Catalina 350 International Association

Hi,
Looking to replace the clam cleat on the stbd side of the companion way with either a jam cleat or rope clutch.
I had "assumed" that the small plastic cover in the recess on the headliner immediately below the stbd winch would give me access to backing plates for the clutches and winch. Well, there is no access. You remove the cover and there is headliner beneath it. It appears that the only way to do any replacing / work on the clutches and winch are to cut the headliner. I can only guess that after cutting an access hole in the headliner you use the plastic cover to hide the hole you've made???

Am I missing something here or do I really have to cut the headliner to do this?

tks
Rick
Desiderata
Hull 441

Hi Rick,

I would be pretty sure that you don't need to get under at all. You should find wood pads have been built into the deck under the cleats and jammers, and these are just tapped in from above. The only access holes in the headliner of Avalon are where aftermarket guys added hardtop dodger mounts.

Regards

I replaced the furling line cleat installed by Catalina with a Spinlock PXR cam cleat last month. Like you, I thought I could get to the underside using the access in the galley. Deciding that wasn't going to work I noticed the new cam cleat would almost line up with the existing screw holes. I used one of the screw holes for the Spinlock cam cleat and drilled the additional hole I needed. Russ is right, there is a backing plate to hold the screws.

Thanks guys. That's good info to have.
On our previous boat, a Catalina 36, what you saw topside had a corresponding carriage bolt or cap below. Really quite simple.
I had just "assumed" that I would be able to gain access to the underside of the clutches / clam cleat / and winch via the 12 x 6-in cover in the headliner that's above the frig, only to find that this is a false access. My comments went a little beyond aaargh!!!

thanks again

It's been a couple of years and my mind has grown a few barnacles but I believe when I changed out the mainsheet cam cleat with a nice Garhauer clutch that there was a metal backing plate under the fiberglass.

I drilled and tapped the holes and used stainless bolts to hold the new clutch.

Bob
Guinevere
#243

I am in the process of replacing the Jam Cleat on the top of the coach roof on my 2003 350...Mar y Posa. I purchased a rope clutch from Garhauer at the Annapolis boat show last fall. FYI Mom and Dad Garhauer own hull #1 350. Replacement is simple. Remove the two screw holding the jam cleat to the coach roof. The clutch purchased from Garhauer exactly fits the threaded holes. I will use Butyl Tape as the bedding compound and will utilize the screws taken from the jam cleat.
Actually pretty simple replacement no drilling or tapping required.

Walter
Mar y Sol hull 61
Northern Chesapeake Bay