Rust coming from port rear 270 DA Cleat

[N369RM]

This is a repost as nobody on the 270 thread had any suggestions.

I am getting a rust water run stain from my rear port cleat. I ASSUMED everything is stainless on the cleat, but sincerely doubt it. I am thinking that there is a bad seal on the cleat with water getting onto the back and that in all likelyhood the back nut is NOT stainless, thus causing the "rust" stain to run down from the cleat. The screw itself "looks" stainless to me. Also I guess the backing plate could be rusting causing the stain.


I am thinking that I need to pull the cleat, replace the nut and the bolts with new stainless and reseal. Given the location in the rear, I assume I can get to the back of the cleat in the engine compartment. I also assume that if I just "unscrew" the screws from the top that the backing and nut will fall off somewhere in a spot where I will curse a lot and wish I never unscrewed the bolts to see what was wrong.

Your thoughts would be appreciated as I assume I am not the first person with this problem.

Ron Mason​

 

[Henry Boyd]

Stainless does not mean that it will never rust. Most grades of stainless will rust when submerged, or in constant contact with moisture. Stainless props by the way are surface treated using a process known as passivation to inhibit corrosion. Your cleat is stainless but water is getting in behind it and creating a rust cell.

In a perfect world you would remove the cleat and clean the backside. Then re-install the cleat with a good bedding of caulk.

Henry

 

[Lazy Daze]

Right. Your cleat is made entirely of Stainless, but as Henry said that doesn't mean it won't rust at all. After all, it is called "Stain Less", not "Stain Proof". The backing plate is aluminum and the nuts "should" be nyloc, so you likely won't be able to remove them anyways without a helping hand on the inside (or taping your wrench is such fashion to keep it stationary).

Second best way to remedy this, after what Henry posted, is to clean the rust off (actually comes off both the gel and the cleat rather easily) then protect the cleat with a metal polish such as Flitz (which will also clean the rust off the cleat, by the way). Then run a new bead of good sealant around the cleat (keep the bead small).

But, being 15 model years old, it's likely due to be re-bedded... along with the other ones, your bow rail stanchion and anchor chute, hawse pipe, etc.

 

[Phlorida]

But, being 15 model years old, it's likely due to be re-bedded... along with the other ones, your bow rail stanchion and anchor chute, hawse pipe, etc.

At the risk of hijacking this quote.... I purchased butyl tape for a project to re-bed the stanchions as I believe they are the source of a water leak into the cabin. From your comment, on my 17 year old boat it sounds as though it would make sense to remove and re-bed everything bolted to the topside. It is a two person job since one person needs to be inside and the other outside for most of the bolts. I am just waiting for cooler weather for this project.

 

[mistercomputerman]

Wet marine plywood produces a brown rust colored liquid when it gets wet. If water is leaking by the cleat into the wood backing (if there is wood backing), that might be the cause of your "rust".

It might be best to loosen the cleat and look for water instrusion, then act accordingly.

As you stated, the backing plate is most certainly located in a spot that will cause large amounts of cussin' and fussin'.