Marine Hardware

Stainless Steel Boat Cleats

316 marine grade, mirror polished, weld-free cast construction. Factory-direct from Profab Machine with custom sizing and OEM support.

Boat Cleats Supplier

Stainless Steel Boat Cleats Manufacturer in China

A boat cleat gives your docking lines a fixed, load-bearing attachment point on deck or dock. When that cleat fails, the line goes with it. Profab manufactures stainless steel marine cleats from 316 grade material, investment-cast and mirror polished to meet the demands of saltwater, UV exposure, and repeated mechanical loading. Surface treatment follows a graded process: degreasing, mechanical polishing, and final passivation. Every batch is inspectable against our surface roughness (Ra) and reflectivity standards.

You can order standard sizes from 4″ to 12″ or specify custom dimensions for OEM programs. Profab supports prototype evaluation and scale-up production with no hard minimum order, making it practical to qualify a new cleat style before committing to volume.

Product Range

Types of Stainless Steel Marine Cleats

Profab supplies four standard cleat configurations in 316 stainless. Each style addresses specific deck layout and loading requirements. Custom profiles are available on request.

Horn Cleat

Also called	Open base cleat
Material	316 SS
Surface	Mirror polished
Sizes	4"–12"
Mounting	Through-bolt

The most widely used style on docks and deck. Solid two-arm profile gives fast wrap-and-lock for any line diameter.

Hollow Base Cleat

Also called	Recessed base cleat
Material	316 SS
Surface	Mirror polished
Sizes	4"–10"
Mounting	Through-bolt

Recessed base reduces weight while maintaining structural integrity. Common on mid-size sailboats where deck load distribution matters.

Folding Cleat

Also called	Flip-up cleat
Material	316 SS
Surface	Mirror polished
Sizes	5"–8"
Mounting	Flush recessed

Arms fold flat when not in use, eliminating trip hazards on high-traffic decks. Used on motor yachts and charter vessels.

Pop-Up Cleat

Also called	Flush mount cleat
Material	316 SS
Surface	Mirror polished
Sizes	5"–8"
Mounting	Flush cut-in

Spring-loaded mechanism keeps the deck surface clean when not in use. Preferred on sports boats and racing yachts where deck aesthetics are a priority.

Material Specification

Choosing the Right Grade

304 Stainless

Standard grade for indoor machinery, automation, and dry or mildly humid environments. Good resistance to cleaning chemicals. Cost-effective for high-volume orders. Not suitable for continuous salt spray or chloride-heavy process environments.

Food · Automation · Indoor

316 / 316L

Marine and food-grade standard. 2–3% molybdenum addition raises chloride pitting resistance significantly above 304. Required for outdoor, marine, offshore, and food equipment with CIP chemical cleaning. Especially 316 stainless steel has excellent resistance to corrosive saltwater effects.

Marine · Chemical · Pumps

17-4PH

Precipitation-hardened martensitic grade. ≥ 1,310 MPa tensile strength in H900 condition — significantly stronger than 316 at equivalent cross-section. Specified for ball joints in motorsport, aerospace, and high-cycle fatigue applications where load ratings are the primary constraint.

Aerospace · Motorsport · Hi-load

Applications

Where Stainless Steel Boat Cleats Are Used

316 stainless steel mooring cleats perform reliably in saltwater, UV, and heavy load conditions that corrode lesser materials within a season. Below are the vessel and facility types that require them most.

Sailboats & Yachts

Offshore sailing puts cleats under sustained lateral loads from mooring lines and dock lines in tidal surges. 316 grade resists crevice corrosion at the bolt interface, where lower grades fail first.

Motorboats & Pontoons

Bow and stern cleats on motorboats handle spring-line loads during berthing and fender attachment. Mirror-polished 316 cleats hold up to fuel, bilge water, and regular deck washing without surface degradation.

Docks & Marinas

Stainless steel dock cleats sit outdoors year-round. Marina operators need hardware that won’t rust and stain the dock surface. 316 stainless deck cleats require no protective coating and are easy to inspect and replace.

Commercial & Workboats

Fishing vessels and commercial workboats operate in continuous saltwater exposure with heavy line loads. Weld-free cast 316 cleats eliminate the failure points that fabricated or welded cleats develop under cyclical stress.

Why Profab

Precision Machined to Your Exact Specification

Direct-from-Manufacturer Advantage

We are the original manufacturer—eliminate all unnecessary middlemen. That means you get the most competitive prices in the market. Enjoy maximum profit margins while ensuring consistent, high-quality stainless steel parts tailored for your business.

Engineering Support and Fast Sampling

We work closely with your technical team to understand and respond to your unique part needs. Whether it’s a CAD file, material conversion or specific tolerances, we can quickly provide samples and provide expert feedback to accelerate your product development.

Volume Discounts for Scalable Business

The more you order, the more you save. We offer tiered pricing for bulk orders, helping you stay competitive as you scale your business. Enjoy more flexible terms for long-term partnerships.

Technical Reference

Sizing Guide

Table 1 — Recommended Cleat Size by Vessel Length

Vessel Length	Typical Line Diameter	Recommended Cleat Length	Suggested Style	Notes
Under 20 ft	3/8" (10mm)	4"–5"	Horn Cleat	Small boats, dinghies, tender dinghy docks
20–30 ft	7/16"–1/2" (11–12mm)	6"–8"	Horn Cleat / Hollow Base	Day sailors, center consoles, small motorboats
30–40 ft	9/16"–5/8" (14–16mm)	8"–10"	Horn Cleat / Folding Cleat	Mid-range yachts, sportfishing boats
40–55 ft	3/4"–7/8" (19–22mm)	10"–12"	Horn Cleat / Pop-Up Cleat	Larger yachts, commercial charter vessels
55 ft & above	1"+ (25mm+)	12"+ custom	Heavy-duty Horn / Custom	Commercial workboats, megayachts — contact Profab for custom spec

Table 2 — Stainless Steel Grade Comparison for Marine Cleats

Grade	Key Element	Saltwater Resistance	Typical Application	Profab Availability
304	18% Cr / 8% Ni	Moderate — freshwater and light coastal use	Inland marinas, lakes, protected harbors	Available on request
316	16% Cr / 10% Ni / 2% Mo	High — full saltwater and offshore	Standard marine cleat grade — most orders	Standard (default)
316L	Low carbon 316	High — same as 316, lower sensitization risk	Welded assemblies and chemical exposure environments	Available on request
Duplex 2205	22% Cr / 5% Ni / 3% Mo	Very high — chloride-resistant in warm tropical seawater	High-load offshore hardware, tropical deployments	Custom order

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