Pop up cleats - lights?

[gman1001]

I'm researching installing 1 pop up cleat in the bow to replace the two smaller cleats on either side of the bow light. Also considering an Accon pop up light.

What size cleat do you think is the minimum for the front of an 18' boat?

These things aren't required as a wet rag placed over the cleats usually suffices to keep my fly lines clear of the cleats. So, the need to spend $ and create work for myself wins here I guess!

Are those of you that have installed these ok with how they drain water either into the bilge or the cockpit? Maybe the amount of water is nominal?

Looks like these aftermarket cleats come with drain tubes, any thoughts on where to properly drain the water and what brand of pop up to stay away from?

Tx!

[strick]

Accon 6" slimline (pull up) is what I have on the bow of the boat along with a pop up LED light. Both drain into the anchor locker which drains into the bilge.

strick

[joshmon71]

I have the same setup as Strick, but i just added non pop up chocks. Not a fly guy. One minor note, somewhere along the history of my boat the bow was filling with water fronm anchor locker during rain on trailer or stored, and at top of the center stringer was a pinky size hole. The inner material of this stringer was wood. Went to fix a small bottom scrape that kept weeping water, and now I know why it wept, and 12 holes later from bottom driled up, and a couple holes from top of stringer to air out wood, we got to good glass . So when you store the boat make sure it is way up in front, and water drains...i as well glassed that silly little hole in in the bow, shoulda taken a pic I was doing a hand stand, breathing fumes in, upside down. The pro for this job is Brian of Cape Composites, great guy, and lets me work with him at his shop in chatham nights whcih is super nice, and he was all about letting me take care of that job .

[RS]

If you are going to go with one center cleat, I'd go with an 8". You may need to tie off two or three lines to it. Personally, I went with 2 6" pop ups.