how many fenders?

[capnsensible]

What's wrong with tying fenders across the transom high up on the pushpit? Saves all that faffing with lockers.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

What's wrong with tying fenders across the transom high up on the pushpit? Saves all that faffing with lockers.

Unsightly, interferes with the G&T seats and the wind vane

 

[Sandy]

how many would you think appropriate for a boat of this size given that I have to fender both sides when going into the sea lock.

As many as the skipper is comfortable with.

 

[Sandy]

What's wrong with tying fenders across the transom high up on the pushpit? Saves all that faffing with lockers.

Fenders falling into the sea if outboard

Fenders messing up my 'comfortable place' at the transom on passage if inboard.

 

[capnsensible]

Fenders falling into the sea if outboard

Fenders messing up my 'comfortable place' at the transom on passage if inboard.

Tie them on properly. Perhaps I'm too used to many years of sailing school yachts with tons of fenders.....never lost one.

Have also tied fenders there on a number of yachts on ocean passages. Not lost one plus can be very comfortable lounging.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I have 5 currently + a ball fender - used to be 6 but one got a leak so make do with 5. I do have a couple more at home but I've found 5 ok for me. 33' boat.

 

[GHA]

2 on deck stashed in front of sprayhood in case of charter boats too close in the anchorage , 2 deflated in chain locker in case of a very rare visit to a pontoon. Been like that for years, seems I'm on the low side...

 

[Daydream believer]

What's wrong with tying fenders across the transom high up on the pushpit? Saves all that faffing with lockers.

When we first bought our boat new, I did that & the wife said it made the boat look like some charter thing. She said that it annoyed her, So I have continued the practice ever since.
I use 6 (3 each side ) & have done over 350 lock passages of which over 60% have been SH. I have a ball fender to hold under the stern when leaving the lock, or near the stern, if at a pontoon where visitors likely to turn up & run in to me. There are 2 further fenders deep in a locker, as spares, that are little used, except at a pontoon, or rafting in a rough berth.
I have some self almalgamating tape on the top guard rail wire, for the benefit of visiting crew, so they know where to hang the fenders, when coming in to a berth.

 

[Daydream believer]

Fenders falling into the sea if outboard

Fenders messing up my 'comfortable place' at the transom on passage if inboard.

So you have not learned how to tie them on yet then . Does take a while. Well a couple of times for most. Some a little longer , of course.
.
One point, When leaving port the fenders have to be stowed & if I have a crew I always tell them to bring the fender in board before untying. I also tell them to pass them aft one at a time. When passing they should pass the cord, not the end of the fender, which is large & round & too big for most to grab one handed. I always liken grabbing the end of the fender to grabbing the end of an elephant's c..k. It seems to get the message over to female crew so much better

 

[Greg2]

We carry 6 decent sized cylindrical fenders and two ball fenders for our 36 foot mobo and we have found that they cater for any situation (pontoons, harbour stages, locks etc alongside or stern to) but as Elesar says, there is a world of difference between mobos and yachts. In reality, only two fenders are required for our boat when alongside a pontoon and we tend to fender the outboard side more if someone rafting is a possibility.

I sometimes surprises me how many people seem to work on the basis that putting lots out is the way to go whilst apparently paying little attention to location and height and where they are likely to be most effective. I am probably a bit of a pedant and don’t like to see lots of fenders dangling unnecessarily and untidily form a boat - probably a throwback to my time in the RN!
.

 

[ashtead]

Greg2 -You clearly follow the French school of thought on use of fenders-they seem as rare as hens teeth on any French yacht particularly I recall on sail training ecole where the received wisdom is to drive the yacht into the gap relying on the already parked yachts to act as a fender.

 

[Greg2]

Greg2 -You clearly follow the French school of thought on use of fenders-they seem as rare as hens teeth on any French yacht particularly I recall on sail training ecole where the received wisdom is to drive the yacht into the gap relying on the already parked yachts to act as a fender.

I am probably somewhere in the middle with a few strategically placed fenders being sufficient to do the job. To be fair, I will have more out when going alongside than actually needed once tied up and if going alongside another boat I will make sure that they don’t have anything to worry about
.

 

[Roberto]

What's wrong with tying fenders across the transom high up on the pushpit? Saves all that faffing with lockers.

I once was hailed on VHF by a CG airplane that had just flown at low altitude above me (and scary it was, it came out of nothing), they said I had too many fenders on the transom and they could not read the name of the boat

 

[xyachtdave]

36ft, I had 6 but unfortunately am down to 5 due to a crew mates bunch of buggers coming undone.

 

[Daydream believer]

36ft, I had 6 but unfortunately am down to 5 due to a crew mates bunch of buggers coming undone.

It is amazing how many suddenly realise that they cannot tie a fender on. They sit on the cabin, feet on the side deck, fender hanging over the side, rope in hand, staring at it wondering what to do
Then they wind the rope round & round the wire about 4 times, in an attempt to do a clove hitch. Then sit & watch it gently unfold, as the fender slides slowly in to the sea, to the sound of a screaming skipper.

 

[capnsensible]

Well if the 'skipper' showed the crew how to tie them on properly and checked they had been, he/she wouldn't look like such a pudding head when they get all shouty.....

 

[SaltyC]

Just had a 'clear out' found I had 13 fenders on board 9 and LOTS of warps / sheets / general ropes,and wondered why lockers were full!

Now rationalised to 4 large fenders, 2 slightly smaller diameter and 1 Ball. Now having a major conversation with myself whether to include another 2 smaller diameter fenders. Plus how many warps and lines?

Normal use 4 large fenders. ADD 2 extra small ones for winter.

 

[Daydream believer]

Well if the 'skipper' showed the crew how to tie them on properly and checked they had been, he/she wouldn't look like such a pudding head when they get all shouty.....

Have you ever tried showing some how to tie a clove hitch? Hopeless task They get it whilst tying it round the mainsheet traveller. But 3 hours later, out on the cabin top they go into total brain fade

 

[dunedin]

As ever depends hugely on the usage pattern. A decade back we hired a charter boat at Aukland which only had 4 fenders- when I questioned this the charter owner said outside the home marina there were no pontoons so none needed!
On the other hand it go through canals like Caledonian or Gota you can't have too.many fenders. Or if leaving boat unattended in unknown overseas harbours when travel home. Hence we have 12 plus bow fender. Never tied on the stern though.

 

[capnsensible]

Have you ever tried showing some how to tie a clove hitch? Hopeless task They get it whilst tying it round the mainsheet traveller. But 3 hours later, out on the cabin top they go into total brain fade

I've taught several hundred people how to tie a clove hitch.......