CLEAT CAPTOR Z and LARGE CLEATS
The Cleat Captor Z was designed to suit the common 290 mm cleats found on the majority of marina berths. Accordingly the gap between both jaw tips is around 400 mm which allows a comfortable margin of clearance for the cleat even when the mooring line is fitted and tensioned slightly.
With larger boats becoming more common, some marinas fitted a few large berths with the larger 350 mm cleats. While the Cleat Captor still works on these cleats, the margin for user error is reduced.
As a consequence, a simple and easy solution has been developed to provide a larger jaw tip gap for use with larger cleats. The following instructions apply.
- You will need 2 x 3/16 UNC nuts and a screw that is 1/4 inch longer than the original jaw screws.
- CAREFULLY remove the jaw screw closest to the jaw tip. Do NOT use a power screw driver.
- Fit the longer screw in place of the original being CAREFUL that you do not cross thread it and destroy the thread in the jaw.
- Manually tighten the screw until it is just firm. Over tightening risks stripping the thread.
- On the inside of the jaw, fit a 3/16 nut over the new screw and tighten it so that it is just firm.
- Fit the handle over the jaw screws and before you fit the other jaw, fit the remaining 3/16 nut against the handle and finger tighten it.
- Now you can fit the remaining jaw with its wing nuts. The jaw tip gap has now been increased by about 50 mm (2 inches) which provides a generous increase in clearance for the larger cleats.
Both jaws are still held against the handle at 3 contact points which ensures that the jaws remain securely located and stable. The only downside is that you need to remove the 3/16 nut when disassembling the Cleat Captor for stowing.
The components are available as a CLEAT CAPTOR LARGE JAW MODIFICATION KIT.