Fenders

[pokerrick1]

My question is - - - What size do most of you have?

I beg your pardon

Rick

[c130king]

I was always told that size does not matter...

It's how you use them...



Jim

[tangentair]

I was always told that size does not matter...

It's how you use them...



Jim

Perhaps, but I would like to feel that what I put out was big enough to do the job when it is banging up against .... well what ever I end up banging up against.
Ron

[c130king]

Is it just me or did this whole thread take a big U-turn...right into the gutter?

By the way, FWIW, I have 3 medium and 3 small fenders...cheap ones from Wal-Mart. They work just fine. They clean easily with a clorox based spray cleaner about every 6 months. Don't see a need for anything more expensive.

When tied up in a slip I tie it up so that it can't/won't touch the pier/dock if at all possible.

Jim

[David Mellon]

I carry 4 small fenders, I usually only use one unless I plan on staying at a dock for a long time. I hang it from the winch on the dockside, then run it through the cam cleat to adjust height. If I need it I hang the second from a cleat mounted to the midship stanchion post. I don't like hanging them from the safety lines because they slide fore and aft. The cleats are nifty, very easy to install and can be moved about the boat with a screwdriver.

[Terry]

Is it just me or did this whole thread take a big U-turn...right into the gutter?

Jim

And to think I thought it would be Highlander who would lead the way! He must be sleeping on the job.

So back to the fenders, does anyone color match them? Mine are pacific blue, they match the hull, canvas, sticky bags and other blue accessories. My Admiral made me do it....

[Mistral]

Rick,

You seem to forget they are Aussie dollars, not your green ones.

[pokerrick1]

Ahhhh, that's better (I guess?)!

Rick

[Highlander]

Well

I went into the drug store & bought the largest glow in the dark condomes I could get & no air pump required when I went up to the cashier she said do you have a air miles card I said yes but with these baby's I can ride for free

J

[bscott]

For pier pilings we use a 2X6 against the piling with two fenders attached to the 2X6 againsts the boat hull. Keeps the fenders clean and the 2X6 takes the beating.

bscott

[beene]

I think somebodies gonna run out of Monkey's Shoulder again......



G

[Night Sailor]

About 20 years ago I bought four 8"x20" Big B fenders (Taylor Made) from W$$$$$$t Marine for a 30 footer I had then. With a lifetime guarantee I've moved them from boat to boat and still find them perfect size for my X. Coming into a berth sideways in a stiff wind? Rafting with a novice? Docking at rough concrete piers, or roughly welded steel ones? Sun rot? No problem. I"ve had to replace one with a slow leak due to sun rot and few years back, and it was done without question after sending it in to the WM depot on the east coast.

I like the size and style because it can be deployed vertically, or horizontally according the docking arrangements or the shape and size of the boat rafting against. Sure it costs more than the cheap plastic toys, but I can brag about no collison damage on my X rub rail or hull since lauching her in October, 1997.

Color? At one time I've both blue and black, but find that white holds up best in the sun, and lets you know if it gets dirty so it can be cleaned before any damage occurs. Incidentally, I found it best to use only detergent and water to clean so it protects the facory finish.

[mikelinmon]

Love any product made by Taylor. West Marine will replace any old Taylor fenders. Should't tell this but my son will pick up any old fenders floating at sea, we all see them here and there, and West will replacfe them. If Taylor made a car, I'd drive it. Goes to show us what a good warrenty does for a reputation!

Mike Inmon

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

We carry four out and ready to deploy, two on each side. They are stored in a $3 mesh bags attached to our mid pulpit on each side with cable ties. Fenders get dirty and wet, I'd never want to store working ones below. This way they stay outside ready to go and dry easily. Our normal set for a dock landing is 3 out, one on the aft pulpit, one on the mid pulpit, and one on the lifeline just forward of the shrouds. We have plastic clips that fit the rail tubing on two of the fenders and clips that fit the lifelines on the other two. We also have our fender step handy for use as a fender when needed.



Below under the aft dinette seat next to the cooler we carry 3 more older non-color matched blue fenders for those cases where we need more protection. Going through the locks you need to fender both sides as you raft to larger boats on the wall and smaller boats raft to you. It's quite a sight to see row after row of boats rafted up to four wide on both walls during a busy summer day. There were over 90 boats in the large lock the day these pictures were taken.

[Jim Bunnell]

For pier pilings we use a 2X6 against the piling with two fenders attached to the 2X6 againsts the boat hull. Keeps the fenders clean and the 2X6 takes the beating.

bscott

This becomes a fairly funny idea to 26M owners if you read quickly and transpose the X and the 6.