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Cosmetic or Structural?


Ron in Atlanta

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This is the bow cleat from the 2200 TRS.  It is a "Lifting Cleat" which means that the actual cleat is connected to the bow eye assembly.  The chrome plated "seat" surrounding the cleat has lifted though.

If it is structural, I'll ask the dealer to repair it.  If cosmetic, I'll replace these screws with through-bolts to hold her down. Any thoughts on this one?

 

It's funny, on the Georgia Coast, there are a few places where a boat ramp is impossible and a marina has to lift the boat off the trailer, swing her over and lower into the water.  Shellman's Bluff comes to mind.  When I pull up, the guys that operate the lifting equipment always ask, "is that a lifting cleat?" (otherwise they use the bow eye).  I always answer, "Yes, I just Crazy Glued it on this morning, it should be dry by now".  In this case, that may be more true than I could have guessed.

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If it is a true lifting cleat it should have a  threaded rod going to  a plate attached to the bow eye.

I  would take a look in the anchor locker and find the back  of the bow eye to see if there is a turn buckle or some other way to tighten it up

If it is not connected to the hull I would not use it for lifting regardless of a backing plate.

A picture  would be nice of back of bow eye but the telephoto lens  may not fit in there. A good old phone camera will have to do.

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2 hours ago, smilemaker said:

find the back  of the bow eye to see if there is a turn buckle or some other way to tighten it up

Yes, it is a true lifting cleat, I can feel the threaded rod up there (plus, I paid extra for the lifting cleat and the two stern eyes that are set away from the surface of the stern   so as to clear the stern rub rail when the boat is lifted).  I have not yet laid eyes (or lens) on the threaded rod/turnbuckle  but that is where I always tie the bitter end of the anchor rhode around it by feel.

The fact that it can be tightened is a great insight.  The cleat is a lift up cleat, however tightening the turnbuckle may just pull the bed of the cleat, the surrounding frame down.  I just covered the boat after a week in Fl and it's going to rain here for a few days, I'll get a shot in a few days.

I have a very wide angle lens that will fit down there, I try not to take photographs with my telephone just as I never make phone calls with my Nikon.  Try this with your phone...🙂🙂

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On 5/9/2021 at 6:08 PM, smilemaker said:

A picture  would be nice of back of bow eye but the telephoto lens  may not fit in there. A good old phone camera will have to do.

OK, here is the threaded rod taken with a Nikon 18 - 200mm lens on a D610 camera.

Top

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bottom

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the whole thing (with bitter end of anchor rhode attached)

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it is not clear to me which "nut", top or bottom, can you turn to tighten or which direction.

This does not look like a true turnbuckle, rotating the rod one way or the other would simply loosen the bottom while at the same time, tighten the top, leaving the tension the same as when you started.  It is also not clear how or why it got "loose" in the first place.  We hardly ever need to lift this boat using the lifting cleat and the last boat, the 20 footer with a lifting cleat as well, lasted over 1000 hours with the cleat never becoming loose even after multiple lifts of the boat??

I've spoken with Tipper Vincent, the new Customer Service Exec at Maverick Boat Group and sent him the photos as well.  Expecting an answer back soon.  Until then, WE WILL NOT BE LIFTING THE BOAT OFF THE TRAILER TO LAUNCH!

I'm not sure just how many Pathfinder owners even have this option on their boats but if I get a good answer I will report it here just in case.

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It's a long way down!

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Ron, on the threaded rod..... it’s a SAE thread so go with right =  tight ....that would apply to the top nut and the bottom nut, turning the nut to the right would “ lengthen “ the threaded section therefore closing the gap on the upper plate. Those screws backing out are due to some movement while the load is applied. I would recommend going with a threaded screw with flat washers and nylock nuts ( all stainless ) for that trim piece around the cleat, and take those self tapping type screws out. 

Choosing the top or bottom nut to tighten will depend on how much extra threaded rod you have available on top or bottom. 

Just my .002 cents.... other may have different opinions....JJ

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I installed lifting eye post production.  The main stainless rod threads did not allow me to have an exact flush mount for the surface.  It has some clearance like the fist pic you posted.  I used 4 threaded screws with back washers and self locking nuts, snug for the gap that was between top cap and bottom of lifting eye, then used 5200 around the gap on the top.  Mine shows sun exposure wear, but that it about all.  I use the eye only to lift boat and set it on dock pad.

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The only way to take up the slack is to remove the  4 screws on the deck then remove the nuts on the bow eye. Lift up the entire  assembly and turn the fitting on the bow eye  end to take up the slack . put it back on and check the fit. repeat until cleat is flush.  Reinstall bow eye nuts and as mentionef replace deck screws with machine screws and nuts.The nuts on the rod are locking nuts.

Then send us another pretty picture or two of your work.

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Not sure what brand of lifting eye you have, but the setup below certainly makes good sense for installation. If you have just a plain threaded rod then it will a PITA.

https://www.boatingmag.com/how-to-install-lifting-eye/

If the Acorn rod is the same thread as your top cleat, then you might be able to get a rod and left hand threaded crossbar from Acorn and make the installation much easier.

I also question the bow eye plate being upside down compared to the Acorn installation, pulling from the opposite direction could be flexing the plate excessively. Geometry wise, if the cross bar is at the top it can only flex until a straight line is made between the two anchored points, then something must yield to move. The straight line would result in a bigger gap at the rear of the cleat. Mounted upside down allows a much greater amount of flex to occur and results in a larger gap at the front of the cleat, which your pictures appear to show.

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ideally the attachment  should  go to the top but to do so would create too much  angle.

I feel it is more important to  keep the rod perpendicular to the cleat and moving the  cleat forward  is not a worthy option. I  would put it back as before and simply remove the slack.

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2 hours ago, smilemaker said:

ideally the attachment  should  go to the top but to do so would create too much  angle.

I feel it is more important to  keep the rod perpendicular to the cleat and moving the  cleat forward  is not a worthy option. I  would put it back as before and simply remove the slack.

I was not suggesting to change it, just that the original installation was not ideal and even after tightening it still may move more than one would want.

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On 5/12/2021 at 8:06 PM, NCTribute said:

I was not suggesting to change it, just that the original installation was not ideal and even after tightening it still may move more than one would want.

Thank you everyone for the insightful comments, as usual, the Forum Family came through.

Here is the resolution:  Having seen the photographs, the folks at Maverick asked in dismay, "Was this a factory job or did you do it yourself?  That doesn't look like something we would have installed".  I sent them a copy of the original Marine Purchase Agreement from Lindsay Marine showing that the lifting hardware were indeed, "Factory Equipment" that is, installed by factory.  Maverick, to their credit, immediately agreed to ship me a new version of the entire lifting hardware system and pay for the labor to install it.  THAT IS CUSTOMER SERVICE!  Unfortunately, the local dealer up here has never installed lifting hardware so, given the consequences if done wrong, I decided to run down the Florida Turnpike to Ft Pierce and have it done right (this time) at the factory.

So, you guys were correct, "That don't look right".  Thanks again for the insights.

 

 

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  • 2 months later...

UPDATE, UPDATE!!

OK, the new bow lifting cleat hardware has been installed.  Custom Marine 1 down in Statesboro, GA did the work, very well, I might add.

Looking at the old and the new hardware, the problem came into clear focus.  On the original, factory install, the threaded rod that connects the bow cleat assembly to the bow eye has INCORRECT THREAD.  Here is the original rod

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note that the thread is the same throughout the length of the rod.  This means that if you try to tighten the whole assembly - well, you can't!  Since the thread is the same top and bottom, turning it to tighten the top will loosen the bottom!! it never gets any tighter.

Here is the newly installed rod

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I've turned the image sideways so you can see the comparison.  The top thread is the opposite of the bottom thread, it acts like a true turnbuckle.  Turning it one way, tightens BOTH ENDS.  Turning the other way, loosens both ends.

I only mention this issue because I am concerned that ALL 2200 TRS boats with lifting hardware built in 2016 like mine, may have this issue.  And when you are lifting the boat by the bow cleat, IT'S A LONG WAY DOWN IF IT FAILS.

If you have a TRS boat built around the same time as mine, take a look down in the anchor locker and see if you have the proper threaded rod holding it all together.

 

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