Composite Fittings

In the process of re-fitting a new-to-me boat, I find myself going deep into the archives in search of ways to make her light, strong, and interesting.

Pad eyes are simple enough. Leave it to Ropeye to come up with an elegant Dyneema solution that is strong as hell, light, and cost $290.

But  if we did through the old magazines, we can find this one in a 1991 Multihulls Magazine:

 

 Instead of through bolts and a backing plate, he simply wound Kevlar thread round and round until there was enough to carry the load. The stainless steel thimble, that was used as the form, provides chafe protection on the inside. I've also seen these made, where the Kevlar, Glass unidirectional, or carbon unidirectional was used in the same way, but instead fanned out on the inside surface and glassed, making a backing plate of sorts. More labor, but just as strong and no need to rebed, ever.

Take that, marine chandleries.