That said, these make up the bulk of the fenders you’ll see in a marina and are used almost exclusively by small craft like sailboats, bowriders and pontoon boats. They get scuffed over time and tend to be hard to clean and harder to store.
They come in many sizes and even in a few colors.These are the most common and can be purchased at nearly every chandlery (marine equipment store).There are three main types of fenders, and their use depends on the size of your boat, the docking situation at hand, and other extenuating circumstances. This will cover a broader section of the hull but it works best when fending off a protruding vertical piling, for example. Sometimes you can tie a line to either end of a fender and use it horizontally.That said, to prevent damage to the overall railing, it’s best to tie fender lines to the bottom of stanchions where the railing is strongest with a lower leverage point (this applies to sailboats especially).Many powerboats also tie fender lines to their guard railing and the clove hitch is ideal because it can slide along the rail to adjust placement at the last minute if needed.In this case, tie a simple cleat hitch that’s easy to put on and take off even with a significant load or when saltwater makes the line stiff. For many boats, you can attach a fender line to a cleat on your boat or on a dock (say, at a strategic and menacing dock corner).To tie a fender line to a boat (which is done every time you dock), the clove hitch will be a good choice. Once a line is securely attached to a fender, you’ll rarely be untying it. If you have to tie a line to a fender yourself, a good knot to use is the bowline-as it’s strong, creates a loop that will go through one eye of the fender, and can be untied if needed even when serious strain has been applied to the line. They’re ready for use where fenders hang vertically along the hull. Prepackaged vinyl fenders sometimes come with the line already attached (tied or spliced) to one end of a fender. Tying a rope to a fender (let’s call this a fender line).Tying boat fenders involves two processes: You may also want an extra fender for what’s called a “roving fender,” that isn’t tied on, but instead, is managed by one of your crew and can be placed wherever needed at the last minute.Īlways use caution when deploying a roving fender, and never use a body part (your arms, hands, feet, etc.) to "stop" or "slow" the momentum of boat as you approach the dock. Doing so can risk major injury. The number of fenders you need depends entirely on how you plan to use them, and based on the length of your boat-two to four fenders per side should work well for most boats. Use the Right Number of Fenders for Your Boat Take a good look at the situation and if you need time to adjust your fender setup, circle around until you’re ready.ģ.
With floating docks, tying fenders so they’re just above the waterline will be a good solution. Depending on the tide, fixed docks may present a too high or too low danger to your boat. How high or low the fender ends up is based on the dock or piling you're working with. You'll also want to consider the height at which you hang the fender (or how high along the hull the fender is when tied on). Sometimes, you’ll need a fender when backing into a slip to avoid hitting the transom on the dock.If you dock with only your bow next to a jetty, then you’ll want most of your fenders there.What you really need to do is to place them along the widest part of the hull, since that will most likely touch whatever you are docking next to first. Most place or "hang" their fenders by spacing them equally. That said, too small of a fender won’t protect your hull and can even get smashed when attached to too large of a boat.įor generic vinyl fenders, consulting a boat fender size chart can help-and there may be an applicable size range printed on the label of most fenders that are for sale. You should size your fenders according to the size and type of your boat. The general rule of thumb is the smaller the boat, the less length and diameter is needed in a fender. When it comes to attaching, deploying, or installing boat fenders on your boat, you'll want to consider three key factors: size, placement, and the number of fenders.
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Let's take a closer look at the steps for rigging, or tying, a boat fender using the proper placement, and discuss the best boat fenders to use for your vessel type.īoat Essentials: What Supplies Do I Need? How to Use Boat Fenders
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