Hawse Cleat Hitch

[Rain Dog]

What hitch is used to tie a line to a hawse with a built-in cleat?

 

[dhays]

Use a standard cleat hitch.

 

[FF]

I suggest using the std cleat wrap , but copying the commercials and using more turns and NO fastening turn.


This allows more rapid release with no jamming , if ever required.

 

[Ocean Girl]

With no base, any hitch cleating seems very unstable. One manufacturer recommends “slip the dockline eye through the hawse, and loop it over the cleat for a secure tie-off.” But in reality it distorts the eye and puts odd pressure on the splice. Maybe they mean to have a larger eye splice to cleat size ratio(?).

 

[psneeld]

figure 8s should do it if only one line going to the cleat.

after 5 or so of the right line size and it will break before slipping.

like larger vessels using a twin bollard/double bitt.

 

[dhays]

With no base, any hitch cleating seems very unstable. One manufacturer recommends “slip the dockline eye through the hawse, and loop it over the cleat for a secure tie-off.” But in reality it distorts the eye and puts odd pressure on the splice. Maybe they mean to have a larger eye splice to cleat size ratio(?).

I’m not sure what you mean by unstable. I’ve only used the hawse pipe cleat for a bit over two years now, but never have seen any issues. I do agree that spliced eyes should be large enough. For my permanent dock lines I made the eyes about 32” in circumference. Cleating is just as easy and effective as a traditionally mounted cleat.

 

[High Wire]

One round turn and two locking hitches works for us or
Big eye bowline if tying home slip lines.

 

[AlaskaProf]

With no base, any hitch cleating seems very unstable. One manufacturer recommends “slip the dockline eye through the hawse, and loop it over the cleat for a secure tie-off.” But in reality it distorts the eye and puts odd pressure on the splice. Maybe they mean to have a larger eye splice to cleat size ratio(?).

I have a half dozen of these devices and routinely throw a spliced eye or bowline over one horn. If this damages your hardware, you need a better boat...but then who among us doesn't...?

 

[FF]

If an eye is made to fit over both horns the splice should take any wear from motion or line stretch..


The downside is any line adjustments must be made from the dock, the reverse of what is usually preferred.

 

[Ocean Girl]

Thanks for the feedback. The looping of the eye splice over one horn is what I’ve seen used most commonly, but I’m newish to the trawler/power vessels.

What I meant by unstable is that there is little friction area to lock the hitch as you would have on a traditional cleat with a base. Searching the Internet gave zero input on proper loading of this type of cleat.

In storm prep, do you find yourself using a different approach?

Anyways, we are in the market for a Trawler and Defever is on our short list. These hawse cleats seem common aboard Defevers.
Thanks again for giving your expert advice, great forum��
Erika

 

[High Wire]

In storm prep, do you find yourself using a different approach?

Anyways, we are in the market for a Trawler and Defever is on our short list. These hawse cleats seem common aboard Defevers.
Thanks again for giving your expert advice, great forum��
Erika

Standard on Monk 36 too
On our home slip we use 3/4” double braid with bowline and 1” ID reinforced hose for chafe protection. These ARE our storm lines because you never know when you will get a 3 day northern blow when you’re not around to do anything about it. Lesser diameter are fine for fair weather and have survived storms but took severe beating and needed to be replaced. We use 2 bow , 2 stern and 4 spring with hose because our slip is completely exposed to north winds.
The hose for the bowline is 2 pieces and shields the pass-thru of the hull section. That’s where all the chafe occurs. It does not cover the horns allowing two lines on one cleat. I wish I had a picture.

 

[HenryD]

Our Great Harbour 47 has the same hawse cleats. We usually do a wrap around the two horns and then a figure 8 with a locking bend. In 10yrs we have not had a problem. Our docklines have eye splices big enough to slip over both horns but then we send the line to the dock cleat and back to the boat and secured to the hawse cleat.

2001 Mirage Great Harbour GH-47 Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

 

[timb]

The hose for the bowline is 2 pieces and shields the pass-thru of the hull section. That’s where all the chafe occurs. It does not cover the horns allowing two lines on one cleat. I wish I had a picture.

I would like to see the pic if you take one

 

[FF]

"In storm prep, do you find yourself using a different approach? "

Storm prep is multiple lines so as the lines stretch different locations feel the load at different times .

 

[timb]

we send the line to the dock cleat and back to the boat and secured to the hawse cleat.

[/url]

I have one around a piling like that but I feel like if it chafes around the piling .I will lose both lines at once.

 

[psneeld]

I have one around a piling like that but I feel like if it chafes around the piling .I will lose both lines at once.

not much chafe around pilings in my experience.

much more around chocks and cleats or near dock edges.

my boat has survived countless thunderstorms and some more longer lasting nor'easters with just loops around pilings.

 

[caltexflanc]

I'm with FF on putting any eyes on the dock cleat or piling and using hitches on the boat side. Makes entrance and egress to the slip so much easier as well as adjustments.

 

[High Wire]

I would like to see the pic if you take one

It’s going to be a while, like Halloween ?!!!

 

[timb]

It’s going to be a while, like Halloween ?!!!

I think I'll do something before then hurricane season is coming . I might double up my lines the next trip down. I don't think I can get a 3/4 and a 5/8 line on one hawse cleat.

 

[dhays]

I think I'll do something before then hurricane season is coming . I might double up my lines the next trip down. I don't think I can get a 3/4 and a 5/8 line on one hawse cleat.

I don’t know anything about hurricanes, but I would think that 3/4” would be a bit of overkill for a 38’ boat...? Don’t you think doubling 5/8” would be adequate? I would think that the extra bit of stretch that the 5/8” would have over the 3/4” would be an advantage.

 

[Benthic2]

You could probably fit 2 if you tied on off on the dock, and the other one on the boat, with a loop on the other end.

 

[High Wire]

3/4” is not overkill in a storm. Stretches just fine.

 

[dhays]

3/4” is not overkill in a storm. Stretches just fine.

Thanks.

 

[Blissboat]

Figure-eight finished off with a locking hitch. However, I agree with others that this style of cleat affords somewhat less friction surface where the locking hitch crosses the line.

As FF has said, the standing part of a dock line, meaning an eye splice or loop, should be attached to the dock or tie poles. The end on your deck cleat should be easy to uncleat and adjust or cast off on short notice.

 

[menzies]

Our rule is three figure 8 turns and two locking hitches.