Cleat Removal

[billdewberry]

Hi guys. I have a 1990 (Not 98) Bayliner Capri 2350 that I am restoring. I am trying to remove the cleats, but the screws just turn. They will not loosen and I see nowhere where a nut could be holding them on. Any tips on how to get the cleats off?

Thank you.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Cleat Removal

imho, it's one of two things.
1. the screws were just threaded into the fiberglass and the female glass screw threads have striped. thus when ya turn the screw, it just stays there and the male screw theads have nothing to interact with. have ya tried pulling up on the cleat while turning the screw? that's about the best i can answer as a way to find out it it's only into the glass. it'll start coming loose if this method of attachment is used.
or
there is a backing plate with a nut on it. you'll have no choice but to access the nut so you can hold it while turning the screw. how you have to access it... any way you can to including cutting a hole in the boat.

edit. suppose ya could drill the screw head off to get the cleat off, but then your gonna have a stud left and you'll still need to get to the back side of it to replace/repair it. probably a last ditch effort if ya get to that idea..

 

[etracer68]

Re: Cleat Removal

When I scraped a 1989 bayliner, the cleats did have nylock nuts under them. You will have to find a way to get to them.

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Cleat Removal

Sometimes (often) the boat manufacturer assembles the cleats and other hardware to the cap (top half of the hull) before it is attached to the main hull. If this is the case with your boat (likely) the nuts on the back of the cleat screws may not be accessible to you.
My bowrider had the bow seatbacks attached to the cap before the hull was assembled. I can't remove the seatbacks for upholstery repair without either taking off the cap (which is too much effort) or sawing the screws off (which will prevent me from reattaching the seatbacks as originally designed).

I can access the nuts for my rear cleats if I get in an extremely uncomfortable position in the stern and reach back as far as I can.

 

[Beefer]

Re: Cleat Removal

Just curious... are removing the cleats for a reason? Are you replacing them?

Like zuiggy said, you can drill them out. That's the way my bowrail guy got my bowrail off. Drill the heads off, then use either an EZ-out, or drill them out with a bigger bit.

 

[nuttz4bolts]

Re: Cleat Removal

Drillin out stainless screws can be such a difficult task. You need a carbide tip bit, time and patience. I would only recommend this as a last resort. If the screw nut is under the cap with a layer over it I would try this trick first. take a screwdriver with a cloth or rubber sheet over the tip. This will protect your gelcoat. Try to pry the cleat up so you will be putting pressure upward on the nut underneath. You are trying to get the nut to bite while you are turning the screw. You don't want to put too much pressure on the screw with your driver as you will be defeating the purpose of the upward pressure. If you get to a point where you cant get the screw to come all of the way off you but a larger gap was created you then have room to cut the crew off to remove the cleat. In putting the cleat back I would get a longer through bolt and put it through all layers for you to have easy access in the future.
I always sit back and analyze these difficult tasks with my boat with an attitude of "if there is a will, there's a way"
Patience is the key. I know it's hard as most of us boaters want it all and want it now.
Let me know if this helped

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Cleat Removal

It has been 5 days.

I think he is stuck inside the hull.

A side note about removing ANY hardware that you can NOT reach......OR>>>>OR.....be able to reach into the hull somehow, when the hidden parts drop off.

YOU WILL ALWAYS hear the RATTLEof that part or parts. OR ....The TOOL that dropped into the hull.


Boats have been sold for those reasons.

 

[billdewberry]

Re: Cleat Removal

Guys I am sorry I hqve not been here. I work for the GOV and I travel alot. I still havent got those darn cleats off.

 

[billdewberry]

Re: Cleat Removal

Thank you guy. I have been offline for about 2 month