I just ordered two ten inch closed cleats from Hunter Marine for $35 each just like the originals. Hunter Service said that the toe rail will support a midship cleat. In fact they added these to later models as standard equipment.

Received the cleats, cut a section out of the vertical part of the toe rail to match the bow and stern cleat cut outs. Bolted the new cleats right into place, but did have to enlarge the existing holes a bit. That project was two years ago. Let me tell you it makes solo docking a breeze compared to before, which was the same as watching a one armed paper hanger.

So, since I solo most of the time, as I approach the dock the side tie gate is open, the boarding step is in place with a dock line eye ready on the mid ship cleat and the fenders hung on either side of the mid ship cleat. When the boat kisses the dock I step onto the dock and secure the mid ship line first. After the boat settles down, which it will, I secure the other lines.

The link below connects you to the Photo Forum project that shows the finished mid ship cleat installation. Very happy with the results.


http://www.sailboatowners.com/upload/display.tpl?folder=73320152607 and fno=17