Are Cleats painted the bulwark color? Or left natural wood?

[bear]

Ahoy Mates

 

Working on the HMS Cheerful now. Wanted to know if the cleats on the bulwarks were painted the red of the bulwarks or left natural wood? I would think they were left natural because the paint would just wear off quickly.  Thanks for your input and advice. Pickels is waiting to hear.

[JerseyCity Frankie]

Either way. Paint will wear off but it’s not really very visible unless you cast off the line- the portions that the line chafes are always covered by the line. Here are two photos from Pride of Baltimore showing painted AND unpainted cleats on the same vessel.

[thibaultron]

It looks like the cleats are painted/not painted, so as to contrast with the surrounding area. Ie. natural dark cleat in a white painted area, white painted cleat in a natural dark colored area.

[Louie da fly]

Perhaps to make them easier to find in dark/overcast/mist?

 

Steven

[Mark P]

Good Evening Bear;

 

Not sure if this is too late to be of any help to you,  but as you are talking of a Royal Navy vessel,  I would assume that models of other RN vessels would be a guide. 

 

I have seen quite a few now,  out of their cases,  and all those which had red-painted bulwarks had the cleats,  kevels,  stag-horns etc painted the same red as the bulwarks.

 

All the best,

 

Mark P