fredrussell
Well-Known Member
These things ain’t cheap, or, to put it another way, I’m a tightwad. So, has anyone found a cheaper alternative to dock fenders?
Cheap alternatives to dock fenders?
- Thread starter fredrussell
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PetiteFleur
Well-Known Member
Old tyres? Painted white of course...
Rappey
Well-Known Member
Haha, im sure the marinas would love to see them hanging off the sides of their pontoons...
ithet
Well-Known Member
I have a line of old fenders laid horizontally and fixed with webbing to the top edge of pontoon. Done by previous occupant of my berth but works great.
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
Rappey
Well-Known Member
Find yourself some Large diameter rope and fix that to the top edge of the pontoon? It would hardly be noticable but be soft enough to protect your hull.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
I too am looking for dock edge fendering .... the price for it is just unbelievable !
Rope was considered - but rope once it gets salt / grit in the lay soon becomes a good abrader.
I have been looking at soft white PVC U shaped and also tube .... they make fenders out of same stuff. Lot cheaper and buy by the metre.
Rope was considered - but rope once it gets salt / grit in the lay soon becomes a good abrader.
I have been looking at soft white PVC U shaped and also tube .... they make fenders out of same stuff. Lot cheaper and buy by the metre.
Laysula
Well-Known Member
Refueler
Well-Known Member
That's ok - I looked at that for my new pontoon ... but better is the plain D without the base ridges ... and its cheaper !!
I have a second problem though - Latvia is not UK - so shipping to me is a cost matter as well.
Rappey
Well-Known Member
22mm push fit pipe.. Ive got that round my dingy as a rubbing strake.. works well and is cheap.. Or the blue poly pipe?
TernVI
Well-Known Member
Pipe insulation covered in canvas?
[70521]
Well-Known Member
Why do you, or indeed anybody, need dock fenders? Do you not have any fenders on the boat? If it is a bit 'lively' I arrange a step fender on the bow for some protection if I mess up my arrival at the berth .
thinwater
Well-Known Member
Look at the skip or on beaches. Lots of people lose them or can't stand stained fenders.
And ignore the people who say you don't need them. Make your own choices. Not every boat or slip are the same, singlehanding can be tough, and we all have bad days. I don't need them, but I sure like them, so there.
And ignore the people who say you don't need them. Make your own choices. Not every boat or slip are the same, singlehanding can be tough, and we all have bad days. I don't need them, but I sure like them, so there.
William_H
Well-Known Member
Macrame fender can be made out of old rope. ie 10mm or so. Just get a lenght of old rope. fold it in half so you have 2 legs. Tie a reef knot near the centre loop. Then tie another reef knot and another right down the legs to use all the rope. The original centre loop makes the attachment. The knots make up the bulk that can take the crushing blow. May not suit OP need but does mean you can use smaller rope in lieu of fat rope.
Alternative I have used is off cuts of indoor /outdoor carpet. Rolled in to a tight tube of desired thickness. You can tie it into the roll with string or fit it inside a cloth bag.
ol'will
Alternative I have used is off cuts of indoor /outdoor carpet. Rolled in to a tight tube of desired thickness. You can tie it into the roll with string or fit it inside a cloth bag.
ol'will
fredrussell
Well-Known Member
Why do you or indeed anybody, need bow fenders? It amounts to the same thing. It’s one less thing to sort out as I come into my tight berth single-handed.
matt1
Well-Known Member
Not really a fender, more a rubbing strake but my mooring has a positively evil eddy going on which has resulted in me putting this down the length of the pontoon
NEW D Strake Strip Rubber Fender Dock Inflatable Boat Rib Glue On Sold by M | eBay
NEW D Strake Strip Rubber Fender Dock Inflatable Boat Rib Glue On Sold by M | eBay
[70521]
Well-Known Member
We all have different solutions, one of the joys of sailing - looking at how people apply different solutions to the same problem.
Iliade
Well-Known Member
If it is for your own dock, how about several layers of carpet, or better still, coir matting. You could top off with a layer of something like good quality PVC tarpaulin to stop grit etc.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Glad you added the last bit ...
My boat has a thinned Gel Coat area where rope fendering has abraded the gel ... once grit / salt gets into rope / material - its a very effective abrasive item.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Have you never had a fender ride up when alongside ? The Dock Fender is a secondary protection ..... and if your own fender rides up and sits on the dock as I have seen / had many times when floating pontoon moves etc. - then the fixed Dock Fender is well worth it ...
