FENDERS?

[ColinHuggins]

I've always thought fender soks to be too twee for words, but I'm increasingly fed up with dirty, soggy off-white sausages.

By chance I have some old 11" tyres from an electric buggy. Now bare tyres are at the other end of the spectrum, but aren't they a realistic solution with all those locks? And if I were to cover them with canvas (actually dacron, shaped and sewn to fit, and washable) would they be acceptable?

Read my Profile - practicality more important than etiquette!

 

[Medskipper]

No they are not acceptable! the problem with old tyres is that if one falls of the boat they sink and cause problems, for instance they get stuck under lock gates and cause huge problems!

 

[byron]

Tyres fill up at the bottom with rainwater even if covered.

Coverings wear away and you end up with nasty black marks.

Glad you said cover with Dralon because canvas tends to scratch the boat and Dralon will wear away instantly.

 

[ColinHuggins]

Thanks for that, most salutary - wouldn't want to cause a stoppage blocking a lock gate!
Incidentally these old tyres are grey or yellow - have a look next time an OAP trundles past.
So what's the consensus then? 'Normal' white sausage-shaped fenders from the swindlery? With/without fender soks?
I've riding boards for drying out against piles, but I'd hardly be welcome chuggin' around displaying those on either side!

 

[michael_w]

If you can get hold of them, as they're like rocking horse pooh. The old tires from light aircraft make brilliant fenders. No carbon, so no black marks, heavy so won't ride up in the lock, last for ever. When they finally die, they can be made into flipflops!

 

[Oen]

My solution was to have the boat fully fendered with ordinary sausage-style ones, covered with fender socks, but then to use two large ball fenders, uncovered, for locks. They kept the boat away from the wall, protecting boat and socked fenders, and were easy to clean. Between locks, they lived out of the way on the aft deck, and were deployed approaching each lock when the 'side to' was established.