Does the 1" of cleat per 1/16" rope rule work for early 1800's ship? Just how big should a cleat be?

[Tim Holt]

I've seen a rule of thumb for belaying cleats that for each 1/16" of diameter of rope you have, you should have 1" of cleat length - or belaying cleat length = 16 times rope diameter.  So 3/4" rope would mean a 12" cleat, 1/2" rope an 8" cleat, etc.

 

Does that rule of thumb still apply going back to the early 1800's?

 

I ask because the pre-made belaying "cleats" (quotes because they are uuugly) that came with my old AL Swift 1805 pilot boat seem massive - 27 inches across and 5 inches thick if scaled up.  They'd be for 1.7" rope using the rule of thumb.  I want to make some new ones, and am wondering about what size they really should be?

 

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Tim Holt
Rearranged sentences to perhaps tell the story better

[Tim Holt]

I guess in the spirit of just seeing how it looks, I've made a few of them to try out - partially to see how they look and partially to experiment with making them.

 

I laser cut them out of some 1/8" solid maple, then worked down the shape using a small round file and sandpaper.  Here's a quick picture of the sequence...

 

 

With the laser cutter plan in hand, it's easy enough to scale them to an even smaller size if desired.

 

and PS.  These are still way too big (but it was a good exercise). 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Tim Holt

[BANYAN]

Hi Tim, I was not aware of any rules of thumb so I have been educated (thanks) - do you recall where you found this?  I would also be interested if the rule also included some guidance on the size of the throat/centre bit in relation to the horns'.  I am building a mid-19th century ship and would be grateful on any guidance you find/mentioned here.  In the meantime, if I find anything I will post here.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Tim Holt]

50 minutes ago, BANYAN said:

Hi Tim, I was not aware of any rules of thumb so I have been educated (thanks) - do you recall where you found this?  I would also be interested if the rule also included some guidance on the size of the throat/centre bit in relation to the horns'.  I am building a mid-19th century ship and would be grateful on any guidance you find/mentioned here.  In the meantime, if I find anything I will post here.

 

cheers

 

Pat

I've seen it now several places.  See https://www.boatus.org/findings/16/ for example - second paragraph of the "Conclusions" section.  A google search for "boat cleat size rule of thumb" has it pop up quite a bit.  Yet to find it in any older references though.

Edited June 23, 2021 by Tim Holt

[BANYAN]

Many thanks Tim, while for modern yachts/boats this may well apply.  I have not yet found anything in Peake, Kipping or Fincham whom were the most prolific naval-architect qualified authors writing in the 19th century.

 

cheers

 

Pat