Fenders versus Fender Balls

[Seevee]

I love my balls.

 

[Hippocampus]

Find putting some water in the inflatable ones really helps.

Carry full set for both sides. Mix of mostly cylinders and a few balls. Use a board when obligated to fender against a piling then two cylinders.

 

[Dougcole]

I do something similar to Mark. I use cylinders but have one ball that I use near closer to the bow, just after the hull starts to narrow. This provides the same separation from the dock as the cylinders provide.


I just leave the all to bounce around on the foredeck. With a protected walk around with additional rails, it has never succeeded in bouncing overboard, even in seas that I've promised my wife we would never see again.

I've made that same promise a few times, it's a tough one to keep. Luckily, she tends to mostly remember the good stuff.

 

[psneeld]

Actually, an outstanding suggestion! and pretty original.

Actually what I have been using for the last 8 years.

Paint wore off and just another thing to store.....bought an all black inflatable beach ball for $3.99 and sewed up a hoisting harness out of webbing for it. It's 24 inches so bigger than the fender ball and both light and easy to store. Hoist it from one of the flag hoists on my mast.

Once painted.... not very good as a fender anymore unless you find some magic paint that doesn't leave a rub mark.

 

[FF]

There are many locations where you will need to fender off pilings.

2X6 Oak fender boards 3 or 4 ft long with metal wear strips to face the piling and fender board guards to trap in sausage fenders .

If a condition tosses the sausage fenders out ,the fender guards will still protect the hull.

A 2x4 is not stable enough for a rough tie up, use the 2x6 with 2x6 fender guards

 

[Porgy]

I got a scrap piece of UHMWPE 2x4 to use as a fenderboard. Plenty strong enough and much better than wood on the boat. It doesn’t stain or rot and cleans easily. Lay it outside two cylinder fenders against a piling, works great.

 

[Blissboat]

I got a scrap piece of UHMWPE 2x4 to use as a fenderboard. Plenty strong enough and much better than wood on the boat. It doesn’t stain or rot and cleans easily. Lay it outside two cylinder fenders against a piling, works great.

Had to Google UHMWPE ("Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene"). Sounds terrific! Then I checked the pricing, and can see why you held out until you could lay your hands on a piece of scrap material. Oof!

 

[Seevee]

Find putting some water in the inflatable ones really helps.

Carry full set for both sides. Mix of mostly cylinders and a few balls. Use a board when obligated to fender against a piling then two cylinders.

That's exactly what I do. Have 3 balls (Polyform A4) and 6 G-6 Fender white 11 x 30-Inch.
My fender board is a simple 2x6x12 board which works great... use it a lot in locks and leaning against a piling. When it wears out, dump and get another.



The white fenders keeps the sides of the boat clean and easy to clean as you can see the dirt on them.