Fender inventory. Care to share?

[Off Trail]

We carry 5; have used them all a couple of times but never needed more. The kind with eyes on the end that can be used vertically or horizontally. And a fender board which we've only used once.

[Dave9111]

If you don't know how to use a boat hung fender board, learn!

Many docks won't accommodate simply using traditional fenders.

I have a 2x8x 6ft long southern yellow pine fender board I made up. I think it cost $6.00 in material. That has been big enough for a 33 ft, 12K boat. I could probably get by with a 2x6 rather than a 2x8 but make sure it is something strong like southern yellow pine.

I had to buy 4 new fenders a few years ago and Amazon had some inexpensive ones that were cheap compared to Taylor Made Fenders, yet highly rated. They work great. I think I am on year 3 with them.

For me, 4 good sized fenders are enough. Make sure you have plenty of dock lines. I make them 25 feet long which has been perfect for a 33 footer. Make sure you use nylon rope, you want stretchy.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by swordds

I use an inflatable dinghy beach roller. Very rugged, about 5 ft long so it can be used horizontally along the side of my boat, collapses down to require amazingly little storage space.

haha...funnily enough we use fenders as dinghy rollers...

cheers,

[fred4936]

Good comments from all. I would like to not hijack the thread, but add to it by asking where does everyone store all these fenders when not in use? I see some of you have quite a few. Our future plans include the Great Loop, so we need to add to the 5 standard fenders we have. Not enough room in the lazerette. I see some hang them from the stern rail. Inflatable sounds good too. Thanks for indulging me,

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by fred4936

Good comments from all. I would like to not hijack the thread, but add to it by asking where does everyone store all these fenders when not in use? I see some of you have quite a few. Our future plans include the Great Loop, so we need to add to the 5 standard fenders we have. Not enough room in the lazerette. I see some hang them from the stern rail. Inflatable sounds good too. Thanks for indulging me,

That's why many of us use inflatable fenders. They deflate to a much smaller volume. I can carry six large fenders this way. I have no idea where I'd store even four of this size on my boat if they didn't deflate.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by fred4936

Good comments from all. I would like to not hijack the thread, but add to it by asking where does everyone store all these fenders when not in use? I see some of you have quite a few. Our future plans include the Great Loop, so we need to add to the 5 standard fenders we have. Not enough room in the lazerette. I see some hang them from the stern rail. Inflatable sounds good too. Thanks for indulging me,

I have a storage area in the upper part of the forward bilge where the extras live (most of the balls are kept deflated and squished down flat-ish). My normal docking fenders have holders on the bow (powerboat).

[David B]

Originally Posted by SalingSue

33’ and I carry 4 standard ones

I also dock SLOW, stay ahead of the boat, and am young and fast on my feet.

Hindsight, I wouldn’t need to be as fast if I made a cheap fender board.

Yes, but when you away on a shore excursion, and someone comes into the marina ..... we have seen it happen too many times.

[David B]

Originally Posted by TabbyCat

3 long Megafenders that we hang vertically. https://www.megafend.com/store/pc/home.asp They are inflatable, so weigh very little and deflate to store in a small space. They can make them in whatever size you want. Welded seams. We've had them 8+ years no with no failures, sailed across the Pacific and all over NZ & Australia with no issues with them at all. They are used by many of the megayachts, so you know they have to be strong. We had previously purchased the other well known brand of inflatable fenders and they failed within a year.

Plus 2 regular smaller fenders for those items when you don't have time to inflate the Megafenders.

That's them! We are looking at getting a pair to complement our regular fenders. Good to hear of your experience using them.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by TabbyCat

3 long Megafenders that we hang vertically. https://www.megafend.com/store/pc/home.asp They are inflatable, so weigh very little and deflate to store in a small space. They can make them in whatever size you want. Welded seams.

Wow. They look nice. But the small ones are hundreds of dollars each! Their premium line is thousands each. Wow.


Maybe (hopefully?) I'm reading the site wrong....

[sailingharry]

In addition to an assortment of fenders, I carry two fender boards that my father made for our first Down East in 1976. They are made of a 2x6 about 5ft long, with stainless rub strips on the outside. The boat side is a heavy rubber moulding that wraps around the plank. I think they were TaylorMade, but there are no markings and I can't find them anywhere.


Unlike classic fender-boards, with fenders and a board, you pick up one item, drop it over the side, tie two lines, and done.

[PaintedKite]

Originally Posted by Paul L

https://www.easystowfenders.com/

Thanks! Just bought a 10" x 60" standard duty one in Blue.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

Wow. They look nice. But the small ones are hundreds of dollars each! Their premium line is thousands each. Wow.

Maybe (hopefully?) I'm reading the site wrong....

My thoughts as well once I looked. I use these inflatable fenders. I have the heavy duty versions. They are very strong and tough, and have been flawless for me in over a decade of use (except for my own self-inflicted mistake). And they are significantly cheaper.


https://www.seoladair.com/fenderStore.html

[dfelsent]

Originally Posted by fred4936

Good comments from all. I would like to not hijack the thread, but add to it by asking where does everyone store all these fenders when not in use? I see some of you have quite a few. Our future plans include the Great Loop, so we need to add to the 5 standard fenders we have. Not enough room in the lazerette. I see some hang them from the stern rail. Inflatable sounds good too. Thanks for indulging me,

I can store my 8 big fenders and two 24” balls and fender boards and fish net and 6’ oars (but not 7 1/2 foot oars) dock lines & more cr**p in the lazarette. Otherwise known as “the locker that ate Milwaukee.”
When properly organized.
When in frequent use 4 fenders and a ball, along with a couple of kayaks are on the aft deck. The kayaks end up alongside the aft cabin too, cause they are longer than the aft deck.
Too much hassle to stow the fenders in the lazarette every day.
My wife would like me to though. Especially the bright pink round ones.
It is ten minutes of excavation to get to the fender boards.

This brings up another related question (hijack hijack warning.)
Dock lines. I’ve got a mishmash. 47 foot heavy boat.
Six or so 40’ 3/4 “ three strand. A couple of 60’ 5/8 braid. A 60’ 5/8 three strand dock line/anchor snubber.
I consider the 40’ lines bare minimum length. The 60’ nice.
And I use chafe gear for the lines when needed.
Always bow stern and center springs in use.

[CassidyNZ]

I use inexpensive 200mm x 800mm local fenders (I think I normally pay the equivalent of US$30 each) with eyes at each end, sized to fit between the deck and the top rail of the aft handrail. I tie a line to one end, long enough to locate the fender with the bottom end just clear of the water.

That line length allows me to thread it through the hole in the toerail, loop it over the top of the solid handrail (900mm off the deck) and secure it to the other end of the fender. That gives me 80 feet of fender storage if I need it

As it happens I just keep 6 fenders, all on deck. If they get stolen (never yet) or sun damaged it’s not a heartache to buy a couple of new ones. US$140 per fender?

Have never found a convenient or safe space to store fender boards and can honestly say, have never found a need.

[Mr B]

I have six that hang off the boat vertically all the time just above the water line,
3 each side,
Then I dont have to worry about docking, Pier or Marina finger,
Long trips offshore, They all go in the forward locker,


Mine have rope both ends, So if I come up against a Jetty with vertical Posts, I just pull up the rope on one end and hang them horizontally,
These new ones are 36 inches long and 10 inches in diam,
My previous ones were only 6 inches in diam and were not good against a vertical piling jetty, Too small,

Once docked, I just transfer a few more from one side to the jetty or finger side,

These new ones are blow up ones and cost $220-00 for six delivered, Ebay,