Fenders and clove hitches

One point not mentioned is WHEN to fit the fenders.
having sailed my cruising ground for years, I know most of the ports well enough to expect what is coming.
I also sail 95% single handed. After a long trip- ie Bradwell Ostend etc I am usually knackered. If the wind is not playing ball it can be rough off the Belgian coast. So I tend to start getting ready at least a 2-3 miles offshore. That means, engine on, jib furled, main down & secured. That takes 15 minutes. Sometimes longer if rough.
Then I have to crawl along the deck ( I cannot stand except when I go past the shrouds) to the bow to get the dock lines from the anchor locker. I fit the 2 bow lines & crawl back to the cockpit. That takes another 10 minutes.
Check what is around me & unhook the fenders from the stern, shuffle bum along the cabin top & fit 3 to each side along with the 2 spring lines. which are looped arong the 2 cabin winches that takes another 15 minutes
Then I get the stern line from the aft locker & hook it across the stern over the 2 chute winches ( I can flip it off whichever side I do not want it when I go in).
I then gather my senses have a breather & start the final run in to port having travelled up to 3 miles in the time taken. Normally at this time I visit the heads because one knows for certain one will want to go just as one enters the port.
I can do all this in the outer harbour to Cherbourg but there are no other harbours with enough room
Aproaching Harwich I like to be ready before entering the river.
Returning to Bradwell I do not have to worry about berthing lines so I generally start just before Sales point
What do others do when single handed?
 
Daydream believer said:
One point not mentioned is WHEN to fit the fenders.
having sailed my cruising ground for years, I know most of the ports well enough to expect what is coming.
I also sail 95% single handed. After a long trip- ie Bradwell Ostend etc I am usually knackered. If the wind is not playing ball it can be rough off the Belgian coast. So I tend to start getting ready at least a 2-3 miles offshore. That means, engine on, jib furled, main down & secured. That takes 15 minutes. Sometimes longer if rough.
Then I have to crawl along the deck ( I cannot stand except when I go past the shrouds) to the bow to get the dock lines from the anchor locker. I fit the 2 bow lines & crawl back to the cockpit. That takes another 10 minutes.
Check what is around me & unhook the fenders from the stern, shuffle bum along the cabin top & fit 3 to each side along with the 2 spring lines. which are looped arong the 2 cabin winches that takes another 15 minutes
Then I get the stern line from the aft locker & hook it across the stern over the 2 chute winches ( I can flip it off whichever side I do not want it when I go in).
I then gather my senses have a breather & start the final run in to port having travelled up to 3 miles in the time taken. Normally at this time I visit the heads because one knows for certain one will want to go just as one enters the port.
I can do all this in the outer harbour to Cherbourg but there are no other harbours with enough room
Aproaching Harwich I like to be ready before entering the river.
Returning to Bradwell I do not have to worry about berthing lines so I generally start just before Sales point
What do others do when single handed?
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Same going into València and it’s always windy and there are nasty sand waves for a couple of miles. It’s my least favourite part of sailing.
 
I did lose a fender last year. Suspect it was nicked. So the knot used did not help. It was one of those plastic clip things plus the round turns and half hitches .
Maybe the thief wanted the rope or the clip . I hate the clips but the chief officer seems to like them.
Luckily I have been given two replacement navy blue fenders which someone wanted rid of. They needed a clean up . Now all on the boat looks much better than before.
Anyway it's two round turns and two half hitches for me since thats the way I wad taught as a novice boater.
Rope attached to fender with a bowline.
 
Daydream believer said:
One point not mentioned is WHEN to fit the fenders.
having sailed my cruising ground for years, I know most of the ports well enough to expect what is coming.
I also sail 95% single handed. After a long trip- ie Bradwell Ostend etc I am usually knackered. If the wind is not playing ball it can be rough off the Belgian coast. So I tend to start getting ready at least a 2-3 miles offshore. That means, engine on, jib furled, main down & secured. That takes 15 minutes. Sometimes longer if rough.
Then I have to crawl along the deck ( I cannot stand except when I go past the shrouds) to the bow to get the dock lines from the anchor locker. I fit the 2 bow lines & crawl back to the cockpit. That takes another 10 minutes.
Check what is around me & unhook the fenders from the stern, shuffle bum along the cabin top & fit 3 to each side along with the 2 spring lines. which are looped arong the 2 cabin winches that takes another 15 minutes
Then I get the stern line from the aft locker & hook it across the stern over the 2 chute winches ( I can flip it off whichever side I do not want it when I go in).
I then gather my senses have a breather & start the final run in to port having travelled up to 3 miles in the time taken. Normally at this time I visit the heads because one knows for certain one will want to go just as one enters the port.
I can do all this in the outer harbour to Cherbourg but there are no other harbours with enough room
Aproaching Harwich I like to be ready before entering the river.
Returning to Bradwell I do not have to worry about berthing lines so I generally start just before Sales point
What do others do when single handed?
Click to expand...
Similar, start approx 3 miles off. BUT with main up to steady boat, rig fenders at reqd height then pull onto side deck. Rig fore and aft lines but leave on deck.
As we het nearer, drop and tidy mainsail, in calm waters set Autopilot, kick fenders over gunwhale, lay bow rope over guardwire inboard outboard loop led aft to guardwire gate /midships - can be reached to step ashore once midship line attached or help from pontoon can reach. Stren line led to gate left on deck.
First line on is midships, then take your time with others.
 
I was leaving Goes in Holland and noticed a yacht ahead attempting and failing to retrieve a newish large drifting fender. I managed to pick it up intending to return to the other yacht. It's a long plod along that canal but we caught up with him at the sea lock. I tried to return it but he said "It's not mine, belongs to the boatyard back in Goes"
So now the boatyard thinks "That Englishman stole our new fender!"
 
When our boat was new we stopped off on the way home in Heligoland. The weather turned galey and we ended up as the inside boat of a raft of progressively larger ones. Our German neighbour, seeing that we were well and truly squashed took it upon himself to put two of his much larger fenders inside us. When the weather eventually relented we offered them back but he merely asked us to drop them at the sailing club in Norderney where he knew we were headed. We of course did as we had been asked but didn’t get a chance to meet up. I don’t think this has much to do with the thread but it makes me smile every time I remember it.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Would be my choice but unfortunately there is a long mole that is usually to leeward so I would end up being blown on to that. I have to motor into the wind and waves while I set up . Fine until you pick up a plastic bag on the prop as happened to me last year. Then things get interesting. 🥴
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How did you cope with that difficulty?
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Would be my choice but unfortunately there is a long mole that is usually to leeward so I would end up being blown on to that. I have to motor into the wind and waves while I set up . Fine until you pick up a plastic bag on the prop as happened to me last year. Then things get interesting. 🥴
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I used to motor into the wind because that is the direction for dropping the mainsail. But that also means that the boat can be bucking over some large chop. Then it can be wet & difficult for me working at the mast & getting to the bow to get the lines set up , plus getting the fenders tied.
A friend suggested that once the main was down, I should immediately turn down wind. Motor slowly, so if I did fall in I would not be dragged along at 6 kts. Furthermore, the boat motion would be better.
I have tried that a few times (not the falling in bit) & confess that he seems to have a solution. Provided, of course it is not taking one away from one's destination.
 
Daydream believer said:
I used to motor into the wind because that is the direction for dropping the mainsail. But that also means that the boat can be bucking over some large chop. Then it can be wet & difficult for me working at the mast & getting to the bow to get the lines set up , plus getting the fenders tied.
A friend suggested that once the main was down, I should immediately turn down wind. Motor slowly, so if I did fall in I would not be dragged along at 6 kts. Furthermore, the boat motion would be better.
I have tried that a few times (not the falling in bit) & confess that he seems to have a solution. Provided, of course it is not taking one away from one's destination.
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Can you turn downwind (to get weathercocking) and yet motor into wind (in reverse)?
 
Interesting to see how others do it.

I can set and recover fenders without leaving the cockpit . A boathook enables the sliding along the rail .

I use a slippery clove hitch which makes things a lot easier. I have dropped the odd fender but it's fun picking them up. Particularly under sail. Fairly low freeboard helps.
 
Snowgoose-1 said:
Interesting to see how others do it.

I can set and recover fenders without leaving the cockpit . A boathook enables the sliding along the rail .

I use a slippery clove hitch which makes things a lot easier. I have dropped the odd fender but it's fun picking them up. Particularly under sail. Fairly low freeboard helps.
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I prefer a low freeboard myself. My 34 has less freeboard than my old Sadler 29 and it suits me. My least freeboard was on our Mystere 26, from which I was known to lean over from the helm and pick cuttlefish shell from the water. I've never picked up a fender under sail so far as I recall, but I've manage sunhats once or twice.
 
Poignard said:
Heave to.
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Even 2 handed we do this. The sails steady the boat, ypu can usually move around easily, less water coming on board, it’s quieter too, so we can discuss the berthing plan, call on the radio etc. At our home port, we pick up one of the outside buoys under just the jib, furl it, put the kettle on. We usually have to wait for the bridge opening, it’s easier there than to get inside the marina and find ourselves unable to stop anywhere if it's busy.
 
mjcoon said:
Can you turn downwind (to get weathercocking) and yet motor into wind (in reverse)?
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I use that technique a lot for putting on ropes and fenders short or single handed. If the wind is steady can get the boat balanced on tickover in reverse so the boat is near stationary. Definitely one of the best techniques for setting fenders.
No attempting to do bouncing around outside the harbour. Go in, look for a berth and then setup in smooth water.
 
dunedin said:
My theory is that clove hitches are used to tie on fenders by people who don’t own boats - sailing school boats, charter boats, casual crew.
Bill paying owners use round turn and two half hitches.

In storms unattended boats seem to regularly lose fenders when just attached by clove hitches. Regularly reattaching other boats fenders falling off.
Just reported a newish boat lying hard GRP directly to wooden pontoon edge in Storm Kathleen - all the central fenders are missing. A pair at the stern, doing nothing, still attached by their clove hitches.

As the boat leans in the 50+ mph gusts often the fenders go below the pontoon, then the boat tries to right in a slight easing of the wind and the fenders just get pulled off. Hope the GRP isn’t too badly damaged,
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When we used to keep our boat in the long since destroyed Holyhead Marina, we used to tie the lower ends of the fenders together. The biggest fender would go in the middle of the boat, with progressively smaller fenders each side. The last fenders in the 6 or so that we tied, would have a knot then the line went to the tow rail at the ends of the boat. We used to get some severe weather there but the raft of tied fenders would not pull out. Before we did this, fenders would end up on top of the pontoon, and yes, no clove hitches
 
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