Poll: Which Fender Camp Are You In ?

[callmecrazy]

I understand the concern but, (honest question) what is the likelyhood that a pre-placed fender is going to be in precisely the right location during one of these hypothetical freak accidents? You'd have to have quite a few deployed even just to up the odds a bit.

I can understand if it's a floating dock that doesn't have pilings and might bounce around below your rub-rail, or if there are no pilings at all (med-moor), but for casually passing boats, and fixed piers, I'm just not seeing it...

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

what is the likelyhood that a pre-placed fender is going to be in precisely the right location.

I always do a 'drive by' of a dock or anchorage to get a look at the berth, then go back out and set my lines and fenders. I never trust the dockmaster.

When I come into a dock sure sometimes I need to guess the heights so I use a slippery clove hitch to tie them. That can be adjusted in seconds. Also sometime I put two lower down and 2 higher up.

For their fore, aft position I have them at the beamiest spot and spaced evenly fore and aft of that till the boat is too narrow to have an effect. As I have them tied to the top strand of the life lines I can just slide each fender along, till its gets to a staunchion.

I have 2 fenders for the other side of the boat as I expect the other boat in the berth to have some fenders out too.

When Nic was aboard we often had a roving fender because she wanted one, but really by that stage its prolly better for the crew to be manning lines.

By myself I just go full throttle and scream a lot

If all docks were directly upwind and the wind never gusted it would be so much easier, but these days with 'designer' marinas trying to utilise every inch of space many are not upwind. And if only doing 1 knot and a gust off yonder hill hits off the bow (or stern) then it takes more than an olympic skipper to control the tub of lard.




Mark