation is to drill and tap for the cam cleat and, if you didn't have a horn cleat on that side, then that gets tapped too. I have done the work but haven't test sailed it yet....
I certainly wouldn't be putting a 'through bolt' through the mast unless I could fit a spacer (very difficult) inside to stop the side walls collapsing.
One thing I have found since joining the Hobie family, after nearly 50 years in Monos, is that it is much better to buy the stock Hobie parts. I expected a rip off similar to the Laser rip off but I have been pleasantly surprised. The parts are top quality, the service is sensational and the pricing reasonable. And the systems, developed in part by Hobie sailors worldwide, work really well. And where I am in AUS a 'class legal' Hobie with all the right gear is worth more in resale value.

I have done a couple of these and have seen a few others done. I do the tap thing but after that I bed the Harken cleat with Marinetex epoxy to handle mounting a flat cleat on a round mast. Mask off around the cleat with masking tape. Rough up the aluminum a bit so the Marinetex will grip.

Cheers
Bill
2013 Hobie 16
1988 Hobie 17
1985 Hobie 14
Previous 16's owned 1981, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2010

To attach the cleat I hold it in position and center punch one hole.. Drill the hole to size and then with an extra machine screw of the right size I just carefully thread it in place. Tighten it up and center punch the other hole, and do the same.


I tried tapping the hole the first time I did this and it just felt like it was really hard to get the angle properly lined up, and the tap is cutting yet more material away. When you just CAREFULLY thread the machine screw in on something that thin it quickly deforms to the shape of the threads. Just be careful that a bur or something doesn't break off and foul the threads of your machine screw.

I have done it this 'tapless' several times with great success. YMMV

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www.thehobiewayoflife.com

Ron,
Great tip. I'll try this the next time I do one which will be in the spring on a friends boat.

By the way, I like your sail. Saw it at lewes DE.

Cheers
Bill

Thanks! I like the sail too, but it is terrible 'racing camo" and I am sure the stickers slow me down.. What the heck right! Got to look good!


Just be careful that you drill the holes as close to the angle the machine screw is going to hit. Without a good center punch dimple that can be tough to keep them from walking sometimes.

_________________
www.thehobiewayoflife.com

I haven't looked closely at this kit yet, so maybe this would be a bad idea, but what do y'all think about using stainless rivets? They're easy.

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Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

I think you could have problems if you tried to install a cam cleat using pop rivets. You need to be able to control the force applied by the fastener. If you over- tighten the fastener, you could very easily bind up or even damage the cleat. Rivets don't allow for any control over the applied force (they apply a pre-determined force controlled by when the mandrel breaks off) and stainless rivets apply a fairly high amount of force. Plus, if you ever have to replace the rivet, I think you run a pretty high chance of damaging the cleat when drilling out the rivet head.

sm

Ah, I should have looked at the cam cleat before I asked the question. I was thinking in terms of riveting a base plate to the mast but that's not how the cleat is made. I agree, rivets wouldn't work well in this application.

_________________
Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28