Boat strong points?

[lexer440]

Read a few posts recently about trailer winch capacity and it made me wonder, how strong is a boats so-called "strong point"? how much stress can those "D" rings on transom take and the bow eye and the cleats on deck?

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Boat strong points?

The bow eye has to be strong enough to pull the boat on to the trailer, but I wouldn't trust it to, say, lift the whole weight of the boat
I wouldn't trust the cleats on my boat with anything more than fenders and mooring in a calm location!
The transom rings are strong - bolted right through the transom and into supporting wood structure. Will take lots of load - providing transom is not rotten, of course

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Boat strong points?

Well, in lower quality boats the cleats are screwed into the fiberglass and will not take much real stress without pulling out. Higher quality boats have them backed-up with wood or metal plates. Lower quality hulls also have the stern eyes through bolted but only have nuts and washers--no back-up plates. Bow eyes are stronger and usually have a wood back-up plate glassed into the hull. however, many are just nut and washer attached.

MY boats are always modified by me: I crawl up to the front and reinforce the bow eye with at least 1/8 thick aluminum or stainless at least one inch longer than the two bolts. If it is a single bolt bow eye, I replace it with a two leg one. I do the same with the stern eyes. My cleats are always backed-up with at least 1/8 inch aluminum and through bolted with aluminum with a minimum of #10 screws. 1/4 screws if the cleat will take it.

 

[lexer440]

Re: Boat strong points?

Thanx for the responses, I will take a look over the w/end. Those are some good recommendations Frank, especially when you consider that age generally weakens things.