fender stowage

prv said:
I'd probably have put it a little less colourfully, but I'm with Seajet on this one.

Ariam only has a single cockpit locker which doesn't really have space for all eight fenders along with everything else, so four go in the locker and four go in fender racks somewhat similar to Roger's, on the inside of the stern railing. Four shortish marina warps hang over the fenders (there are plenty more and longer in the locker for more complex situations) so the basic requirements for a simple easy berth are ready to hand. The warps being just behind the helmsman are also easy to grab if a line is needed for some unexpected purpose at sea, whether that's throwing to a man overboard or something more mundane.

Pete
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Aspirationally I would love to agree with you and SeaJet. Realistically I can't.

My tiller pilot mounting is on the cockpit locker. Therefore, I can't open the cockpit locker and have the tiller pilot steering - which is an issue as most of my sailing is done single handed. I haven't found a viable alternative solution which enables me to helm and pack / retrieve the fenders from the locker. Even if the tiller pilot wasn't mounted on the locker, I don't really fancy sticking my head and hands into it to retrieve my fenders when I'm single handing up a narrow channel into a marina - I would prefer to be looking where I'm going.

And perhaps it's just me, but after any significant sea I find that my fenders get tangled up with other stuff in the locker which makes them a pain to retrieve.

My best compromise to date is to stick them on the aft rail so they are out of the way. But if I'm only doing a short trip (4NM) I may not even do this. After all, I've bought a sailing boat to enjoy sailing rather than to yield to the etiquette expectations of others. And if I've got my kids in the cockpit, I would prefer to spend time helping them to enjoy sailing than dashing up and down the side decks retrieving and stowing fenders.
 
solent clown said:
Having grown tired of putting fenders on and off, we now simply flip them up onto the deck where they sit happily enough, and out of the way. The only issue we have had with this arrangement so far was forgetting to clear the jib sheet first and one fender line catching. It is a simple matter for Karen or myelf to just knock or kick them out again, and though it may not be the most elegant of solutions it has so far worked well for us. Do others do the same, or do you all take the trouble to stow them away?
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I used to always put them away but do the same as you now. If I am expecting lots of wind and rough seas I will put them away but in that case it would be highly unlikely we would go out anyway.
Long journeys of more than a few hours I also put them away but in the Ionian most of our journeys are not that long
Managed to not fall over them so far
 
interesting to see how the "etiquette" is so important and so irritating for some. We too sail for fun, in a scruffy old boat we are slowly fixing up, so we are probably an eyesore to some anyway. Our rearmost fenders store behind the dodgers once pulled up, the others sit neatly enough on the deck sides. That is in keeping with our minimum fuss, keep to the cockpit as much as possible philosophy. I understand the concerns about trip hazard but frankly we rarely go on deck, and arsing about with the cockpit lockers in a Trident is a trial of space for tiller, humans, seat bases, and locker tops.
All in all I think we shall continue to be unseamanlike (which we are anyway!) and risk the ire of the yachting masses. Please feel free to shake your fist if you see our messy decks ;) The reference to football from a poster on here has somehow escaped me in it's relevance to this discussion, maybe because I am the very opposite of a fan of soccer?
 
Even if singlehanded the only time I'll leave fenders out is on a very short (maybe mile or less) move under engine. They definitely come off and go into lockers before any sails go up.

About the same re ensign, don't bother if a very short passage, but it comes in at sunset if used.

Not just a pedantic old fusspot - there is logic to it all, as well as looking good. Fenders left out tug and can undo themselves once heeled and touching the water, and lying on deck are a horrible trip hazard, as well as catching sheets. Ensigns fray all the time, so last much longer if they come off at night.
 
I have never understood the fender thing. They are bulky and take up a lot of locker space, which is a pita. I would never store mine in a locker, and I can't see the mileage in untieing and retieing 8 fenders every day.
On bethfran, I just left them where they are, on JoJo, as they are bigger, I have a little elasticated loop*toggle thro the ring at the base of the fenders, I just upend them and toggle them onto the top guardwaire on the outside. Out of the way, not taking up space, and ready to drop at a moments notice.

I can't see me ever doing anything else.
 
solent clown said:
...The reference to football from a poster on here has somehow escaped me in it's relevance to this discussion, maybe because I am the very opposite of a fan of soccer?
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I don't think the football analogy was a particularly strong one. I think Mr Quiddle was suggesting that to participate in a sport you have to do it properly and make an effort. In football, this means kicking the ball (rather than picking it up), in sailing this means tidying away the fenders.

Personally, I think a better football analogy would be people who insist that you have to wear the right 'kit' in order to play and enjoy football properly. Sure, a kit looks smarter - but it's complementary to the sport rather than the rationale for it.
 
solent clown said:
interesting to see how the "etiquette" is so important and so irritating for some. We too sail for fun, in a scruffy old boat we are slowly fixing up, so we are probably an eyesore to some anyway. Our rearmost fenders store behind the dodgers once pulled up, the others sit neatly enough on the deck sides. That is in keeping with our minimum fuss, keep to the cockpit as much as possible philosophy. I understand the concerns about trip hazard but frankly we rarely go on deck, and arsing about with the cockpit lockers in a Trident is a trial of space for tiller, humans, seat bases, and locker tops.
All in all I think we shall continue to be unseamanlike (which we are anyway!) and risk the ire of the yachting masses. Please feel free to shake your fist if you see our messy decks ;) The reference to football from a poster on here has somehow escaped me in it's relevance to this discussion, maybe because I am the very opposite of a fan of soccer?
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I'm completely with you here Mark :encouragement:

A short sail down the river and i'll probably just leaving them dangling. Bit further and they lay on the side decks, now i have my new glasses i can see them OK, so i don't trip on them, besides, i have wide side decks.

I rarely put the ensign out, as i'm on the boat most of the time and i don't want to wear it out, have you seen the cost ? I do stick it out when i put to sea though.

My asbo states i mustn't walk through the shopping centre with my dick out, so i stick to the village shop, they don't mind :)
 
Nothing much to do with etiquette*; fenders left dangling just look awful and cost £ to replace !

When you're used to your boat it becomes very easy to stow the fenders and lines, as usually singlehanded or with novice crew I usually rig the stern berthing lines first, then a long headline then fenders both sides - allowing for cockups on my or anyone else's part - on stowing the stuff away, the fenders go in the locker first with their lines left handy, and the lines next to them.

I have 8 good size fenders on a 22' boat, how hard can it be ?

* etiquette; with all the security around, it seems a good idea to wear a red ensign in Portsmouth these days.

Oh I forgot, my boat has a sensible forward double berth, not a silly ' aft cabin ' crammed under the cockpit :rolleyes:
 
If I'm sailing, the fenders are always stowed in a locker. If I'm just motoring for a mile or two, they are pulled up on to the deck.
 
Seajet said:
Oh I forgot, my boat has a sensible forward double berth, not a silly ' aft cabin ' crammed under the cockpit :rolleyes:
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I have a forward double berth & never use it in favour of the Aft cabin
Now we all we know that you have not got one, but can you please can you tell us what is wrong with the aft cabin under the cockpit & why it is "silly"
I really would like to know.
 
Easily explained; on any boat under say 40' - and I'm not too sure even then - an aft cabin leads to a fat arse design often requiring the horrible twin rudders * associated linkages ( and splayed loads if on drying moorings ) - high cockpit sole so one feels like being on stage with Status Quo, and tiny cockpit lockers.

I've managed many Solent weekends, 3 week trips around the Channel Isles & west many a time sharing the forepeak with girlfriends, and was was still well able to stow my fender ! :)
 
Seajet said:
Easily explained; on any boat under say 40' - and I'm not too sure even then - an aft cabin leads to a fat arse design often requiring the horrible twin rudders * associated linkages ( and splayed loads if on drying moorings ) - high cockpit sole so one feels like being on stage with Status Quo, and tiny cockpit lockers.
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I wonder how many 40 footers are on drying moorings? Incidentally, my little 37 footer has a decent sized cockpit locker, with a ladder to climb down into it.
 
I spent decades doing the proper thing with the fenders but now wonder what on earth made me bother. I’ve only ever lost 2 fenders in 40 years sailing and both were when tying them
 
Daydream believer said:
I have a forward double berth & never use it in favour of the Aft cabin
Now we all we know that you have not got one, but can you please can you tell us what is wrong with the aft cabin under the cockpit & why it is "silly"
I really would like to know.
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Andrew's rule applies. It's silly because he hasn't got one on his boat. However, that's no surprise really. An aft cabin on a 22 foot boat would only be suitable for Oompa Loompas.
 
Seajet said:
Easily explained; on any boat under say 40' - and I'm not too sure even then - an aft cabin leads to a fat arse design often requiring the horrible twin rudders * associated linkages ( and splayed loads if on drying moorings ) - high cockpit sole so one feels like being on stage with Status Quo, and tiny cockpit lockers.

I've managed many Solent weekends, 3 week trips around the Channel Isles & west many a time sharing the forepeak with girlfriends, and was was still well able to stow my fender ! :)
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Hmm, sorry Andy but I've got to disagree with you on a number of points there. My boat is a Jeanneau 29.2
It is less than 40'
It has an aft cabin.
It does not have a 'fat arse' design (in my opinion)
It does not have twin rudders
It has a pretty sizable cockpit locker where I keep my dinghy, outboard, kedge anchor, fuel cans and there is easily space for 8 fenders (although I don't store them there due to the reasons I outlined earlier).

However, I did store my fenders in the locker when I was on a swinging mooring in New Grimsby Sound 6 weeks ago - but that was to enable me to drop the rear guard rail to access the dinghy. If I'm expecting to spend any time at anchor or on a swinging mooring I will tidy them away - however I tend to stay in marinas because that's what my family prefer.
 
pvb said:
I wonder how many 40 footers are on drying moorings? Incidentally, my little 37 footer has a decent sized cockpit locker, with a ladder to climb down into it.
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You're having a laugh, the cockpit locker on yours is bigger than the forward cabin on most 22 footers :)
 
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