FENDERS

[Les Bloom]

I have a general question about fenders, that I don't think anyone
has talk about before. I have a 1974 Typhoon weekender. What is
the best way to rig fenders-Vertically or Horiziontally, how many and placed where for best protection, and lastly what size?

Les Bloom
S/V Pyewacket TY-576

[winthrop fisher]

Hi. if you are on a floating dock put them horizontally thats what i always do on my 75, but if you are at stationary dock hang them vertically thats what i did in clear lake texas.
and always use a number three fender for that size boat, i put three per side.
winthrop

I have a general question about fenders, that I don't think anyone
has talk about before. I have a 1974 Typhoon weekender. What is
the best way to rig fenders-Vertically or Horiziontally, how many and placed where for best protection, and lastly what size?

Les Bloom
S/V Pyewacket TY-576

[Greg Ross]

Only comment I would add,
I 've found you have to set the fender low enough at a floating dock/ finger to be certain when a wave wash wobbles the boat and the dock that the fenders don't get "spit out"
Is that a descriptive term or what!
Greg

[Neil Gordon]

The fenders will work either vertically or horizontally. The important thing is that they stay between the hull and the dock. I rig mine vertically because the face of the floating dock is narrow and if the boat rolled in response to a wake the fender could roll to the top of the dock. In that position, it might as well be in the store.

If the weather is perking up, I'll add extra fenders and double up the areas that take the most abuse.

As for size, I'm always amazed at the marina when someone can pay $200,000 for a boat but cheaps out on protecting it. If fenders don't look too big, they're probably too small. Go for the largest size you can comfortably store.

By the way, the owner of a Catalina 30 lined his slip with rubber bumper strips right before the two day nor-easter we had. The storm compressed the bumper completely but it didn't compress the screw head that held it to the dock. It did awful things to the gel coat.

[Marianna Max]

As to where to put them, I was curious about this myself after looking at the various boats in the marina.

It seems to me that the best configuration on a floating dock is two vertical fenders just enough to the bow and stern from the fattest part of the boat to have that part not hit when the boat is shoved hard up against the dock.

The presumes that you have the bow and stern lines rigged properly to keep the boat parallel to the walkway part of the dock and not twisted by very much in the slip.

If your neighbor looks to be not so good about how he ties up, put a couple more fenders on the other side too if bad weather threatens and for your own sake, loan him a few extra dock lines.

[rtbates]

Away from your dock adivice has been given and it's pretty good. As for your home slip, pad the slip NOT the boat. Your topsides will thank you. And use corner rollers. I made mine out of covered wheel barrow wheels for a 1/4 of cost of store bought. For really tough fender work I purchased a fender system made up of 7 flat fenders attached to a each other and to the plastic cover material. It's maybe 2' x 8' total. Best protection I've found.

randy 25D Seraph #161

[Neil Gordon]

Actually, the best protection is to keep the boat off the dock altogether. In light conditions, fenders are good... as the wind pipes up, holding the boat off with dock lines is a better plan. If you have a boat next to you, tie to the dock and to each other so that the lines absorb all the loads.

[rtbates]

Well ,yes of course the object is to use dock lines to hold the vessel off the dock. The padded dock feature is for entering and leaving. As in entering in a 30knt cross wind! Once you get IN the slip, then you tie her off. It's getting in and out where the dings occur!

randy 25D Seraph #161

[Ed Haley]

I hang the fenders vertically off the boat but I also keep a fender rigged permanently along side the floating dock in a horizontal position. It helps when docking (coming and going) as well.