Fenders

[Maybritt]

The fenders I have - the regular ones approx 10' x 30 I guess - scuff/damage the finish on the top sides largely because of the movement in the Marina pontoon where I am berthed and otherwise by the effect of wind/tide. Covers do not seem to help that much and in any event quickly suffer significant damage. Mooring line arrangements are unable to help this problem no matter how many times I adjust them.

I have been thinking of going to balloon type of fenders (asuming/hoping that is the correct name for them) but I am not sure how good they will be and whether or not they are worth the investment. They seem designed to bounce the hull off the pontoon as oppossed to allowingthe hull to lie against it and press against/roll against the fenders which is the problem with the ones I have now.

Maybe fender boards are an idea. Someone recently told me that high quality towels make the best fender covers - the type you can "obtain" from a five star hotel apparently....

There is one club with swing moorings the use of which would solve the problemo in Singapore but they belong to a club I have no inclination to join .

I would be very greatful for helpful hints/suggestions on how I might solve this problem and remain alongside.

Happy sailing
S/Y Maybritt

[paladin]

I can't solve your fender problem, because I anchored out....but aren't you afraid of cockroach infestation tied to the dock. I tried it for two nights and felt that I had to carry a shotgun after that,,,gazillions of the s.o.b.'s

[Dale Harvey]

Fiberglass mooring whips, designed to keep boats off of seawalls and docks in wave prone areas. Four to six should keep her centered, if you can find a supplier who will send them there. If you have to make them, you would need solid ****** rods like really big fishpoles, that can be bent double. Anchored to dock with single directional metal pivot that usually also incorperates a large stainless spring. Sounds like there could well be a market for these contaptions in your area. Unable to find a listing on manufacturers at this time. Only other thought would be to wrap fenders in sheep hide, wool out.

[Ed Harrow]

I've heard chewing gum works pretty good

[dasboat]

Maybritt,Up here on the river current and with ski boat wakes a constant reality,many of the side tie folks use the fenders that are like the childs toy"hoppity hop"that was popular some years ago.
These devices tend to role as the boat moves,rather than scrape as do many fenders that are ribbed.
Regards,Dasboat

[John B]

Are your lines rigged as springs?

[Mike Keers]

My personal choice would be fender boards in the situation you describe. You're leaving plenty of space between the boat and the dock, right? The fenders shouldn't be touching the dock with the boat sitting there, altho wind and current can set it against the dock.

I position the boat so the fenders (or fender boards) are 6" to 1' away from the dock, and use spring lines, as mentioned above to maintain position.

[paladin]

My fenders were made the traditional way but out of pure cotton rope, not this synthetic stuff....and I just assumed that you were using spring lines and had the boat moored away from the dock as Mike Keers indicated. Also we always use fender boards because many of the docks that we approach these days are stone Med style docks.........

[Maybritt]

Thanks.

I am using springs fore and aft with bow lines but the boat still seems to come up hard against the pontoon a lot of the time.

The spings run thru the sheet block on the rail to the sheet winch block at the centre cockpit (there is no Midships cleat); the cockpit is not situated a midships but towards the aft end the aft spring is therefore much shorter than the forward spring - might this be the problem ? As I said I have played with the lines to little or no effect. The one thing that did seem to work was a "spring" line led from the port side winch (Maybritt is s/board side on) to the p/side pontoon bow cleat which seemed to balance the boat better and hold her off the pontoon but she snatched rather hard at the lines.

Maybritt is 47ft overall and weighs in at 18 tons.

Any further thoughts/suggestions greatfully received.

Meantimes Ed I live in Singapore. Chewing gum is illegal here(as is spray painting cars for fun) so I cannot take you up on your suggestion....thanks for the tacky thought.

[Jeff Kelety]

<I am using springs fore and aft with bow lines but the boat still seems to come up hard against the pontoon a lot of the time.
>

Hmmm. A bigger rope <g>? I run a spring from a cleat pretty much amidships on the side away from the dock, then run it as far over as I can without getting a "pink tag" from the moorage office. My boat generally sits about 15" away from the dock. Only in the worst blows does she ever touch the fenders. 'Course I'm only carrying two tons. You got a much bigger creature to contend with.

Good luck.

Jeff

[Smacksman]

My old smack is a similar size.
Car tyres inserted into your lines act as good shock absorbers although the travel found in marinas could be accounted for by nylon lines.
A fender board (ex - scaffold board) rigged with sausage fenders in the middle and baloon fenders each end between your hull and the fender board and then tyres between the fender board and the dock works well but you will always chafe your topsides a bit.
It was quite bad in the Canaries last year due to sand being blown over the marina and getting between the fender and the hull [quite apart from coating everything else!]
But as said above - hold her off if you can [I always mention the obvious]