The best fender knot

[PilotWolf]

I’ve only every really had hard rails

Assumed wire rails were like crash barriers and spread the loads not to break but work?

W.

 

[LadyInBed]

Clove hitches are, in fact very secure. I have never seen one undo itself. There is no need to put a locking hitch on it

I will dispute that.
Having had a fender go adrift after being tied with a CH and no locking HH as I thought it was just a temporary attachment. It turned out to be more temporary than planned! I now remember that that was the reason for switching to using a RT&2HH's.

 

[Zing]

I will dispute that.
Having had a fender go adrift after being tied with a CH and no locking HH as I thought it was just a temporary attachment. It turned out to be more temporary than planned! I now remember that that was the reason for switching to using a RT&2HH's.

Well, I’ve never lost one with a clove hitch, and have also picked up a few strays. I suspect it may have more to do with other factors like the fibre, the ply and the thickness of rope as well. Some ropes are much slippier than others. Plus how it is tied. A snugged up knot is pretty secure. If it has a heavy fender on it I suspect it will remain more secure than a light one. If the fender touches the water or dock and unloads the line, even worse, but then again, more so with a stiff rope.

I sometimes use a half hitch with a bow for quick release in addition, to make me feel it is more secure, but am not convinced it is needed. What’s the proper name for that BTW?

 

[James_Calvert]

I sometimes use a clove hitch at either end of my tiller lashing, attached to the pushpit each side of the cockpit.

Only overnight though, constant jiggling can work the lashing loose over a few days.

I've also lost a tender (happily reunited) on a couple of occasions, once with a clove hitch round a pushpit rail, and once with a rolling hitch around a pontoon bull rail (I have ever since backed up unattended rolling hitches with a second half hitch).

All knots properly tied!

 

[James_Calvert]

Dutch guy I sailed with uses a clove hitch, with a bight for quick release and an additional hitch with the bight if you want it to stay on for a long time, I have adopted this.

I do that for my fenders. It's an easy knot to tie one handed too, once you have the knack.

 

[TiggerToo]

For quickness - I often put fenders to guardwires at first ... then once alongside change to better securing point.

me too

 

[john_morris_uk]

Why ? The mention of seamanlike was made ... so I just posted on that ... just a comment - nothing else. No disrespect intended.

No criticism intended. I was thinking that the lack of seamanship on merchant ships was an interesting separate topic.

 

[Daydream believer]

Clove hitch when entering port then I go round & put an extra half hitch in the line when established all is OK. I tie to the top line as I cannot be bothered to bend down to the bottom.
I usually tie the jackstays, power cable & the cruising chute line up to the rail with the free ends at the same time. It keeps the side deck free of a trip hazards & if it rains there is no ugly dirt line left on the deck
I note the comment about frayed ends to fender lines above. I have friends who do have some hopeless mess affixed to their fenders. . It would drive me mad to see that on my boat, so all my fender lines are spliced to the fenders ( one per fender) & the other end is whipped & heat sealed as well. They are all the correct length
On the guard rail I have self amalgamating tape wound at 3 points each side. If I have a crew, it is much easier to tell them to put the fenders at the points thus marked, than explain 2 ft in front of staunchion "X" etc
Under way I hang the fenders over the stern. It annoys the wife, because she says it makes us look like a charter yacht. So i have continued to do it out of habit, even though she no longer sails with me.

 

[DanTribe]

Some good ideas here, but where can I buy some?
Nobody seems to stock them.

 

[RupertW]

Used to be a conversation subject - lazy boaters who don't stow fenders !!

As regards Fender Hooks ... seen too many lose fenders ... IMHO - awful things .... never really understood the need for them.

Sorry, what’s a fender hook?

The hooks I am talking about are in the line which runs along the bottom of all the fenders on one side back to an aft cleat. They hook onto the pulpit with the choice of hook deciding which of the 3 positions that sides fenders are in.

 

[penberth3]

Not exactly sure what it's called but a clove hitch except you put a bight underneath the turn instead of running it straight through so it's easier to undo.

This one? I use it a lot, can be made quick release by tucking the free end as a loop.

 

[RichardS]

This one? I use it a lot, can be made quick release by tucking the free end as a loop.

View attachment 116653

I think sea-fever is suggesting running a loop under the "cross run" rather than simply threading the bight under the cross run on a standard clove hitch.

Your bight goes over the "cross run". Is that still a clove hitch or does it have another name?

Richard

 

[Refueler]

Sorry, what’s a fender hook?

The hooks I am talking about are in the line which runs along the bottom of all the fenders on one side back to an aft cleat. They hook onto the pulpit with the choice of hook deciding which of the 3 positions that sides fenders are in.

Such as these :

FENDERHOOK The Strong Fast Easy to Use NO Knot Boat Fender Adjuster Clip 1" Rail | eBay

There are others, different design but still relying on line locking into a plastic cut. For me - the matter of a few sec's doing it by making a hitch is better than trusting a bit of plastic !!

 

[RupertW]

Such as these :

FENDERHOOK The Strong Fast Easy to Use NO Knot Boat Fender Adjuster Clip 1" Rail | eBay

There are others, different design but still relying on line locking into a plastic cut. For me - the matter of a few sec's doing it by making a hitch is better than trusting a bit of plastic !!

Ah, I see - why would anybody do that?

 

[Refueler]

Given the increase of 'convenience' items .... such have been around for donkeys years ...

Not all boaters are old -salts .....

 

[Stemar]

Such as these :

FENDERHOOK The Strong Fast Easy to Use NO Knot Boat Fender Adjuster Clip 1" Rail | eBay

There are others, different design but still relying on line locking into a plastic cut. For me - the matter of a few sec's doing it by making a hitch is better than trusting a bit of plastic !!

I'm far too tight to use them. I use these, at £2.50 a pop, though I doubt I paid that much 15 years ago when I got them.

As for making a hitch being better than trusting a bit of plastic, I'm inclined to agree, but it does depend on who's making the hitch. A lost fender because of a poorly tied know would tend to put a chill in the atmosphere, not to mention an invitation to "tie it yourself next time"

 

[Refueler]

Totally agree ..... lost fenders are not something I want either.

 

[James_Calvert]

I think sea-fever is suggesting running a loop under the "cross run" rather than simply threading the bight under the cross run on a standard clove hitch.

Your bight goes over the "cross run". Is that still a clove hitch or does it have another name?

Richard

I think that's a constrictor knot.

 

[Daydream believer]

I'm far too tight to use them. I use these, at £2.50 a pop, though I doubt I paid that much 15 years ago when I got them.

As for making a hitch being better than trusting a bit of plastic, I'm inclined to agree, but it does depend on who's making the hitch. A lost fender because of a poorly tied know would tend to put a chill in the atmosphere, not to mention an invitation to "tie it yourself next time"

Things like fender hooks may seem a good idea. But when one is going into a berth where one has no idea if one is going to get a boat against the side, or a pontoon & what way round that will be; then it is not much use. If rafting the fender has to be higher. If a pontoon then lower. If in an unknown lock it could be anywhere.
I know from experience that going into Cherbourg, Ostend, Ramsgate, Boulogne for example it is a lottery knowing what side of the boat the pontoon (if any) will be.
Last minute fender shuffling is par for the course & fun when single handed.

 

[RichardS]

I think that's a constrictor knot.

I've never heard of that but according to this: Constrictor Knot (Rope End Method) even with a constrictor knot the bight goes under the cross run rather than over it. Who would have thought that knots would be so complicated.

Richard