Cleat Backing

[thinwater]

I am interested in fitting my Altair with a series drouge - I have used a sea anchor before in some wild conditions, so I do have some practical understanding of the way these things move and the engineering involved.

My question is what is the backing of each of the cleats: bow, mid, and stern. I cvan get to the backs of the bow cleats should I wish to improve the backing plates, bu the mid and stern cleats are obscured by carpet and liner. I assume that they are like the bow cleats, installed in thick solid glass with large washers and no separate backing plate.

Because of the mid cleat location, I also assume it would be adventagious to back up the stern cleats with lines to the mid cleats, to spread the load; a few round turns on the stern cleats, and then cleated off securly to the mid-ship cleats.

Yes, I could add chain plates as Don Jordon has suggested, but the stern portions of the boat are all cored, which will make spreading the load a bit more invovled, but not at all insurmountable; long plates, a thick solid glass backing plate epoxied in, and epoxy filled holes. But I do like the idea of being able to adjust the bridle.