Wrap around fender strip needed

[ProDave]

Having just brought my boat home for the winter on it's trailer, I'm starting looking at the winter jobs.

The first is replacing the wrap around fender strip.

Where the hull moulding joins the topside moulding, the come together as two flat edges projecting outwards if that makes sense (see pictures)

The first picture shows the naked profile with the old fender strip removed. The overall thickness of the profile is 12mm.

The second picture shows a sample of the best I have found yet for sale on ebay.

While it fits and is better than what's there, it's not really right. for a start the 12mm thickness is a bit too much for this sample piece, and secondly I would really like something that wraps further over the joint.

What I'm really looking for is something more of a U profile, rather than half round as the original and sample piece are.

Any suggestions? I need a total of 45 feet to wrap around the whole boat.

 

[vyv_cox]

Have you tried Seals Direct?

 

[ProDave]

Have you tried Seals Direct?

Thanks, the RFU101 profile looks more like I had in mind.

Not cheap though, that works out 3 times the cost of the not quite right one from ebay.

 

[Lakesailor]

When you say "not quite right" do you mean you think it may come loose?
As far as I know, the trick is to secure the fender rubber at one aft quarter, put the coil in a tub of hot water so it becomes soft and expands, fit it to the boat going to the bow and back down the other side. Then pull it tight and fix at the opposite aft quarter. When it cools it will be a nice tight fit, in tension. If the seal goes across your transom as well just fix it where the two ends will meet.
Not done it myself, but that's how I understand you get it nice and tight.
Seals Direct are a bit eyewateringly expensive.

 

[Seajet]

Also try Wilkes;

they're helpful and will send you a short sample once you identify the likely choice.

These rubbing strips can be a real pain; I know someone who had to 'tow' a section along each side of his 22' boat with a landrover !!!

 

[ProDave]

Thanks again.

When I say the ebay one is not quite right, I mean I think it's for a slightly thinner profile. When fitted to my boat it looks like it's just a little too stretched open. However I like Lakesailors suggestion of warming it and stretching it on, that may be all it needs to make it a snug fit.

It goes all around my boat including the transom with the joint being at the bow. There's an aluminuim profile that covers the fender strip at the bow, and another at each transom corner, and a 4th where the middle of the transom steps in and back out where the rudder mounts.

I'll contact Wilkes for some prices, it looks like they have several possibilities as well, and if their prices look reasonable I'll request a couple of samples.

Anything will be better than what's on the boat at the moment. What's there looks to me to be a bit of reinforced hose pipe, slit down it's length. It might have been stretched on once, but it's certainly not tight now, and somebody has tried glueing it on with clear silicone sealant, which no longer sticks it and all needs removing.

I was going to ask for advice on what (if any) adhesive to use to make it a more secure fit. What's happening at the moment is the side with the fenders on, where the fenders or ropes go over this fender strip it just falls off exposing the edge of the GRP joint, which is why I want to replace it with something better.

 

[raggy]

http://www.portmererubber.co.uk/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

These guys are in southampton and are very good.

See section 4-3-9 in there cat for U fenders