Note the plural: cleats. Standard issue on Tanzers is one bow cleat, with
not very much clearance between the legs of the horn cleat. I splurged on
two 8" stainless bow cleats (cdn$45 each), and then had to solve the
issue of installing them securely.
The first two photos, while not especially enlightening, show the most
important part of keeping water out of the core: chewing out the core
around the holes, and blowing out the dust prior to sealing the holes with
thickened epoxy.
For a very good description of this procedure, see
Dan's Pearson 26 Page.
The next problem to solve was how to prevent the epoxy from running out on
the inside of the cabin. I had already fabricated the new backing plate
(see a bit farther down), so I wrapped the plate in waxed paper, and jury
rigged a support inside the v-berth. This was successful in keeping the
epoxy in the holes. Some of them did still require two applications, as
the epoxy wicked into the core.
The little white things in the first photo are a suggestion from my
brother. The problem was that the temperature was too cold in April for
the epoxy to cure properly. Also, I'm not allowed to leave things plugged
in to 120V while the boat is on the hard. So... how to generate heat? The
answer is chemical hand warmers, the kind that hunters use in their gloves
and boots when outside in the winter. Like many Tanzer accessories,
they're available at... you guessed:
Canadian Tire.
Another enlightening photo, of me on the foredeck with a dremel, grinding
the excess epoxy flush with the deck.
The final product. Inside the v-berth, a 4" x 10" plate of 1/4" stainless
steel, purchased from Metal Supermarkets. On deck, the new bow cleats
installed, waiting for the 4200 sealant to cure (hence all the blue masking
tape).
© 2018 Melissa Goudeseune
