Bow fender recommendations

[Andrew E]

As a novice single handled 'sailor' I am always very apprehensive about crashing my bow into the end of the pontoon. The finger pontoon is much shorter than my boat therefore I have to leave the cockpit to get the midships spring looped over the pontoon cleat. I'm always very worried I'll miss the pontoon cleat and the boat will continue forward. Therefore I would like to buy a bow fender to put my worries at ease.

I'm after a bow fender which I could easily rig up before entering the marina and then remove when at sea. I'm not after anything permanent or anything fitted to my berth.

Basically I would like something I could hook around the bottom of the pulpit or hook around the fairleads perhaps.

Photo of my bow (below).

I like the look of the bow fender (below) but unsure of the protection it offers?

Any recommendations are much appreciated.

 

[William_H]

The fender pictured would be fine if you are likely to hit a floating jetty so that the jetty is always at the same height relative to your bow. If not always at the same height you will need protection right up the bow from anchor roller down.
In which case you might be able to make a curtain type fender out of many layers of dense foam as used for kids play mats or similar. good luck olewill

 

[prv]

Those V things are really designed to be firmly mounted horizontally around the bow of a dinghy or launch, a bit like this traditional example:

However they are nowadays more usually seen in the dangly horse-collar configuration where, like you, I have my doubts about their effectiveness.

If you really want to protect the bow, you need something that fits properly around a decent length of the stem:

Being able to mount something on the pontoon ahead of you would be neater and easier though - are you sure you can't?

Pete

 

[Andrew E]

The fender pictured would be fine if you are likely to hit a floating jetty so that the jetty is always at the same height relative to your bow. If not always at the same height you will need protection right up the bow from anchor roller down.
In which case you might be able to make a curtain type fender out of many layers of dense foam as used for kids play mats or similar. good luck olewill

Thanks, my bow will always be at the same height as the jetty and if I visit another marina I can always adjust the bow fender to suit.

 

[Andrew E]

Those V things are really designed to be firmly mounted horizontally around the bow of a dinghy or launch, a bit like this traditional example

That's what I imagined, eg this below. However I don't think it could be rigged very quickly.

If you really want to protect the bow, you need something that fits properly around a decent length of the stem:

That does look good, just the time involved to rig it at sea single handed is my main concern.

Being able to mount something on the pontoon ahead of you would be neater and easier though - are you sure you can't?

I could and many in my marina do. I would like something which I could bring around with me.

 

[Andrew E]

I wonder if PBO have tested these two types of bow fenders?

Interested to know which one offers more protection in a 'crash' with a floating pontoon.

 

[Andrew E]

Being able to mount something on the pontoon ahead of you would be neater and easier though - are you sure you can't?

Pete

Indeed, my neighbour simply drives his boat onto the dock bumpers, throws a line to the cleat and that it. Sort of cheating really, but it works for him. Not good when you want to visit an unfamiliar marina without dock bumpers though.

 

[Poignard]

I recently bought a Plastimo bow fender http://www.plastimo.com/en/mooring-tenders/fenders/bow-fenders/protection-d-etrave.html . I'm going to try the technique I've seen used in France by singlehanders whereby you come slowly into a marina berth and let the bow rest against the walkway with the engine running slowly and the tiller held over towards the catway, then attach the lines. It seems to work very well.

 

[Daydream believer]

Rigging fenders when single handed is a pain in rough weather. generally one does not ram the pontoon hard but just enough to chip the gel coat now & then.
I wrote a short article in PBO earlier this year. This cost me £ 4.99 for a length of soil pipe from Wickes plus some sikaflex that I already had. It has worked well for a year

 

[[70521]]

Why not get something that fits to the pontoon?

 

[pvb]

I don't have one, but if I were to buy one I'd get a folding FenderFlex, which can also be fitted to the pontoon if you want to. http://www.fenderflex.com/gallery.html#!prettyPhoto

View attachment 61399

 

[Laysula]

Thanks, my bow will always be at the same height as the jetty and if I visit another marina I can always adjust the bow fender to suit.

How do you Know how high the pontoon is at a strange marina?

 

[Angele]

I like the look of the bow fender (below) but unsure of the protection it offers?

Any recommendations are much appreciated.

I have one of those. It works very well, with the added advantage that you can make it hang off centre if you know there is an obstruction that concerns you more than the pontoon in front (e.g. a pile) simply by shortening one of the lines. I've had it for years.

 

[Poignard]

How do you Know how high the pontoon is at a strange marina?

Oh come on, that's dead easy! Just tie up the boat, walk up the catway and take a look.

 

[Andrew E]

Why not get something that fits to the pontoon?

Nothing stopping me, but I would like something which I can bring with me.

I wrote a short article in PBO earlier this year. This cost me £ 4.99 for a length of soil pipe from Wickes plus some sikaflex that I already had. It has worked well for a year

View attachment 61398

Great idea, but sounds like something that requires the boat on the hard to fit?

I recently bought a Plastimo bow fender http://www.plastimo.com/en/mooring-tenders/fenders/bow-fenders/protection-d-etrave.html . I'm going to try the technique I've seen used in France by singlehanders whereby you come slowly into a marina berth and let the bow rest against the walkway with the engine running slowly and the tiller held over towards the catway, then attach the lines. It seems to work very well.

Is your bow fender permanently attached and if not how quickly can you rig that thing at sea?

I have one of those. It works very well, with the added advantage that you can make it hang off centre if you know there is an obstruction that concerns you more than the pontoon in front (e.g. a pile) simply by shortening one of the lines. I've had it for years.

Have you ever tested it? Curious to know the level of protection it offers. Obviously I won't be hitting the pontoon at a massive rate of speed and I simply require something to cushion the bow.

I don't have one, but if I were to buy one I'd get a folding FenderFlex, which can also be fitted to the pontoon if you want to. http://www.fenderflex.com/gallery.html#!prettyPhoto

View attachment 61399

Very nice but very expensive aswell.

 

[pvb]

Very nice but very expensive aswell.

Cheaper than a gelcoat repair! Of course, you could just be more careful when berthing...

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Of course, you could just be more careful when berthing...

...which is the more sensible 'approach' if you'll excuse the pun, in my opinion.

 

[Angele]

Have you ever tested it? Curious to know the level of protection it offers. Obviously I won't be hitting the pontoon at a massive rate of speed and I simply require something to cushion the bow.

Yes but, as you suggest, never at any speed. My boat is 7 tonnes empty, so 8 tonnes+ with cruising junk on board, and the fender is more than up to the job. It works as well as any other fender in absorbing the forces.

I guess there is a risk that it could ride up over whatever you are trying to avoid but, if you always err on the low side when tying it, you won't have any problems. I certainly never have.

The only dings I have taken on the bow were when I haven't been using it.

 

[Poignard]

(...)
Is your bow fender permanently attached and if not how quickly can you rig that thing at sea?
(...)

No it's not permanently attached.

Now that I have the 4 lines attached, with spring hooks at their ends, it only takes minutes to rig it

 

[dunedin]

As a novice single handled 'sailor' I am always very apprehensive about crashing my bow into the end of the pontoon. The finger pontoon is much shorter than my boat therefore I have to leave the cockpit to get the midships spring looped over the pontoon cleat. I'm always very worried I'll miss the pontoon cleat and the boat will continue forward. Therefore I would like to buy a bow fender to put my worries at ease.
.......
Any recommendations are much appreciated.

Why not start by tackling the root issue, being able to get the rope onto the pontoon reliably, rather than the symptom.

For the home berth I would start by fitting a pole on the end of the pontoon and keep a presized rope on the pontoon with a loop ready to drop over a cleat (or winch). Easy to lift the loop off the pole, by hand or better by boat hook (which gives more flexibility if not precisely at pontoon)
Something like this
http://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-mooring-line-holder.html?sqr=Mooring line holder&#.WEF5XrTfWhA

That's what we do. And benefit is nothing extra to be done at sea, all prep done pre departure