Can fender valves be repaired?

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tony_lavelle

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I did my annual fender clean last weekend and attempted to pump up two that were a bit soft, using a pump designed for footballs etc, which has a needle-shaped probe on the end. Unfortunately this seems to have destroyed the valves, either because they were old and brittle or they were never meant to be inflated with this kind of implement.

Can the fender valves be repaired or replaced at sensible price?
 
I had an inflatable mooring buoy with a similar problem which kept deflating.I inflated the buoy fully and then filled the inlet with rapid epoxy resin plugged with a small machine screw. It lasted for two years but eventually sprang a leak where the rod went through to the riser, and had to be replaced with a solid buoy instead.

ianat182
 
To answer my own question, like many of us I suspect, I have a variety of sizes and makes of fenders. However the two fenders which went flat are both Majoni (Dutch make) and their valves are not supposed to be inflated with a needle type adaptor, You are supposed to just hold the pump flat against the valve and hope that enough air goes into the fender, see http://nauticalreport.com/nautical-accessories/majoni-fenders-inflation-guide/

Most chandleries sell replacement brass Majoni valves for about £4 but I found two selling them for under £2, and one of these less than £1 each. You insert an M3 screw into the old valve and pull it out with pliers.
http://www.talamexleisure.com/partnumber.asp?cid=36676&pnid=410707
http://www.bosunbobs.com/en/Majoni-Fender-Replacement-Valve/m-853.aspx
 
Taylor fenders lifetime warrenty [ BIT OF A RANT ]

What kind of warranty do your fenders carry?
A: All warranted replacements of vinyl fenders and buoys must meet this simple criteria: The fender has split or burst from normal use and damage is not the result of a knife cut or puncture from sharp object.

All potentially defective products must receive a Returns Goods Authorization (RGA) # before they are returned to Taylor Made Products. Products returned without an RGA# will be refused, and the product will be returned to sender. To receive and RGA#, call us at 1-800-628-5188. Freight on defective products is the responsibility of the consumer (UPS is the preferred method of returning a product to us). Repaired or replacement products will be shipped back to the consumer freight prepaid. Obligation under this warranty is limited to repair, replacement or credit of the defective fender at our discretion.

Taylor Made Products warrants its vinyl fenders to be free of defects in workmanship and materials under normal use and service for which the product is intended. This warranty is limited to product failure as a result of air loss from SPLITTING or BURSTING. Excluded from this warranty are fenders that have become useless from cuts or punctures, or disfigured from continued wear or use, or products that have been exposed to solvents that degrade vinyl. Over inflation of any fender voids any warranty claim. Obligation under this warrant is limited to repair, replacement or credit of the defective fender at our discretion. Taylor Made Products reserves the right to request return of the product for inspection. No return merchandise will be accepted without prior authorization. Taylor Made Products shall not be liable for indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damage or penalties and does not assume liability of purchaser or others for injury to persons or property. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, express or implied.
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I have Taylor fenders and that came with the boat. Two of the screw in valves failed. As two new fenders were around £140 where I am at the moment I looked to see if I could find some valves figuring that would only cost a few £s each. But when I asked around I was told about this wonderful warrenty. I contacted the company and they said no they would not give me or sell me new valves but they would replace the fenders with new ones.

We then had a totally surreal episode with me giving her my address and her insisting that Bequia was not on her list of States and as it had no Zip code I must not have a 'correct' address.

Nope if it is outside the USA forget their warrenty. She even refused to send just the valves even though I promised to pay for them.

Nope they don't deal with the world outside the USA.

I later found two split fenders with good valves and used them. [ Thanks Daffodil ]
 
That could be the answer as long as no positive pressure is needed in the fender. In fact this seems to be the gist of the first reply above. The failed valve is black plastic and does not seem to be threaded, though the replacement brass valves are. However for a quid or two I don't mind buying a proper brass valve.
 
I'd be very wary of putting an M3 setscrew or anything similar as "Bodge" in a fender valve.
If the fender comes under high load, bouncing off a pier or pontoon for example, when someone misjudges coming along side.
The compressed air in the fender could cause the setscrew or whatever, to launch it self as a high speed bullet.
I remember a deckhand was killed in Aberdeen harbour many years ago, when a trawler came alongside the dock, the fender failed and whatever was acting as a valve became a bullet.
If you have to bodge a valve, please make sure that the fender is rigged so that the valve is pointing down.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
I'd be very wary of putting an M3 setscrew or anything similar as "Bodge" in a fender valve.
If the fender comes under high load, bouncing off a pier or pontoon for example, when someone misjudges coming along side.
The compressed air in the fender could cause the setscrew or whatever, to launch it self as a high speed bullet.
I remember a deckhand was killed in Aberdeen harbour many years ago, when a trawler came alongside the dock, the fender failed and whatever was acting as a valve became a bullet.
If you have to bodge a valve, please make sure that the fender is rigged so that the valve is pointing down.
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Ian, I think you have misunderstood. The M3 screw is only used to pull the old valve out, the new brass majoni valve is then inserted in the hole and the fender inflated. The repaired fender is no more dangerous than it was previously.
 
tony_lavelle said:
To answer my own question, like many of us I suspect, I have a variety of sizes and makes of fenders. However the two fenders which went flat are both Majoni (Dutch make) and their valves are not supposed to be inflated with a needle type adaptor, You are supposed to just hold the pump flat against the valve and hope that enough air goes into the fender, see http://nauticalreport.com/nautical-accessories/majoni-fenders-inflation-guide/

Most chandleries sell replacement brass Majoni valves for about £4 but I found two selling them for under £2, and one of these less than £1 each. You insert an M3 screw into the old valve and pull it out with pliers.
http://www.talamexleisure.com/partnumber.asp?cid=36676&pnid=410707
Majoni Fender Replacement Valve | Bosun Bobs
Click to expand...

A thread revival to say thankyou and to confirm you can use a 3mm bolt to pull the valve out. In my case I was able to get the valve sealing again last night. To inflate I used an inflatable adapter to pump the fender up as hard as possible with the valve out then quickly did the switcheroo from pump to valve. Essentially the valve is now a plug.

I broke mine the same way as you - using an adaptor for footballs etc.
 
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