Would work for some instances, but not all.

I can see that in many tying-up instances---there goes the gelcoat...

I think it's a great idea in areas where I'm climbing over the side or sliding into the water. I prefer to keep my swimsuit on me and not hanging from the cleat.

My biggest problem with recessed cleats as shown, there is still a protruding area for snagging a line, fishing line, etc. They do not stick out as much, but are still there.

I think it is a feature that is a cheaper way to go for both the boat builder and the boat buyer.

Cheaper than recessed cleats? Might be true, but I can't see by much. It is a nice design, kind of makes people think the builder went out of thier way to "do it right".

It seems to me that they have taken something that is not great to look at and drawn attention to it by recessing the gelcoat all around it. The improvement in line or bathing suit snags is hardly worth going to that much "design" trouble IMHO.
I like the look of recessed cleats, but never used them before.

Looks like a lot of extra corners and angles to develop stress cracks to me.

With (obviously) all that room under the deck, they could have easily installed flush mount cleats.

I wasn't much of a fan of them until my Scout came equipped with them. They worked out fine for everyday use.

But then again, I didn't have to rely on them to keep my boat tied up to a dock during a storm. Which was one of my original concerns.

To my newbie eye, that recess seems like an inelegant and partial solution to a problem that already has a better solution.

OK for the bow, but I wouldn't want that setup on the stern.

Could not easily crossover the lines with it.

Suppose its $100 cheaper per each boat?

With the whole cleat recessed like that, it may be out of my eye sight from the helm..... How will I realize I left my bumpers deployed in the middle of the lake????


seriously, I don't like it for many of the same reasons already listed.

Oh well.

Same feelings here.

This is about saving some money.

For the builder not for the customer...

Why would the boat builder not add up his costs and price from there?

That's the problem. They don't add just the cost of recessed cleats but add a significant profit margin. What is their real cost on bulk purchasing of recessed cleats vs regular? Not much.

If encourage them when they find ways to cut cost when better simple solutions for the customer already exist then I think it's progress for bean counters, not us.

I thought all businesses buy low and sell high so there is a profit.

I would think the successful ones do.

A business can be very successful by offering a better product at a decent price increase. When comparing boats I do not let price alone be the deciding factor. I value design, quality materials and workmanship.

The demand is there. Look at the car business, luxury brands are getting more lucrative. As of this week Porsche upped it's shares and now owns 51% of Volkswagen...

There are good, better, and best grades of alot of things.

While we are at it, I'm not a big fan of the flange on the bow rail stansions. Seems like most builders use the flangeless through bolted design now these days.

Ian

I didn't notice it before. Don't like it either. Is it that expensive to have someone bolt it from underneath like the others do? Another example of devolution.

Maybe it sort of depends on were and when in the production line the boat builder wants to install them.

Or when one goes to do any repairs on them.

Agreed. I don't like the way it looks. I don't mind regular cleats, if they're properly installed where you can't trip on them, I don't see what the issue is with them.

Like this one here, it's under the bow rails, so I don't see the whole point of making a recess area for it? I can't see why anyone would be walking there?

The whole recess makes it look stranger than a simple surface mounted cleat would, IMO. Or if for some reason (?) this bothered them too much, do a pop-up cleat.

I kinda like the looks of that recessed cleat, but would like to see the "opening" around the cleat be a little larger. If you hasd to tie a dock and a spring line to that cleat, then try to hang a fender on it the lines might be rubbing against the gelcoat. Not a good thing.

A bigger opening around a recessed cleat like that would be a welcome thing on my boat.

Just decide on the size when you build the deck mold.