DRAGONFLY Trimarans User Forum

I am a new owner of a Dragonfly 920T, having purchased 'Swift' #148. I would like to add a couple of folding mooring cleats to each of the AMA's, by drilling through for the bolt fixings, removing the foam core around the bolt positions and then glassing in a plywood pad inside the AMA, and using penny washers and a locking nut to secure the cleat. Has anybody else installed a similar modification, and is it a good idea given the lightness of construction of the AMA. It would still be the intention to moor the boat using the main factory installed cleats, however it would make it a lot easier to put on springs etc if there were a couple more cleats. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi Andy,

I can't offer help on this but I'm very interested - I had exactly the same thought.

Trilemma will (hopefully) be on her mooring in Pole Harbour tomorrow evening - where are you berthed? We are just getting to grips with the boat having sailed her briefly at the end of last summer.

Phil

Why go to so much trouble and put the loads on the skinny hull?

I solved this problem in a very simple way. Each of my mooring lines has a heavy duty Wichard Snaphook on one end tied with an anchor bend and finished with proper whipping. I attach the snaphook onto the eye on forward and aft aka. The other end attaches to the dock.

On a slightly different note, I experimented with a small cleat attached to the backstay and found out that anything that can catch a line will! My screacher sheets and even loose barberhaul lines would get tangled on it. Removed.

Nice idea - thanks. Not sure that the DFD800 has suitable eyes on the akas but it would be much simpler that putting cleats on the amas....

Not sure about 800. On 920, the forward akas have factory eyes that I use for mooring lines that go to the mooring ball. They are also used for spinnaker blocks. The rear akas have factory eyes to attach barberhauler blocks and preventer blocks, and also for asymmetric spinnaker or screacher blocks. In any case, if needed, I think it would be simplier to attach an eye to solid glass akas than to foam ama hull.

Thanks for the replies. Still think that it would be useful for something at the mid point of the AMA even for fenders etc, not a lot to tie onto really. Going to make up some different mooring lines to get round the issue.
Phil, boat is currently still on the East coast where I bought it and where I intend to cruise and explore for a few months. I will be sailing her home to Poole later in the summer. Boat will be based at Poole Yacht Club. Stay in touch.

Enjoy the East Coast and we'll no doubt meet up when you get back to Poole. We are at EDSC moored just pff the North Channel.

phil [at] wheeler [dot] f9.co.uk

Phil