Fender Storage

[xeon_tsd]

Long term cruisers, this is for you. What do you do with your fenders when heading out for extended periods? For a day sail sure... chuck it down below somewhere... but once you are out and not planning on docking do you deflate and hide away? They are nice to have access to for rafting up etc, but inflated take up sooo much space. Do you keep em up top in fancy fender holders?

[Mike OReilly]

A couple of years ago I converted to inflatable fenders. I can carry four large fenders in less space than one standard fender used to occupy.

[robert sailor]

good subject they are a pain in the ass I used to carry 4 now in the Med we have 8 tie them to the rear pulpit.

[Capt.Alex]

I toss em in my tender that hangs on davits off the transom...

[FSMike]

Store them in the amas.

[colemj]

How many guitars do you need?

Mark

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by colemj

How many guitars do you need?

Mark

LOL. I limit myself to one guitar at a time regardless of the number of hulls.

[hoppy]

I was thinking of storing mine in the anchor locker.

[IdoraKeeper]

I have 12...all excellent.... Would only consider taking the back packer on the boat. But its kinda useless.

[Pirate999]

The previous owner built storage racks on the bow pulpit. They work pretty well.

[Auspicious]

Six 8x22" in the anchor locker, two 18" rounds on the pushpit, three big inflatables in the cockpit locker.

[xeon_tsd]

Auspicious do you keep the inflatables de-flated?

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by xeon_tsd

Auspicious do you keep the inflatables de-flated?

Yes. I don't remember the brand off-hand but they will partially self inflate and pump up pretty fast with a bicycle pump and sports needle.

I keep them stored in poly bags (to protect from chafe) that drain (to protect from mold and mildew).

[J Clark H356]

While cruising I keep 2 8" fenders tied to the lifelines on both sides and laying along the deck, total of 4. We flip them down when nearing the dock. If floating docks, we drop them to match up with the floating dock. If fixed docks with piles, then we use a 5 foot, 4" pvc pipe with end caps and drilled with lines through each side that serve as fender boards and drop the two fenders and then overlay the pvc so that the pile is against the pvc pipe and the fenders are either side of the pile against the hull. The pvc fender pipe is tied to the top lifelines while cruising and set to the inside hanging from the top lifeline. We find the pvc much better as a fenderboard than the traditional 2x6 or 2x8 as they are lightweight and don't take up much room.

When we are at our home dock on Kentucky Lake, we keep them stowed in a stern lazerette. We have permanent dock fenders mounted to the dock, so we don't need them at our home dock.

[sestina]

All live in the cockpit locker. Having been brought up in the school that requires the fenders to be stowed within a nano second of casting off; having them dangling on the pushpit is not an option. Might as well leave them on the topsides.