Fenders

[GCSI]

I've moved my 52c onto a T dock and will be tied along side using fenders. The dock has some exposure to small amounts of wave action and winds. I'm using two large stacked fenders per piling (secured to boat) for a total of three sets. I have used this setup for short stays under similar circumstances through some good blows so have limited experience. My question is; Should I be concerned about the plastic fenders rubbing / damaging the hull paint in the long term? If so, recommendations on how to arrange fender / buffer system? Thanks in advance for any comments. Brett

[rsmith]

Anything constantly rubbing against the hull will eat up the paint. Can you rig up a set of mooring wips? You just need to keep it away from constant rubbing.

[Pascal]

Use soft fender covers... Forgot the brand, there very soft. Obviously not the Chinese crap!

My concern is the fenders moving out of position. On a permanent tee head i d be tempted to use fenders and fender boards left permanently attached to the pilings/docks

[Scottbee]

Yup.... fleece fender covers. I think there are a few manufacturers out there these days. Really nice but they're a little pricey.

I've bought quite a few from Maine Coast Marine Products. Good service and they also offer embroidery.

[Tim Powell]

I've moved my 52c onto a T dock and will be tied along side using fenders. The dock has some exposure to small amounts of wave action and winds. I'm using two large stacked fenders per piling (secured to boat) for a total of three sets. I have used this setup for short stays under similar circumstances through some good blows so have limited experience. My question is; Should I be concerned about the plastic fenders rubbing / damaging the hull paint in the long term? If so, recommendations on how to arrange fender / buffer system? Thanks in advance for any comments. Brett

It is crappy but works, i saw it at Jarret Bay it is a bumper strip attached to the pole or
piling vertically it stuck out about 8 inches rubed on the bumper rali not the paint. This stuff is bolted with lag bolts that are sunk into the bumper strips. It is v shaped and is made of a gray rubber. It is grate i do not know where it came from but it is all over the jarret bay lift slip. I got two 8 foot sections from them it was left over from the building of the place. They use it at the gas pumps also Jarret Bay is lockated on the ICW just outside Morehead City it is a no wake Zone but the current flyes..At the fuel dock. There is a sign which says (approach fuel dock at the speed you want to hit it )
refering to current Tim

[Artzco]

If you go with fender covers, I've been using Cape Hatteras Marine Products for years. Their covers are thick with a soft felt like exterior. They actually buff my finish. Keep them rinsed clean and they last many years.

http://www.capehatterasmarine.com/

[bigbill]

for a cheap set of fender covers, buy a pair of sweat pants and cut the legs off, turn them inside out and slip over the fender. not pretty, but cheap and effective. throw them away and replace every so often

[Dan Mapes]

For what you can get as sweat pants you can probably have someone sew up some fleece. This is what we did with Freedom. We were never able to locate enough matching sweat pants to make a set and by the time we added it all up, it didn't work for us where we were. YMMV.
The only draw back was that they faded and look sic now. However they still do the job, going on two years now, and, they keep the fenders quiet when the boat is rubbing on them and you are trying to sleep.
If you go here http://danmapes.blogspot.com/2012/11...hope-town.html one of the photos in that entry has the fenders. We gave her a fender, the material, and she cranked out 6 of them for us at a very reasonable price.
Just ask for UV resistant thread etc. if you can.

[magnawake]

I just bought 4 capehatterasmarine fender covers which are very thick and have our boat name embroidery on the side. The fender covers cost about 35/per fender, to the door. Time will tell, but they seems good so far. Funny thing is Cape Hatteras Marine is located in the sunny state of CA. I would have thought NC.

[TopHattandTails]

I've had good luck with fleec covers from praktek.com. Just ask for the double layered and it will be the last covers you buy. I bought the single layer and they lasted 4 years. I'm going to reorder the double layer (monogrammed of course)! I've been happy with their covers. For chaffe gear, skip praktek and use "mega fend" fluffy.