Fender inventory. Care to share?

[CarlF]

Like Mike I've been using the EasyStow inflatable fenders for years and love them. They are far less expensive than the other high quality brands of inflatable fenders which seemed aimed at "what's a budget?" super yachts.

I got two of their extra long 60" ones. I think they work better than fender boards for pilings (although I do have a fender board too). The work fine hung vertically too.

There's no inflation valve to fail. It's just a piece of rubber hose that you seal by bending it in half and slipping into a little retainer pocket. Simple and no air leakage. Once I left the boat for two months and came back to find the fenders still rock hard.

I initially got a standard duty fender. It was plenty tough but after a couple of years it developed a slow leak (admittedly I have a 50,000lb boat leaning on the poor thing). I replaced it with a "heavy duty" ones that is quite a bit tougher. The owner of the company said he's be glad to fix the leaking fender for free if I shipped it back.

I got a little 12v air pump that blows them up in less than two minutes. But if I was cruising the ICW, I'd leave them inflated and tied to the cabin top.

[Pelagic]

I like those easy stow fenders and will switch to those when practical.

But I just want to mention that whenever I feel the need for fender boards at a busy commercial pier with big tides, I first look at anchor options to hold me off.

Often in Asia, fuel docks are also the Fisherman's or Ferry dock, rough, broken and busy with boat wash from locals.

If you can get a heavy line to one corner and secure hard, its often less of a hassel than taking up Ferry space in case of delays..

We launch our rib to bring fuel hose extension to boat, lashing onto stern line and transfer with our onboard pump and filter, so that the fuel line is completely drained before disconnect.

I tend to put on 1500 liters when needed so much easier and cleaner than carting jerry cans and keep the dock bums at a distance

[PaintedKite]

Just built 2 "quickie" fender boards yesterday, 1.5" x 8" x 54" each, out of a single 9' southern yellow pine board. I drilled the holes, and the first mate applied 3 coats of Danish Oil. Will rig only 1 for now, and keep the second one in the lazarette.

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by PaintedKite

Just built 2 "quickie" fender boards yesterday, 1.5" x 8" x 54" each, out of a single 9' southern yellow pine board. I drilled the holes, and the first mate applied 3 coats of Danish Oil. Will rig only 1 for now, and keep the second one in the lazarette.

Jeez, I wish I had a lazarette that big

Just for my edification, I always believed that the purpose of a fender board was to enable mooring to a pier where the boat would be leaning against pylons/posts. The fenders are between the boat and the board, the board is between the fenders and the pier posts.

Would a 54” board achieve that? Maybe the pier pylons in your sailing area are closer together than where I boat. I’ve always been of the opinion that to be effective the board needs to be 8 feet, minimum. Hence my saying I have nowhere to store one.

[sailingharry]

A board long enough to span two pilings would indeed be nice, but as you indicated, very hard to store.

The normal practice is to center the fender board at a single piling, with about 2 ft either side. That allows the boat to surge forward and aft without the fender board popping off the piling.

I carry two fender boards, so I can set one at each of two pilings if necessary.

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

A board long enough to span two pilings would indeed be nice, but as you indicated, very hard to store.

The normal practice is to center the fender board at a single piling, with about 2 ft either side. That allows the boat to surge forward and aft without the fender board popping off the piling.

I carry two fender boards, so I can set one at each of two pilings if necessary.

Attachment 225827

OK, that makes sense. Thanks

[nwdiver]

Originally Posted by Fortytwo

A Fender Stratocaster...

Come on everyone knows it would be a Telecaster.....

[nwdiver]

I carry 4, 8 inch diameter by 30 inch long fenders and 6, 8 inch diameter round buoys that are used for many things including between the fenders in some places, usually floating at water level......

[PaintedKite]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

Come on everyone knows it would be a Telecaster.....

Got the Tele for my son. The Strat is for me.

[PaintedKite]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

Jeez, I wish I had a lazarette that big

Just for my edification, I always believed that the purpose of a fender board was to enable mooring to a pier where the boat would be leaning against pylons/posts. The fenders are between the boat and the board, the board is between the fenders and the pier posts.

Would a 54” board achieve that? Maybe the pier pylons in your sailing area are closer together than where I boat. I’ve always been of the opinion that to be effective the board needs to be 8 feet, minimum. Hence my saying I have nowhere to store one.

My strategy is to be able to span a single piling (as subsequent posters have said), not 2.