Dinghy fendering suggestions?

Joined
22 Apr 2009
Messages
6,820
Location
Just driftin
Visit site
I have just bought a tatty old dinghy to replace the one that was stolen & have had to strip away the wood from around the gunwale because it was rotten.
I would like to replace it with a nice rubber bumper strip but that is not cheap & a friend suggested using the plastic type lagging for pipes that you can buy from DIY stores for peanuts.It looks like amazing stuff & could be stuck on simply with that instant grip glue type stuff that you can also buy from there & is applied by a gun the same as silicone rubber but does it do a good job,has anyone tried it?
Any other suggestions gratefully welcome.....
 
Clear (or coloured if you prefer) poly pipe can do a good job, cut a hole in the outside & simply screw thro a washer into the boat. The insulation is cheap but will probably need replacing every year or two as it is easily nibbled away by abrasion, poly pipe will last a great deal longer.

Old poly prop rope (local fishermen will probably have loads of suitable bits for a pint) looks more traditional & can be screwed or tacked thro the inside strands only to hide the fastenings.
 
Round our way, the seagulls eat the cheap pipe insulation and **** it onto the deck ...

Mice eat the pipe insulation in my loft, but I guess that would not be a problem with a dinghy ....

Incidentally, I offer free to anyone who wants to develop it my cunning plan to manufacture pipe insulation incorporating mouse-poison.
 
Foam insulation is grand. Since taking the picture I have drilled through the gunwhale and fitted cable ties around it to locate it more securely.

tenderfender.jpg
 
A bit of old rope looks nice. Tried various ways of fixing it but laced on as in the pictures has proved to be the best

. . . . .
 
Clear (or coloured if you prefer) poly pipe can do a good job, cut a hole in the outside & simply screw thro a washer into the boat. The insulation is cheap but will probably need replacing every year or two as it is easily nibbled away by abrasion, poly pipe will last a great deal longer.

Old poly prop rope (local fishermen will probably have loads of suitable bits for a pint) looks more traditional & can be screwed or tacked thro the inside strands only to hide the fastenings.

If poly pipe is the stuff I saw in the DIY centers around here the other day searush I thought it a bit hard & screwing it to a flat gunwale would mean a very small area of contact as it is hard & round.I agree that the insulation stuff did'nt seem very manly so for now am continuing on looking.Thanks.
 
A bit of old rope looks nice. Tried various ways of fixing it but laced on as in the pictures has proved to be the best

. . . . .

I will reply to this one in reply to all of you who suggested rope in the hope that it will do.
The problem is vic my dinghy is fiberglass & only about 3/16" thick so rope round the edge would still leave an unpleasant top that would be sharp & nasty......needs a more substantial capping rail.
 
Foam insulation is grand. Since taking the picture I have drilled through the gunwhale and fitted cable ties around it to locate it more securely.

tenderfender.jpg

you certainly did'nt skimp on diameter!:D & the stuff underneath that looks like quite good stuff but obviously very small diameter looks more like the stuff I need lakesailor.
Looks like a good practical down to earth sort of dinghy........maybe it's about time we held a dinghy beauty competition:D
 
Top