Thoughts on cleats......

[ONE-A-DAY]

I recently bought this Stoker, its been completely restored, there isnt a scratch or chip on it and every hole from over the years has been filled and the gelcoat redone. It was rigged as an Enduro boat which I plan to do but I also plan on early morning breakfast runs, off season runs, lower river etc. As a race boat, when it was redone, it was set up with no tie down areas, no cleats, no transom loops, nothing. With a full cap on it I am definitely going to need to use fenders when tied up to a dock and then there is the issue of convenient places to attach dock lines. And most of the time I am buy myself in this boat so that means tying it up to the dock while I park my truck, I wont be able to float and wait for someone to join me after parking the truck.

I am struggling with using stainless pop up cleats that will screw up the look and also mean some big cutting. The other route is the little mushroom pop ups, or the pin pull outs, all of which will require holes but definitely less than the cut outs for pop up cleats.

Dock lines I could run off of the steering column and the jack plate but its the issue of hanging fenders.

Any suggestions?

 

[Havaduner]

I would go with the pin cleats, as it would be less/smaller holes cut in the fiberglass.
As for bumpers, on my Stoker, I went with some suction cups, put them on both ends of the bumpers, so I can hang them on the boat horizontally. It worked really well, so take my word, I don't have any pics!

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

This is what I would do and if it was my boat, I would mount the eye INSIDE the boat.

 

[Desert Whaler]

Sweet ride!
Yeah, you could modify a couple of those heavy duty suction cups, the type with the swing-over latch, (some used to set glass panels or heavy tile).
I have one I modified to hold my phone mount ( think it was for a go pro) . . . I sucked it down to my cowling and set my phone in it to shoot a time lapse . . . never used a leash and never had an issue.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Black anodized pop up mushroom cleats. They will look better than the pull out pins. Nothing to lose or screw with.

 

[RCDave]

A rope on the outboard and steering wheel. Old school Lol

 

[Your ad here]

Could go jet bote status and tie ski rope from the steering wheel and engine to dock. Use life vest as bumpers but don't loose them as they will be your orange flag for skiers or tubers.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

Suction cup cleats

 

[HighVoltage329]

Push pins with bumpers & dock lines attached. Put them as far forward and rear as you can reach from inside the cockpit so you don't have to climb all over.

 

[STV_Keith]

As clean as that is (standard Walt boat), I'd get suction cup fenders/bumpers and mount cleats inside the boat somewhere...maybe black anodized ones to the stringers beside the gas tank and next to the seats? I'm not a fan of tying to the steering wheel or engine bits.

 

[white tortilla]

I have a Stoker with no cleats. I wouldn’t drill holes in that beauty, that’s what makes that boat so sexy it’s clean doesn’t have any extra shit that isn’t necessary it for a specific performance purpose. I use bow eye and then the turnbuckle on the plates to tie up.

 

[Marios Metalworks]

I’d run a set of composite danik hooks, I believe there’s a fender version with a larger hook too.

Don’t have to worry about dinging up your ride as much.

Two of my fenders have these. Easily clip to steering wheels, grab handles and most tubing.

 

[GOTTBoat]

Use bumpers and tie off to steering wheel and steering ram in back is what I did.

 

[SoCalZero]

I don’t have cleats either. I use the front eye hook and the ski tow in the rear. Add a ski tow. You can do enduro and ski races. Hanging bumpers are another issue.

 

[LC925]

This is what I would do and if it was my boat, I would mount the eye INSIDE the boat.

View attachment 1031400

I believe this is what was on mine.

And I would use @Havaduner idea. That would have been useful on mine.

 

[McKay]

The stern of our boat is quite low to the water. This is how I hang our fender. And in your situation just have a dock line sewn to the pin cleat as well.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Use bumpers and tie off to steering wheel and steering ram in back is what I did. View attachment 1031411

Good point, I didnt think of that, I can hang the bumpers from the cleat on the dock.

 

[RiverDave]

Quick pin cleats on the inner gunnel.. ropes with towels that go over the top of the gunnel and out

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

This is what I would do and if it was my boat, I would mount the eye INSIDE the boat.

View attachment 1031400

Not a bad idea Joseph, I could mount the eye on the inside of the gunnel. What on line place did you get that pic from?

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Use bumpers and tie off to steering wheel and steering ram in back is what I did. View attachment 1031411

Looking at you pic it looks like it works better to hang the bumpers off the dock since the boats are so low in the water.

 

[GOTTBoat]

Bumpers hang off a little

piece in the boat and apiece of plastic on the rope clips in. Something like this but made for a boat.

 

[Rotten deal]

They also have those stainless slotted deals to slip the male piece in . You could do those upside down on inside so it hooked in and rope over gunnel with towel.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

I would go with the pin cleats, as it would be less/smaller holes cut in the fiberglass.
As for bumpers, on my Stoker, I went with some suction cups, put them on both ends of the bumpers, so I can hang them on the boat horizontally. It worked really well, so take my word, I don't have any pics!

Always wondered about the suction cup things, do they stay on pretty well and do they scratch the gel up?

 

[Havaduner]

Always wondered about the suction cup things, do they stay on pretty well and do they scratch the gel up?

I've only used them a couple times, and they work really well, at least when the suction cups are newer. I used one of my buddies last week on an extra bumper on my Cobra, took a while to get it the suction cup to stick, but they were older. No issues on the gel, but I do wipe the cups off first, just to make sure there is no grit on them.

BTW, looking forward to seeing that thing on the water!!

 

[Boatymcboatface]

A rope on the outboard and steering wheel. Old alcohol! Lol

This! My ski boat doesn’t have cleats.

 

[BingerFang]

Here’s how I tie up my stoker…if I do need bumpers I’ll throw a bumper line around the shifter and tuck the rear bumper line into the back seat. I have those L shaped bumpers that are perfect for boats with low freeboard like ours.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Here’s how I tie up my stoker…if I do need bumpers I’ll throw a bumper line around the shifter and tuck the rear bumper line into the back seat. I have those L shaped bumpers that are perfect for boats with low freeboard like ours. View attachment 1031483

They make two sizes, any idea which ones you use?

 

[white tortilla]

Here’s how I tie up my stoker…if I do need bumpers I’ll throw a bumper line around the shifter and tuck the rear bumper line into the back seat. I have those L shaped bumpers that are perfect for boats with low freeboard like ours. View attachment 1031483

no cleats needed for me n @BingerFang. We prefer less holes then more.

@ONE-A-DAY check out my L bumper

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Quick pin cleats on the inner gunnel.. ropes with towels that go over the top of the gunnel and out

Exactly my idea [emoji362]

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Not a bad idea Joseph, I could mount the eye on the inside of the gunnel. What on line place did you get that pic from?

Seachoice® 30143 - 1/2" Stainless Steel Fender Holder Kit Eye and Receiver

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Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[lbhsbz]

I could come up with some nice eyes that mount to the back of those kirkey seats...with relatively flush mount fasteners inside so you don't feel them through the "cushion". I wouldn't put any holes in the gel.

Lemme know

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

This works for me

 

[steamin rice]

Pin cleats on the inside of the gunnels

 

[boat527]

Do what's good for you.. there's lots of styles available. On my 22 I've changed most of the bezels,
Brackets etc to black.. your canvas, make it yours..

 

[Rotten deal]

These on the inside

 

[Good Stuff]

For the pushpins Eddie and Marine Industries both sell them also. And Spankys in Parker has a lady that will custom stitch all your lines right in to the pin cleats for a tidy knot free look

Quick-pin cleats

Quick-pin cleats, - Eddie Marine

www.eddiemarine.com

or

https://www.marineindustrieswest.com

 

[Melloyellovector]

We did the push pin deals on the vector, I didn’t want cleats either.
Fenders and line are attached to pin. Bulkhead under bow has female ends to clip in for storage.
AJ has / had extra sets

 

[NeedlesRat]

On mine, I have a rope with a snap tied in the middle and hook to the bow eye and use both sides of the docks like shown above, then do the same theory off of the ski tow. If bumpers needed, use the dock cleats. I also use the L style and it works both off the dock or boat. Most likely need the larger bumpers for the dock but smaller if tied off the boat because the back sits so low they end up floating just under the molding

 

[NeedlesRat]

Love your boat. My gel has never been redone and has some cracks in the deck but she still shines up nicely

 

[Backlash]

I'm sure whatever you come up with will be the "Cat's Meow." You seem to always do things in the best way possible, so I'm sure this won't be any different. Hidden fasteners without any metal would be my guess, as I'd be leery of the metal contacting the gel. Same concern would be with any rope rubbing on the gelcoat as the rope comes up and over the inside of the gunnel.

I'll be watching to see how you do this though.

 

[racektm]

I like the pop up style, not obtrusive but there when you need them,

 

[Water Romper]

I would go with Black Mushroom (pop up) cleats. Clean, smooth and with the black on black, they would go unnoticeable on that CLEAN Stoker!
Summit Racing/Eddie Marine

 

[franky]

Walt, that was not built as a race boat and certainly not for the enduro. Brian built it the way he wanted which is a nice clean cruiser with a 35 gallon tank ( not 50 as you say) so he didn't have to worry about gas up river. Nice clean pleasure boat.

 

[STV_Keith]

They make two sizes, any idea which ones you use?

I have ones like that. They measure 9" side to side and 15" down.

 

[braindead]

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I use these, they slide onto the inside rails from the bottom, then I have my L shaped buoys with para cord attached with a pre determined loop set at the correct length. Pull everything off when not needed and no new holes to drill

 

[Duramax]

Here’s how I tie up my stoker…if I do need bumpers I’ll throw a bumper line around the shifter and tuck the rear bumper line into the back seat. I have those L shaped bumpers that are perfect for boats with low freeboard like ours. View attachment 1031483

This is exactly what I do! I have no cleats ore any place to tie either Walt. My wife cut her foot open on a cleat when she was young, so it's like a hard no to add some.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Walt, that was not built as a race boat and certainly not for the enduro. Brian built it the way he wanted which is a nice clean cruiser with a 35 gallon tank ( not 50 as you say) so he didn't have to worry about gas up river. Nice clean pleasure boat.

Kinda like the Casita, once it’s his it’s automatically way better........

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Kinda like the Casita, once it’s his it’s automatically way better........

Thank you again

 

[samsah33]

This is exactly what I do! I have no cleats ore any place to tie either Walt. My wife cut her foot open on a cleat when she was young, so it's like a hard no to add some.

Ha, injured by a f'in cleat as well... Tying up a couple weeks ago I stubbed my toe on one on the dock, danced the obligatory one-legged dance on the dock for a few mins, let out a stream of cusses that's probably still floating over LHC today, then saw my toenail laying there next to the cleat...

 

[Tank]

First off - That things bad ass.
secondly, I kinda dig ALL the cleat options. Lol I’ve had the chrome pop ups that come up with the button. They’re cool. Had the big lug pull up style. Had AJ put a few pin cleats on the cig as well as kept the original fixed cleats (which I like too if it’s right).
But I gotta say, the pull up flush cleats @Tony DCB Boats / DCB are using are just sexy. And I think they’d look bad ass mounted on the flat portion that’s black on that boat. Two at the stern and two at the fairing. Bow can be done with the bow eye.


Shit would look dope. Could even screen on “Stoker” on them.