Marina problems

[pmagowan]

Just a couple of problems that you guys may be able to help with. We keep the boat in a marina that occasionally gets some storm surges and we sometimes get damage to the boat where the pontoon rides up too high. Once we even got a bet stanchion where the pontoon rode up over the side and the boat was slightly trapped under it. most of the time it is not an issue and the harbour master is very good about getting out and securing things if it looks problematic. My fenders do burst and rub the paint off even when they are in socks (wooden boat with epifanes gloss). I am looking for the best solution to both fendering and anti-snatch of the mooring lines. She is a 28' honeybee and has a ?5t displacement. I was thinking about fenders that attach to the pontoon and thus could not ride up but all the ones I see are very hard plastic and would not be friendly to a wooden boat. One thought was to get massive oversized fenders, like a sausage, and put them on their side attached to the pontoon so that they would fill the gap between the boat and the pontoon, essentially floating on the water. The other thought was to use those rubber, slightly dodgy looking things on the mooring lines to prevent snatching. I use one on the anchor with good effect. What does the panel think?

 

[prv]

We used to have some Plastimo dock fenders, they're not made of hard plastic. I would be wary of them rubbing your varnish, though, since they don't roll like a round one when the boat moves fore and aft.

Your idea of big fenders floating on the water wouldn't work in most places here, as they'd just slide under the pontoons. But if your pontoons go all the way down to the water then it could be a useful solution. Big ships do exactly the same thing, their floating fenders are called Yokohamas.

Pete

 

[pmagowan]

I was thinking they could be attached to the pontoon on either end of the fender in such a way as they could not slide under. Thanks for the info.

 

[CFarr]

Don't know if this will help your situation but I saw once someone had tied plastic milk bottles, filled with sea water to the underside of their fenders so that they (the bottles) hung in the water.
It did help to keep the fenders down.

 

[cliff]

Which Marina are you in?

 

[pmagowan]

In Glenarm.

 

[cliff]

In Glenarm.

Agh, that explains the storm surges.

 

[Georgio]

I have a pontoon mooring that can be open to strong winds so from recommendation I have fitted a pair of these to the pontoon, there is a hole through the middle and they are tied up to a couple of cleats.

http://www.compassmarine.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?ActionID=67174912&PBCATID=1361650&PBCATName=Polyform HTM Series


Seems to work well enough and the fenders appear to be good quality, I have the largest size and they are heavy enough to stay in position.

 

[pmagowan]

I was thinking something like this: http://www.m2mfenders.eu/defenda-inflatable-fenders-6716-p.asp

On it's side and attached to the pontoon on either end.

 

[Georgio]

I was thinking something like this: http://www.m2mfenders.eu/defenda-inflatable-fenders-6716-p.asp

On it's side and attached to the pontoon on either end.

I think the fenders you are suggesting are really only designed for temporary use and then deflated for easy storage onboard. I'm not sure they would be sufficiently heavy duty for what you want.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

Rubber snubbers on the breast lines at bow and stern are very good for reducing snatching and interaction between boat and pontoon. Not dodgy at all but use 3 strand rope and make sure you thread the rope around them in the correct direction, it does make a difference.

 

[vyv_cox]

We left our boat afloat in Corsica over winter, where horrendous winds are frequent. We were advised to thread a warp through the lower eye of all the fenders, attaching the ends to the fore and aft cleats. If one fender tries to ride or blow up it is held down by the others. It worked well, whereas plenty of boats that did not use the method suffered burst fenders and damaged topsides.

 

[chinita]

Here yer are:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-22769342

Buyer collects.

 

[pmagowan]

yes, saw it and had same thought. I think my pontoon partner might have a problem fitting in if I used that buoy.

 

[l'escargot]

Solution here: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...-you-need-for-a-rough-pontoon-or-harbour-wall

Edit * beaten to it...