Fender - Etiquette when moored

[mjf]

I always have a round fender on both sides of the bow
3 tube types along the hull side
tube on each quarter

These are set at rubbing strake ht when at anchor normally and one side lowered to pontoon ht when in a marina or when alongside. SWMBO has a roving fender if we are expecting 'trouble' too.

Thus I protect my boat from damage as far as possible from my own actions as well as those of others (even used to deploy a round fender on my anchor after several hits from passers by!)


My new raggy neighbour has 5 tubes all together set alongside the pontoon with nil deployed on his outside exposed hull.

Thus expects people who moor next to him to either use their own or just bang hulls...


What’s the view here as I think it’s a bit poor not to make at least some effort to save manoeuvring cock up damage cause by others?

Couple of weeks back the wind caught me just as I was reversing in and I was blown onto his boat - my fenders bounced me back nicely

 

[gjgm]

Not sure its an etiquette, but I thought the logic was you set you own fenders to protect your own boat. So a mobo will deploy them at different strategic points to a sailboat, but the two along side cover the eventualities? I cant see that your own fenders can alone cover all combinations (think of you and an 18 ft sportsboat, for example).

 

[l'escargot]

My new raggy neighbour has 5 tubes all together set alongside the pontoon with nil deployed on his outside exposed hull.

Thus expects people who moor next to him to either use their own or just bang hulls...


What’s the view here as I think it’s a bit poor not to make at least some effort to save manoeuvring cock up damage cause by others?

Couple of weeks back the wind caught me just as I was reversing in and I was blown onto his boat - my fenders bounced me back nicely

I fender to protect my boat from whatever I am going alongside.

I don't expect a boat to have fenders out to protect themselves from my cock ups, that's my responsibility. If I am going alongside another boat and he already has fenders out, I will sometimes pull mine in until I am alongside to prevent them tangling.

If you want to come alongside me, you should fender to protect your boat and consequently mine. I wouldn't expect you to "just bang hulls", I would tell you to go away and get yourself some fenders if you tried to come alongside me with inadequate fendering.

You don't expect the visitors pontoon to be fully fendered in anticipation of your arrival do you, so what it is different about coming alongside another boat? Once tied up, if it is windy or there is substantial wash I don't have a problem with supplementing the other boats fenders with some of mine to add extra protection.

 

[mjf]

Oh yes! very good point about the vistor pontoon nil fendering

 

[fireball]

Not sure I fully agree with my snaily friend ...
I understood it to be perm berths - with 2 in one slot - rather than rafting on a visitors pontoon!

We have 8 fenders and tend to put 5 out on the pontoon side and 3 just below toerail height on the other - it won't protect us against everything but if someone does come in with inadequate fendering then we'll hopefully have some sort of protection.

It isn't just the action of berthing that could be an issue - what if a line chaffs through - you could be banging hulls with nobody around to stop it.

 

[Searush]

Where I am based fendering the offside is not usually done as it tends to encourage rafters. It seems to send a signal "raft here" I am ready for you.

The general rule is "It's your responsibility to fender your own boat". So if rafting, have adequate fenders for going alongside. I would only double fender my boat in a situation where I couldn't be SURE of avoiding other craft.

So, in a tight marina berth it would make sense to fender both sides as it would enable the option of tempy tying to the downwind boat & then warping into an upwind berth. That might not be the chosen option initially, but when the wind blows & you have no steerage way it may become the only option & it is best to be prepared.

 

[VicS]

I'd expect anyone coming alongside to use their own fenders, just as they would if going along side the pontoon.

That's the correct "etiquette" as far as I am aware.

Not only correct etiquette but two sets of fenders, one set on each boat, can become a nuisance as they become entangled with each other.

 

[paultallett]

Well I don't know about etiquette and I can understand the arguement of 2 sets of fenders becoming tangled, but I always fender both sides of my boat when I'm mooring...... more to do with sometimes not ending up where I plan!!!

 

[tinkicker0]

I personally have 23 sausage fenders per side, 4 across the transom, and 2 per side across the bow on my little 20 footer and leave them out all the time just to offend everyone.

 

[Searush]

I personally have 23 sausage fenders per side, 4 across the transom, and 2 per side across the bow on my little 20 footer and leave them out all the time just to offend everyone.

Are they your "tails of the riverbank" then?

 

[iangrant]

I got a....

BIG black strip so I don't use fenders for vistors!!

Ian

 

[benjenbav]

Ah, I too have a big black D fender all round. But I deploy inflatable fenders beyond in order to spare the neighbours.

 

[Nick_H]

These are set at rubbing strake ht when at anchor

Why do you put fenders out when you anchor?

 

[mjf]

Why do you put fenders out when you anchor?

'Cos I have been 'attacked' during the night a couple of times now in Newtown Ck by 'draggers'.

 

[DAKA]

Are you sure its not because they are just laid on the decks and get in the way, much easier to kick them over board ?

 

[mjf]

Well yes - that too I suppose.

Oddly enough i left them on deck last time I was there as was hooked up to a buoy at the Shalfleet end