Fenders

[Starman]

What type of Fenders ( including brand ) do you use/prefer ?

For example do you prefer the type where the line goes through the fender and is tied at the bottom ?

How about fender covers?

Also , what method do you use to secure the lines to the boat ?

Is there a preferred color ?

Thanx

 

[garyd]

Morning Paul.


I used to use the fenders that had a tab at one end with a hole in it. Then as the boats got bigger the ones with a hole thru the center I really didn't like them at first but got used to them now prefer them. However I've found it better to not use fenders if possible. With of without covers they leave very tiny scratches.

The ones with a hole in the center can be tied so they roll that helps but I almost always try to dock or raft up where fenders are not needed. And if they are needed to try to keep them located right on the rub rail. So the fender does not rub on the paint. Sometimes your stuck and you have to use them but they should be avoided if possible. I've seen lots and lots of boats with large patterns in their hulls from fenders, paint wore completely thru.

garyd

 

[egaito]

I bet this turns into one of those 'religious' discussions......but they're always fun to a point!

Of course, like anything else, YMMV depending on the intended purpose of your fenders, your ability and willingness to store them, etc, etc....

With Misty, I don't fenders to stay off of my dock, and rarely for other docks that I visit, most of which have poles or skirting to keep the boat off. Mostly, they are used for rafting with other vessels or keeping the tender off the side.

I prefer the long, double ended fenders so they can be secured vertically, or horizontally. With lines on both ends, it's easier to keep them where you want them as well. It's a pain to run the line through the center of the hollow ones, so I tend to buy them with eyes on both ends. I also have a couple of ball fenders which are great for keeping hulls apart below the sheer line, but they're a pain to stow and don't look good sitting up on the deck.

For color, black seems to be "in" in my area, but I tend to buy white. A couple of years back, I had fender covers with line pockets made out of sunbrella to match the canvas on the boat. Love them. I tried the WM "socks", which wear and fray quickly.

For brand, it's hard to beat Taylor's warranty. I've brought some back with the center tube ripped out to receive new replacements from WM, but I'm told that level of responsiveness varies from store to store. As long as they are not cut, Taylor will replace them.

If I were doing the "loop" and locking a lot, I would probably have more, and bigger, ball fenders on deck.

 

[Nonchalant1]

We use 2 of the 24" diameter big fender balls by "Taylor Made" almost exclusively. We also have four 24" X 10" cylinder shaped Taylor Made fenders. The big balls are great because they'll allow use farther forward where the hull is flared and still keep the rub rail off of docks or lock walls and they give you lots of extra space between you and the dock or lock. Our cylinder shaped fenders have those cloth fender covers which helps stop the chirping noise of vinyl fenders moving against the hull at night, but that's rarley needed. Our ball fenders are white, which is hard to keep white and out cylinder fenders are black, which is hard to keep black. The dayglow orange fenders just look strange to me. That brown crud from docks, locks and water scum just builds up on anything. The white fenders can be cleaned back to gleaming white with acetone.

We do use the cylinder type fenders with a line through them out both ends to tie horizontally around pilings or tie on the boat next to pilings where a ball would just roll off the pile. We tie the fender ropes to anything that's where we want the fenders - cleats, railings, rail posts, etc. The line can abrade the finish on your rails some, but that's part of boating. Others have special railing protectors to prevent that, but that just adds hassle. We also sometimes tie the big balls onto the dock cleats instead of the boat when the tide movement is high, so the tide won't pull the fender off the dock when tieed to the boat.

Taylor Made guarantees their fenders to never break. People have found old broken ones at marina dumpsters and turned them in for new fenders. The only drawback to Taylor Made fenders is their inflating valve doesn't work well with a bike pump and ball needle. It needs higher pressure than that to work. You only have to blow them up once though and they're good for life, so I just removed the valve and inflated them when they're very cold on a 40 degree morning, and then they're tight at everything above 40 degrees.

Doug Shuman

 

[Trojan]

I like the fenders with the holes in through the center of them and still hold air. I also like the very big ones. I have the mounts that snap on the handrails and you can adjust the fender position with the line. The bigger the fender the less chance of damage or leaving marks. I have never seen a mark on my boat that didn't wash off. I have a minimum of 3 fenders out at all times. Then again I very seldom dock where I have any great amount of movement for any length of time. I mostly dock in protected harbors where the only movement is from the wind.

BILL

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Wow, I have the same hull as Doug and carry exactly the same fenders as he does. I have 2 of the white 24" balls and 4 of the black 10x24's with the hole through the center. Weird.

I prefer the ones with the line through the center. You do have to make sure you keep a knot in one end of the line to make sure you don't lose it. The fender balls are hard to store, but they do come in handy in many situations. Like others have said, there are only certain places that you need fenders. If you can tie the boat away from the dock, that is the preferred situation.

 

[luckydave215]

I have 6 of the line-through-the-hole Taylor Made's and use 4 at minimum at all times, but I have a floating dock (no pilings to tie to) and must tie the boat hard against my finger, because there's only 4' of extra space between my boat and the boat I share the slip with.
Check out the pic. Of course, it's a cross wind/tide slip. You guys from Florida talking about single handing with a spring line on a piling crack me up, try my slip sometime. BTW that's McKinna 57 I share the slip witth. If I ever hit that flimsy boat hard, I'm going to crush her like an eggshell.

 

[ThirdHatt]

Wow, I am surprised that so many of you with 53+' boats are only using the 10" fenders. I used those on my 36C and 41TC, but I got the 12"x30"? Taylormades for my 58YF. I have two of the 12" that I use as my main fenders and two of the 10" for rafting with smaller boats or supplemental use after the 12" are in place, all black with the rope through the middle. Relying on just the 10" fenders on boats over 50' seems a little "under-fendered" to me for some reason. Better safe than sorry (scratched)!

I agree with the Taylor-Made warranty though. No reason to EVER buy another brand. When they get too old and whooped, swing by a WM store and swap it out, no questions asked. I know people around here that had these fenders pop during Hurricane Kartina. They just brought them in to the local WM (after it re-opened) and had them replaced with brand new ones at no charge. That's hard to argue with!

 

[StratPlan61]

I use 18x40 MegaFenders (closed cell foam) with Sunbrella covers which match my other canvas. These are the cylinder style with a hole through the middle. They saved me during hurricane Francis and worked great on all 28 locks from Miami to northern Michigan. Truth be told, I wished I had the 14x32 size, but I purchased these 'used' for my trip north - a great investment. I have 2 extra I am willing to sell cheap if anyone is interested.
I also carry 4 12x28 white rubber cylinder type for fuel stops, short tie-ups, fendering the dinghy, etc.

Bear'
1984 61' MY Strategic Plan

 

[Trojan]

If you want to quite a noisy fender. Just squirt a little dish soap on it. Then just wash of the next day works great for sleeping.


BILL

 

[Starman]

Thanx for all the information and hints.

I rebuild and work on boats and have set many a fender helping those with docking but have never really thought much about the various issues/styles/brands and such.

Seems by general consensus that Taylor Made is the way to go.

But the covers for these fenders, are they custom made ?

I do not see them in any catalogs.

 

[Beckytek]

Yes they sell them (covers) for the fenders. They are in most boat catalogs. I made them for my fenders. They just slip on and I don't have to clean them. Just throw them in the washing machine. Ron

 

[Pascal]

i have 4 cylindrical fenders with the line passing thru. i like that, at you can use them horizontally by sliding them up the line without having extra line on one end when using them vertically.

unfortunately they're black (came with the boat) and leave mark on the paint...

i also have a pair of 18" taylor made balls which i use to pivot off piling less docks. when side to at a transient dock, i also tie them to the dock so that i dnt' have to worry about tides. the beefy ring at the top flexes enough to put them high enough so that the line doens't chaffe agaisnt the dock edge

i store the ball fenders by tying up to rail above the fender baskets, in between 2 baskets. that keeps them secure and not on the deck so taht they dont' catch dirt.

i dont' use any hooks, just tie them to the stanchions, or sometimes to the rails but it rubs the varnish.

 

[Trojan]

Karl you say the black bumpers leave black marks. I was thinking of buying black so I don't need to buy $30 buck covers. I use the plastic snap-on adjustable line holders to support my bumper. I have not seen any marks left on the railings. There so easy to use. You just snap the 1 inch plastic band around the railing . The adjuster is mounted on the strap. I run a line though the adjuster, it's a cam type line lock. So far I have had no trouble with them. I use them on just about all my bumpers, 10 of them.


BILL

 

[REBrueckner]

I can't remember ever having a fender fail...Mine are usually Taylor with a line thru the middle. I prefer white since that's been my hull color and there would seem to be less chance of marking...dark colors will absorb more UV but who knows if that affects color/longevity. A knot at each end of the thru line prevents separation of fender and line and makes horizontal use easy.

I found a 30" or so orange ball type on a beach a few years ago...and thought "oh, nice to have in case of an emergency" but when I got it aboard there was no place to store it without deflating!!. So I gave it to my Marina at the end of the season.

The line thru the middle type permit easy tying of a temp loop with a slip knot so they can be stored horizontally, as under cockpit combing. Fender covers in my area of NY keeps sticky goo from developing on the exterior of fenders so annualy cleaning and hull scuffing are eliminated. The cylindrical shaped fenders are usually much easier to store under decks via hatches without having to move everything else.

 

[MikeP]

We have six 12" x 34" "Big B" black Taylor Made fenders on our 53 and 4 smaller fenders. I haven't had any problem with the black fenders leaving marks on the Imron. I like the 34" fenders because you have a lot more "slop" in where they are mounted - if you hang them a foot above the waterline, they will be suitable for almost anything you rub against so you don't have to mess with adjusting them. I don't think I have adjusted ours in two years regardless of where we go. Just toss 'em over and forget about 'em.

 

[(Nobody You Know)]

Paul,

I don't find it to be a big deal if the fenders are secured at the top or if the line goes through. The important thing is to come up with a knot that you can release after say one year (mine are line-through and I bring the line around and back up to the top and secure there).

Fender covers are great, nylon stretchable covers don't last $hit. For our 10"X30" fenders Defender Marine (http://www.defender.com) was the best deal for custom fenders and good workmanship.

Considering the boats we have owned it has always been a "creative" challange as to how to best secure the fenders. As I happened to be a little familiar with the future "Boss Hog" (LOL) the bow railing offers easy options but the cockpit can be a challange.

On (Nobody You Know) I had to install small cleats at stratigic locations to facilitate fender placement.

PS: Am at Holden this week. if I don't head south to the boat I'll give you a call. Need to play catch-up!

 

[Starman]

Thanx Bill,

I think the through the fender seems to be the best way for the rope. The Knot is the most challenging part, especially to make it look clean.

maybe I need to do some "inventing"

Here is my Cell phone Bill if you get up our way

910-389-8224

 

[Trojan]

I also have been using the nylon covers. Your right they don't last. $28. bucks The admiral and I made new slip on covers from Simbrella. Cost Me $2.55 each from West, can't beat it. I cut the patterns out, the admiral ran the sewing machine. West had an over sized closeout bumper cover for $2.55 and we disassembled them and reassembled them to our liking. I have the vertical storage racks mounted on the bow. Most of the time I hang my bumpers horizontal and place a half-hitch knot on each side then up to my adjusters. So far so good.

BILL

 

[TopHattandTails]

Love the Taylor's - went through 3 of them this season, no questions asked on the return (turns out I had a few exposed nail heads on the dock...).

Any one know the correct name of those "fender hooks" that are attached to the underside of the rub rail that slide for optimum fender placement? I have a few that need new releases / tops so that I can move them about again... While I'm at it - what the recommended way to replace these?