installing boat cleats

First time boat owner and I was wondering the best way to install boat cleats to my aluminum v hull? I would also like everyones suggestions on where to place them in and on the boat.

I installed my cleats where I needed them, such as front and rear for dock lines, anchor tie down, etc.

I used self tapping metal screws on the rails and on the wooden bow deck.

If you tie up in any rough conditions, the self tapping screws are going to eventually going to strip the aluminum and pull out. Also, stainless steel and aluminum, being dissimilar metals are going to cause some corrosion and further deteriorate the connection. I would use whatever size machine screw fits the cleat, usually 10-24, with a nylon lock nut on the bottom. Also use a fender washer on the bottom to help distribute the load when it starts to get jerked on pretty hard, and eventually it will.

Like said before, you really need some sort of backing plate. Fender washers will be easiest. They will rip out fairly easy with just a screw in the aluminum.

i went to my local auto parts store and got pickup truck bed cleats.really heavy duty with backing plates,ss or galvanized.for under twenty bucks.

If you can access underneath use fender washers and nyloknuts. If you can't access you can use riv-nuts/nutserts. Here's a cheap kit that works well. https://www.harborfreight.com/45-piece-threaded-insert-riveter-kit-1210.html

being new to the subject - if not stainless steel bolts, then what would you suggest

Stainless is fine but in my opinion I wouldn't use stainless sheet metal screws on aluminum sheet metal for something like that. SS and Alum are dissimilar metals and will cause electrolysis so it basically loosen and lose strength because they slowly 'eat' each other.

Use Stainless bolts with washers and nuts if you can access underside. Or you can use a rivnut which is basically an aluminum threaded rivet for when you can not access underneath for nuts. They work great. Use Stainless for any boat hardware.

vahunter said:

Stainless is fine but in my opinion I wouldn't use stainless sheet metal screws on aluminum sheet metal for something like that. SS and Alum are dissimilar metals and will cause electrolysis so it basically loosen and lose strength because they slowly 'eat' each other.

Use Stainless bolts with washers and nuts if you can access underside. Or you can use a rivnut which is basically an aluminum threaded rivet for when you can not access underneath for nuts. They work great. Use Stainless for any boat hardware.

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thanks much. i intend to install some cleats up front (boat has none) and i cannot access underneath

When you ARE able to access from underneath a cleat, or any other deck fitting, such as a support post for a T-top, seat, etc.....you really should use a backer plate to help distribute the load over a larger area.

But, it's not always possible to access underneath, and that's a real PITA. In cases like this, you should always try to position the fitting where your mounting holes are going into more than just some sheet metal, try to find a rib or other structural member where you can at least try to get one of your fasteners into some material.

As for the rivet nut kit, I recently acquired one myself, from the Harbor Freight store up the road (we have one about 30 miles from here) I went back on my jetboat, and all the hatch panels that were riveted down, now have rivet nuts, so all I need to do to remove a panel is use a screwdriver to remove a 10-24 ss screw. Did the same thing to my wire harness cover, which was also riveted down.

All these years of metalworking, I can't believe I didn't own one of these things before now! Wish I would have had it when I first built the boat, it would have saved me a lot of BS with trying to secure hatch covers!

Anyhow, I promptly used up the rivet nuts supplied with the kit, so I bought more from McMaster-Carr. While I haven't done any strength testing with these, to see what kind of force you have to apply to rip one out, I can say that in theory, the tighter you turn the fastener, the more the backside of the rivet nut should flare out, making it hold tighter than what you can set with the tool itself.

I would DEFINITELY use the 1/4x20 size rivet nuts for attaching cleats, 10-24 and smaller is going to be way too skimpy.

Mount them where you can get access to both sides