Fender skirt, how to use

[stuartwineberg]

Might sound a Daft question. Our boat is being painted so we have commissioned a fender skirt to protect the finish. Do people deploy it before coming alongside or do they just come alongside with fenders then drop the skirt down when settled on the pontoon. I imagine fixing the skirt in place in a bit of a seaway could be tricky as it needs to clip on at both ends. Also do they remove it completely under way or just roll it up and leave it tied up outside the toerail

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I've absolutely no experience of fender skirts, but logically, IMHO, the fenders would be used in the normal uncomplicated manner until securely alongside, as they would not be in contact with the painted topsides for very long, then the skirt deployed for the much longer period when the boat sits in her berth waiting for her next outing.

 

[doug748]

I always fix it after, less fuss.

I made my own and fixed non slip rubber on the back, think it is a useful refinement. It has lasted ok.

.

 

[rib]

I got some made up and secure it on three points. Both ends and midships. I have all ways got them ready before coming in unless the marina is extra large.. Some times it's a pain especially at night.. I've had them ten years and sail solo most of the time as a cruising liveaboard.. Though to be honest waiting till you have come along side is probably the better choice

 

[TSB240]

All a fender skirt does is stop your fenders scratching your top sides if your fenders are on the outside of the skirt. Great until the skirt rides up given any big swell.

Scratching is usually done by ingrained debris in your fenders and their rotating or sliding given any slight movement in your berth.

I tried using a simple side skirt on the "port" side only. In the end I found a decking plank used as a fender board does the job better and is far more durable. The side skirt soon rode up or was torn on the dock brickwork.

The fender board is set up at our maximum beam with four hefty sausage fenders behind it. Last week's force 8 was blowing us hard on and would have destroyed a skirt in one tide.

With this arrangement your fenders remain clean and don't rub or rotate against your topsides.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

All a fender skirt does is stop your fenders scratching your top sides if your fenders are on the outside of the skirt. Great until the skirt rides up given any big swell.

Scratching is usually done by ingrained debris in your fenders and their rotating or sliding given any slight movement in your berth.

I tried using a simple side skirt on the "port" side only. In the end I found a decking plank used as a fender board does the job better and is far more durable. The side skirt soon rode up or was torn on the dock brickwork.

The fender board is set up at our maximum beam with four hefty sausage fenders behind it. Last week's force 8 was blowing us hard on and would have destroyed a skirt in one tide.

With this arrangement your fenders remain clean and don't rub or rotate against your topsides.

I thought a fender skirt would be used to protect the topsides from the fenders.

 

[Lightwave395]

My fender skirt gets deployed after I'm berthed. It's never yet 'ridden up', indeed it has protected my ludicrously expensive awl grip paint job quite well for nearly 8 years in all sorts of weather

 

[rib]

My fender skirt gets deployed after I'm berthed. It's never yet 'ridden up', indeed it has protected my ludicrously expensive awl grip paint job quite well for nearly 8 years in all sorts of weather

Like wise ?

 

[michael_w]

When I had a fender skirt I always tied it on first before hanging the fenders. To those who tine the thing on after they are berthed, isn't it a struggle geting the thing past springs, fenders etc? Especially when your are being blown on to the pontoon.

Now I have a different boat without a fragile paint job and use fender socks.

 

[geem]

Our fender skirt is made from lorry tarpaulin with 6mm thick closed cell foam on the inside. Attached to the inside is a fleece material held in place by velcro. This allows the fleece to be removed and washed. The lorry tarps heavy. It has never risen up in use. We rarely tie alongside but when we do, we use the skirt. Known to us as a rash pad. It fixes to the toerail and bottom guardrail with plastic hooks. It's super durable and works well

 

[lustyd]

it has protected my ludicrously expensive awl grip paint job quite well for nearly 8 years in all sorts of weather

If it was sprayed by a certified person you'd have a guarantee on the finish anyway, surely? That being the case it ought to be treated like GRP and a skirt shouldn't be necessary.

 

[doug748]

My fender skirt gets deployed after I'm berthed. It's never yet 'ridden up', indeed it has protected my ludicrously expensive awl grip paint job quite well for nearly 8 years in all sorts of weather

Absolutely. It's not only obvious damage but, because quality paints have exceptional gloss, it does not take much fender rub to create dull areas, particularly with dark colours. It's made worse because many of us have favoured sides for berthing.

My suspicion is that these finishes take longer then advertised to reach full cure. If I had one piece of advice for stuartwineberg, it would be to treat his painted finish as carefully as possible certainly for the first year.

.