Fender boards

[Doghouse]

Depends...
The more curve you have on your hull, the shorter you want the boards. Even if it means carrying more than one set. On the other hand if your boat is newer and has nearly flat sides, you may even want a longer board with 3 fenders to give you more protection.

You also have to consider where your cleats are. Are they configured so you can put it anywhere you want along the length? Do you have a toe-rail that has holes that would allow you to attach them there?

You realy have to decide for yourself as to the best design.

[GordMay]

We’ve used 8 Ft fenderboards on our 28.5 Ft (C&C29). Used large “tuibular” inflatable fenders near the ends, with smaller “flat” solid foam rafting fenders evenly spaced between (middle). This allowed the boards to flex slightly (shock absorption), before coming up against the flat intermediate fenders (against the hull). They probably could have been much shorter (4-5'); but this will depend upon how much fore and aft motion (within your slip)you have to anticipate, and how many pilings you're protecting against .

There are several issues that present a challenge in utilizing fender boards in more extreme conditions:
1. From what to suspend them. Hang them from lifelines or stanchions, and you will eventually bend or break something.
2. Hang them from a toe rail, and the tether is at too great an angle to the hull sides. It’s difficult to suspend them high enough on the strongest part of the hull (a proper hull deck connection).
3. You can lash the fenders to the boards, to keep the fenders between the board & hull - but it’s difficult to keep the whole assembly down. Often the fenders & board will get flipped up (or partially so), on to the deck.

[Sunspot Baby]

Fender boards tend to be used against pilings (or other dock protrusions). You need only enough length to assure that fore and aft motion allowed by spring lines doesn’t move the boat/fender board off the piling. If you’re tied to a flat wall, regular fenders will protect you just fine. If boards are too long, they are hard to handle and worse to stow.

George

[hellosailor]

StarBoard would be a bit expensive. And plastic decking might not be strong enough for larger spans.

I suppose if you want strong and light...you could use UHDMW plastic 2"x8" beams, and either drill them hollow or laminate them up.<G> Nice bright white, self-lubricating, hard to soil or stain. Or a coupla nice electrofinished titanium rods....

Price is no object for yachtsmen, right?<VBG>

[exranger]

LOL. Of course cost is no problem! $20, even $25 if you have to, go wild. lol

Thanks for the tips on fenderboards. I really appreciate them and will put them to good use!

Maybe I'll try BULWARKS first?

[hellosailor]

Searching around...apparently there's something called "VHMW" which is more UV-resistant. In a 2" thick board, 4x8' in size, a mind-boggling $1200. Which would make it $300 each for 2"x12"x8-foot boards.

(I think I've gotta mark those up 300% and start making the fall boat shows!<G>)

[Alan Wheeler]

I don't really get it. I don't see the point in fandangled materials. Just use timber. Treated timber will outlast the fenders and is cheap for all the length you require. No point in getting too complicated.

[Sunspot Baby]

Amen to Alan's comment. Don't over engineer something this simple and cheap.

George

[s/v 'Faith']

Ex,

Just found a couple more 2 x 6's floating the other day..... Sailor's price and they have that salty 'used' look to boot.

Of course depending on where you are you could probbaly afford that fancy plastic by the time you paid shipping....

[hellosailor]

Come now, Wheels. Cruisers sit on the leeward side, racers sit on the windward side.

Obviously you're not a racer, you'd know that racers NEED fender boards that are made from teflon-coated titanium tubing, it can save nearly ten pounds on each fender board, compared to lumber stock.

I've got some production samples here I can let you have for around $6500.US per eight foot section, if you want. Plus shipping, of course. But they're all the rage among the folks who try to keep the boat fast.<VBG>

[Alan Wheeler]

US$6500 is probably one reason why I don't Race. ;-)
But hey, I thought you could have at least thrown the shipping in. Especially if I took two. :-)

[hellosailor]

Free shipping? Well, that depends. Know anyone making a delivery trip who needs to carry fender boards with them?<G>

[tager]

If your fender boards cost that much... do you need a fender board for your fender boards?

[BigDreams]

Originally Posted by GordMay

While Trex Decking is tough and durable, it does not have the same stiffness as wood. Therefore, it is not intended for use as a load bearing structural member (beam, post, joist, or any other primary load-bearing component).

AND Trex flexes considerably more when in direct, hot sun. I learned this recently from a decking job that a guy I know had installed. He skipped Trex for that reason. Too much flex when hot. But maybe that might work in for a fender board ?