Pop up cleat installation on a 215

[jergofish]

Dick, I'm strictly fly fishing and want to remove the rear cleats (possibly center cleats as well, I'll leave the bow cleats on the bowspirit) and install pop up cleats. What will I find under the cleat? Is it just fastened to the ropelene or is there a steel backing plate on the under side.

Another question, for cutting larger holes, say speaker holes in the console or a rectangle for installing the pop up cleats I'd assume that a sabre saw would be the tool to use. (a router would probably be even better but then I'd have to make a jig) What blade should I use. I was thinking a fairly course woodworking blade since ropelene is fairly soft and seems to work easily. I can see that a slow cutting blade would probably heat up the material and turn it into a gummy messy cut.

Add on:
I just looked up folding and pop-ups in West Marine's catalogue. It appears I'd have another problem. They hold water and have drainage into the bilge when installed. In my case they'd have drainage into the foam. Hmmmm, now what.

[Jan from Humboldt]

Jerry I assume the reason you want to remove the cleats is so your fly line dosen't get caught right?
Here's a suggestion as an alternative or two ...

Possibly a stripping/casting basket.

Have a cover made out of material like the seats are made of and install stainless snaps so you can snap a cover over the cleat.

[Putershark]

How about side folding cleats instead ? http://www.acconmarine.com/products....t=28&view=PROD

[jergofish]

Putershark, perfect!!! I'll order two of the six inchers with visible screw holes. If they fill the bill I'll order two more for the middle cleats. Now all I need to know is, "Are the standard cleats just screwed into the ropelene or is there a backing plate?" I'll pull one of the screws and that should tell me the answer. If it's a machine screw there's a backing plate, if wood or sheetmetal, it's just screwed into the ropelene.

Jan from Humbolt, since I'm guiding I need to make the boat convienent for all types of fly fishers. Working with a stripping basket is not everyones "cup of tea" so it's just better to design a fairly foolproof system in the first place rather than make-do fixes. The edges of snap covers are just attractive to fly lines as cleats so that wouldn't work. A "quick fix" is to put tape over the cleat forming a bridge from the cleat ends to the deck but that becomes a pain doing it from day to day. I'll probably have to tape over the rod holder rubber plugs as well so the edges don't catch fly line.