sheyes
Member
Having had difficulties when moored against harbour walls I want to carry a fender board on my Sadler 34. Has anyone any advice on the size and thickness of wood to use and any tips on how best to set it up?
Steve
Steve
Making a fender board
- Thread starter sheyes
- Start date
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
I'm just about to replace my all-purpose board, used as a gang-plank in the Med, from a stern platform, and also for alongside concrete walls. I also have a Sadler 34, so it's comparable data. My current plank is 195 x 21 x 4 cm, it's slightly short and slightly narrow. It is exactly the right length to be stowed between the stanchions at the maximum beam. My new plank will be 225 cm long but with holes 195 apart for stowing. Width will be a little more if I can get it and about the same thickness. A scaffolding plank is about right but they normally come in at 4 metres.
EdWingfield
Well-Known Member
Don't forget to ' V groove' the outer face with a chisel so that your board ropes will be protected from being rubbed away - a particular risk if the harbour is subject to surging, or you are in a canal system with locks.
doug748
Well-Known Member
I saw a neat way of getting around this problem. Drill a c25mm hole through the face of the plank near the edge. Drill a hole into the edge (to suit dia of rope) which breaks into the 25mm hole. Thread your rope through the smaller, edge hole and secure with stopper knot.
ebbtide
N/A
Two 5ft x 9" x 1" boards have accompanied me from boat to boat for 40 years, living under the focsle mattresses. They were varnished once but no longer. Refinements to minimise rope wear make sense, but don't ask SWMBO to thread them quickly while you're holding the boat off a solitary pile!
Niander
Well-Known Member
So it doesnt chaff i use a short loop of chain around the wood then onto rope.
Searush
Well-Known Member
Keep your eyes open for an old scaffolding plank - or buy a builder a beer.
jerryat
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Keep your eyes open for an old scaffolding plank - or buy a builder a beer.
[/ QUOTE ]
Absolutely!! We got ours in Gibraltar during our first trip to the Med in '96. Have used it loads of times since - not just for the canals - but also for going alongside rough jetties etc.
The guy on the scaffolding in Gib. had a plank with a split in it and was happy to give us the whole thing for zilch.
They are quite heavy (a good thing, as they don't 'ride up' so easily when scraping alongside. We went with the 'cut a groove' method for protecting the ropes from chafe rather than the 'hole through the top edge'.
We've never had to replace the lines yet, and that includes three transits of the French canals.
Final thought - I would definitely have two boards, permanently rigged on each side, as the canal locks have access ladders that can be either port or starboard and having to switch over a single board each time would be a real PITA.
Keep your eyes open for an old scaffolding plank - or buy a builder a beer.
[/ QUOTE ]
Absolutely!! We got ours in Gibraltar during our first trip to the Med in '96. Have used it loads of times since - not just for the canals - but also for going alongside rough jetties etc.
The guy on the scaffolding in Gib. had a plank with a split in it and was happy to give us the whole thing for zilch.
They are quite heavy (a good thing, as they don't 'ride up' so easily when scraping alongside. We went with the 'cut a groove' method for protecting the ropes from chafe rather than the 'hole through the top edge'.
We've never had to replace the lines yet, and that includes three transits of the French canals.
Final thought - I would definitely have two boards, permanently rigged on each side, as the canal locks have access ladders that can be either port or starboard and having to switch over a single board each time would be a real PITA.
