fender socks - worthwhile?

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homer

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I am contemplating getting (or more likely, making) some fender socks but would be interested to know what the collective wisdom makes of them. It occurs to me that in contact with a concrete or stone quay (common in these parts) they would abrade through and/or pick up grit which would then scratch the hull.
 
I agree, really cannot see the point of them. Your point re picking up grit etc but then keeping it in the sock is exactly what concerns me about them.

No doubt someone will be along in a minute to say what fantastic things they are;)
 
I was going to make some till someone with them on said they pick grit up and scratch the hull to bits and was in the process of taking them of when I mentioned it.
 
i've used them for years and grit has never been a problem. my fenders are old and scruffy but with socks on they look good.

can't see how they would pick up grit used against another boat, or a pontoon.
 
They make a mixed collection of different fenders (which we have) look more uniform and that makes the boat look better. If we have to moor to a concrete quay we take the socks off, because they can pick up grit and if it's windy of sloppy they can get easily damaged.
 
Between two hulls, or a hull and a smooth pontoon, they are great.
For a rough quay, you either need a board or big ball shaped fenders IMHO.
Ball fenders will accept the vertical movement by rolling instead of scraping.
 
We were shown how to make them for next to nothing out of rolls of polish cloth, the two layer stuff like muslin sold for polishing cars etc which is tubular, we paid 50p a roll from the market. Basically you take a length double that of the fender thread the tube of cloth over the fender to beyond the point where it tapers off, then tie a light line around it that stops it sliding back up the sausage, then pull the remaining cloth back up the fender and tie a knot in it (granny knot is fine..). Cheap enough to be disposable if they get grubby and who can object to a fender that polishes whilst it protects.
 
We had them for a couple of seasons and eventually ditched them.

  1. If they do get gritty they can scratch.
  2. If they get seawater on them and you then want to store them away you end up putting wet things in a locker which we avoid if we can.
  3. They can get ripped and snag on things.
  4. They did wear away occasionally up against wooden pontoons. One actually developed a hole in one day!

We now have a simple fender skirt that hangs down one side of the boat. /does the same job with none of the sock disadvantages and only takes a minute to deploy.
 
Hi I would get a soft cover made up which is placed inside of the fenders on the hull. It will protect the hull and wont scuff up on the dock because the fenders are in place.
 
'We' made some for our boat and ditched them after a couple of years, can't really remember why but I do remember them being soaked a lot and certainly picked up the odd splinter and bits for grit...
 
Un-socked fenders can cause severe wear on the topsides of boats. We were berthed next to an Etap for several years, he had large oval scars on his topsides beneath them. There was a Starlight in Leros last year, the scars under his were very deep, needing considerable repair. In each case caused by bare fenders, admittedly after long term marina berthing.

The one fact above all others that persuades that fender socks are good for boats is that every super-yacht you will ever see uses them. The crews on these boats have one thing uppermost in their minds - keep the boat looking good.

We have been using them for the past 17 years on this boat and there is no sign of fender scars or polishing. When we were in Holland we would occasionally tow them along behind us to clean off the weed and rubbish picked up in locks but now we hose them down occasionally. Dust and grit don't seem to be a big problem.
 
+1
We are in SoF. Had socks fitted by guardian who professionally looks after boats.
Unsocked boats develope scuffs in gel coat.
Ours are changed every 2 years .Holds value will be recovered at resale.
Show me a high end boat without that professionally maintained .
 
I would agree regarding the unsocked fenders - I have seen first hand many boats with the gel coat worn way with the fiberglass showing.

On our own boat, when it came to polishing this year, I could see the vertical scuffing from where we had previously removed torn socks and not replaced them all season.
 
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