New Fenders needed

[Dustoff44]

58YF lost all but three Taylormade Fenders to Ike. With some lines chafed thru at top of fenders other were pulled off the line by the dock. How many and what size should I get ?

 

[ThirdHatt]

Thank goodness your boat survived! I like a variety of fenders for different applications. I have two Megafend 90's (18"x40") with polar fleece covers, two 12"x36" Taylormade inflatables with polar fleece covers, two 10"x30" Taylormade inflatables with polar fleece covers and I have one large Polyform F-series as well when I need something really large.

The Megafends work very well because they are not filled with air, they are solid core. If you are docking and come in with an extra knot or two and deploy one it will absorb the shock with little rebound as opposed to bouncing you off the dock like the inflatable fenders do. They are a little pricey, but you can find them used if you look around. The Mega 70 would probably be the perfect size for our boats at 12"x35". I got my pair of 90's used from a fellow HOF member and rebuilt/recovered them to like new.

Go exchange those blown out Taylor Mades for new ones. Think of what changes you may want to make on your fender lineup, but apparently the setup you had worked quite well! CONGRATS!!

 

[Pascal]

if you have fender racks you're stuck with whatever fits in there...

I use 4 cylindrical fenders (not sure what size, the biggest that fit my racks) in most cases. I also have a couple of 18" balls (although i'd prefer 24") which I tie to the rack between the fenders. for serious cruising, a couple more large fenders would be nice to have in the anchor locker.

i use the balls to pivot the bow off docks when leaving... they cushion te boat very well, better than the basic cylinders.

 

[Nonchalant1]

We have four 12 X 30 cylinders in the racks, BUT WE NEVER USE THEM, because we have two 24 inch balls that really suit almost every purpose. The big ball fenders can handle some of the bow curvature up front and the lift rails at the stern and fend off from almost everything. They fit right in on the deck between the bow boxes and the bow pulpit for deck storage. Sometimes I use one or two of the cylinders sideways on a rub-rail on a piling that squeaks during the night, but the big fender balls handle everything else.

Therefore, I say - Ya' gotta' have big balls to run a Hatteras!

Doug

 

[Angela]

Doug, I agree! I have big balls, too; four of them.

A little difficult to get around the boat for me, at times, since I don't have walk around decks and those balls don't fit through the doors.

 

[Nonchalant1]

Ang,

GREAT POINT! We got the size balls that will just exactly fit through the salon doors so we can take them aft through the salon. i think that's 24 inches, but maybe 21 or 22.

DUSTOFF - Measure your salon doors when open and get that size of fender balls.

Doug

 

[Angela]

My balls are 24". My doors are about 22" or 23". The balls just don't fit! I've tried squeezing them through - no deal.