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Fender Rigging

  • Thread starter Thread starter JLR
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JLR

JLR

Legendary Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2005
Messages
3,237
Hatteras Model
74' COCKPIT MY (1995 - 1999)
Now that I have four nice new 12x34" Big B fenders (an expenditure that bothers me way more than virtually any other for the boat), I am curious whether there are fender rigging secrets I may be missing. I am not talking about how to hang them from a rail but rather the most versatile way to rig them so that I can hang them from the boat vertically (for a floating dock) or horizontally (for pilings). I do not want to use fender boards. I have fender hanging travel channels on the side of the boat so my issue is not really how to secure them to the boat. In the past, I have simply tied a knot in each end of my fender lines but that creates a problem. If hung horizontally, there is nothing to stop the fender from sliding along the fender line and getting out of position with reference to the piling. If I put the fender halfway along the fender line and tie a knot there to keep it from sliding, when hung vertically, I have half my fender line hanging in the water. Looks sloppy. One would think that after 40 plus years of boating, I would have the answer but I am looking for creativity here--not my strong suit.
 
JLR said:
Now that I have four nice new 12x34" Big B fenders (an expenditure that bothers me way more than virtually any other for the boat), I am curious whether there are fender rigging secrets I may be missing. I am not talking about how to hang them from a rail but rather the most versatile way to rig them so that I can hang them from the boat vertically (for a floating dock) or horizontally (for pilings). I do not want to use fender boards. I have fender hanging travel channels on the side of the boat so my issue is not really how to secure them to the boat. In the past, I have simply tied a knot in each end of my fender lines but that creates a problem. If hung horizontally, there is nothing to stop the fender from sliding along the fender line and getting out of position with reference to the piling. If I put the fender halfway along the fender line and tie a knot there to keep it from sliding, when hung vertically, I have half my fender line hanging in the water. Looks sloppy. One would think that after 40 plus years of boating, I would have the answer but I am looking for creativity here--not my strong suit.
Click to expand...


snip>when hung vertically, I have half my fender line hanging in the water.> Tie the lower half of the line up around the upper where it exits the fender.

snip> If hung horizontally, there is nothing to stop the fender from sliding along the fender line and getting out of position with reference to the piling.> Put stopper knots on each side of the fender and tie the ends on the boat spaced four feet or so apart. Also be sure to spring tightly to minimize motion..

I also keep several large fender boards and balls for difficult situations which I encounter every year in NC.


Bob
Chateau de Mer
1981 48MY
 
Isn't there anything made to use as stopper knots when hanging horizontally? Sort of like a large cable tie or something like that. Also, although I can , of course tie the extra line back up when hanging vertically, I was hoping for a neater look. It may not exist but that is why I am asking.
 
The knot that positions the fender on the piling should be a figure eight knot, which is pretty easy to untie. For pilings, the best solution is fender boards or fenders with an eye on each end. I have a big fender, that has an angled indent on one side that helps position it against a piling:

3734043.jpg


http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...chanintel_google&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=87907

Often times, I find it better to tie the fenders to the piling rather than the boat.
 
Last edited:
For storms or hurricanes, you should weight the bottom of fenders to keep them from blowing out of position...a gallon size plastic bottle filled with water should do the trick...on a SHORT line....to avoid any possible fouling.

Fender boards can also blow out of position and in storm conditions should be tied down to the fenders.

"Tie the lower half of the line up around the upper where it exits the fender."
doesn't look so neat but that's what I have done too.

Also, a good idea is to get fender covers if you are in an area that tends to accumulate dirt/grime on fenders....saves having to scour and polish every year...might avoid scarring hull finish ....but you won't like the cost of covers either...
 
When I am not on a floating dock I will tie the fender to the piling. I do that by running a line through the center of the fender and one end of the line has a loop (made by a bowline knot) and I take the other end of the line and run it through the loop and tighten so the fender will partially collapse around the piling and stay put. This has worked well for me in a variety of tidal ranges. It is unorthodox but effective.
 
motoryacht lover said:
When I am not on a floating dock I will tie the fender to the piling. I do that by running a line through the center of the fender and one end of the line has a loop (made by a bowline knot) and I take the other end of the line and run it through the loop and tighten so the fender will partially collapse around the piling and stay put. This has worked well for me in a variety of tidal ranges. It is unorthodox but effective.
Click to expand...

Well that makes two of us unorthodox types then. I keep at least one of my standard fenders under inflated for just that reason. Finding the Taylor Freedom at the Dania marine Flea Market helped, but I just have one of those. Also, the under-inflated units help when you are trying to protect the lower aft spray/rub rail against a floating dock...less apt to roll. Fender boards still come i very handy when dealing with dirty, gnarly bulkheads that are going to cut and soil up your pretty fender covers,.
 
So now that I have my four new shiny fenders (12x34 Big B's) with my new monogrammed fender covers, I bought four 15' 3/8inch braided lines to use as fender whips. Of course, on one end is an eye. I want to be able to attach the eye to a clip and use that clip to attach to the track "U's" I have on each side of the boat. Short of chopping off the eye on the end of the braided lines, and tying a knot, is there a good clip that will accept the braided eye on end end and clip onto the track U's on the other. I do not want to use shackles, --I really need a two sided clip for quick release from the boat and from the fender whip itself. I am embarrassed to say that I have scoured the blow boat hardware catalogs and I have not seen what I am looking for. Any ideas?
 
That should work.
 
I've got some nice little brass clips that are spliced into the fender lines (1 on each end). The fender lines are long enough to clip to the opposite fender line (in cases of a vertical hang - I clip the lower line to the top top line as the line exits the fender - HTM style). These clips clip right into the sail track cars. I usually use 2 12" fenders for traveling and at the dock have 2 large 36" round balls and 2 18" round balls (which don't travel, but stay at the dock). Wen traveling 1 fender just fwd of the entry and 1 fender mid ship, aft is all it takes to keep the boat comfortably off the dock. Fenders reside in fender racks on the first stanchion from the bow when not in use.
 
you dont want it to look like this.


DSCF0006red.jpg
 
Next time I'm going to use truck tires like the tug boats do.
 
Thanks Scott. Very interesting.
 
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