Docking Fenders

[Skidave]

Anyone have any recommendations for fenders used for docking. We will be docking against an old pontoon boat that has been turned into a floating dock. Minor wakes and chop will be around the area, so I'm a bit concerned about tying up to the pontoon dock. I have those jet-ski suction cup fenders that work well for tying up to a similar size vessel. I'm worried about the sloshing and side of the pontoon. I'm thinking of getting big round white fenders, but then I have to store them! Those jet-ski fenders are small and compact. Information welcome...

Thanks!

[JoeA]

Go to bakesonline.com and buy a pair of Exile buoy balls at $20 each. Inexpensive and very effective.

[beach]

Is this for long term or temporary docking? I use hippity hops from Toys R Us and carry a 12v inflator on the boat. I don't think I'd trust them for long term docking though; I'd be afraid that they'd pop.

[Skidave]

Thanks JoeA. Here is a the link: http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=2737 Doesn't say to inflate them. I'm hoping I can use my inflator for the tube. I'll research.

[Skidave]

Thanks Beach! I'd be afraid those will not last long enough. This is not for long term...day use. I work at a hospital; I should just grab a few of those birthing balls!

[LFEngineering]

I recently picked up some Taylor Made Low Freeboard fenders. I picked them over the standard cylinder or ball type because they gave me (and my old tique) a bit more protection from taller docks. The best price I found was $19.99 each at Boatersland, but that was without shipping. Thankfully Overton's price matched Boatersland and had free shipping so I got a pair of them for $39.89.
The next task was figuring out how to attach them to the boat. I saw somebody makes these fancy little clips, but that wasn’t creative enough for me so I made my own from 1/2" PVC tees.

Please excuse the eyes on the fenders, my (very creative & funny) brother though they looked like seals so he made eyes from electrical tape and I decided to keep em.

[xrichard]

From too many bad experiences, I can say the hard-side fenders (like what LFEngineering posted) will likely leave small scratches in your gel coat over time especially if they get dirty at all (e.g. from the dock). Nothing major, but it can be very noticeable especially if you have colored gel. You can get terry fender covers that will help--just clean them periodically. Unfortunately, for long term tie ups (e.g. months at a time), harder fenders are probably your only choice because they're durable.

I don't time up long term, so I switched to Exile balls. A lot of people say they don't scratch--I haven't used them enough to know. A big benefit is they can inflate fairly large--very nice given the swing of towers with racks.

[Ccamp2]

you dont see these much but I saw some at Bro Stock on an X Star and had to get some. They worked great this weekend for tying up at the dock and tying up next to other boats. When I was done. I rolled them up and stored them.


http://www.airhead.com/boating/hull-...arge-blue.html

[Spencermo]

another option is boatballz....i just ordered a pair.
http://floatingyourboat.com/boat-ballz-1/

can use BUCREW15 for 20% off up til 6/24/15

[nyryan2001]

balls work great for raft ups where there are two large parallel flat surfaces for the ball to run and move around between. A+ for that application. but they still wont keep towers and racks from slamming together during rough wave action. raft ups WILL damage your boat, from small scratches on your stickers and gel, to the bigger stuff.... its a matter of time. I might find myself in a raft up situation once a year maybe... and if that happens its in very calm water.

Balls don't work as well for thin edged docks. They are quite terrible for that. At Lake Anna for example...208 Bridge Marinas, No Wake Zone and Tims restaurants for example are all lower thin edged docks. As the boat and/or dock moves up and down from wave action, the ball rolls around and can slip out, above or under the dock and and then you've got a major issue and damage coming. The lower the dock, the longer the line the ball hangs on and higher chance of it rolling around on you.

Ive been through a ton of fenders. Generally I want affordable BIG fenders that will work over a most any set and range of conditions. For any of the larger wakeboats.... 10" x 24' is ideal. If you have friend or family hanging fenders, it doesn't have to be perfectly centered, there's enough fender there to compensate. go smaller on your fenders and you better have it centered perfectly as wave action will work the fender out of place.

Check out the Proline fenders--10" x 24". hard to find online... you need to go to your Hyperlite dealer. Jeff turned me on to these last summer, and I love them after having numerous $40-60each fenders fail on me. Proline is a subset of Hyperlite. $30-$40eac and it come with a blow up fender and a nylon cover. when we are out floating my boys love floating and horsing around on them.

[Skidave]

Everyone,

Thanks again for the information. It's too late to get something for this weekend, but I will research and make a purchase. I'll respond back once I have a setup.

I have never docked or beached this boat. I'm the guy that stands on the dock and holds the tower or makes my wife stand on the dock and hold the tower. Where we are, there are no restaurants or places to stay for an extended period of time. We are however using a friends dock at their cabin and my wife will shoot me if I stand on the dock and nervously watch the boat!

[nyryan2001]

This is what I do friends' houses that are on rough water that's not good to tie up with any type or amount of fenders... I know what you mean, your boat just gets hammered against the dock and you cant enjoy yourself.


approach the dock and let your passengers off.... then push off and throw an anchor ~30ft on the downwind / down-current side of his dock. with a stretchy section in the anchor line. I use a box anchor and an anchor buddy(20-40ft stretchy line doubled over on itself). once the anchor is thrown, idle back the boat towards the dock, cut the engine, grab a line you've tied to a rear cleat, hop off and let the stretch line pull the boat go back out to the anchor 10-15ft off the dock. tie off the stern line to your buddy's dock and go enjoy yourself.

[swankster]

+1 for Ryan's suggestion above. If your going to be there for a while I use a 5 gal bucket with rebar and concrete as my anchor and put a buoy on the top side of the anchor buddy line. That way I can leave it in the water for the week I'm going to be there. All you have to do is snap the buoy to the nose of the boat and back up to to dock and let everyone out.

[cedarcreek216]

Anchor buddy is the best option if you can trust the boat floating away from the dock, would not do in a high traffic area. Another risk is the a hot pulling up over night. I use this option all the time while anchoring during the day, but not sure I would trust an anchor over night in any kind of traffic area.


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[D-GOOSE]

This is another option

Boat Ballz

http://floatingyourboat.com/

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Boat Ballz are a great alternative to regular fenders when tying your boat up to other boats or the dock. When tying 2 wakeboard boats together their 18” diameter when inflated will keep the boats far enough apart to keep the racks and boards from touching. They are easy to inflate by mouth or with the available hand pump and then they easily deflate to store. So if you want to have a good time in party cove you better GET A PAIR!

*Easy to inflate and deflate for storage

*18" diameter (57" circumference) to keep boats and docks away from your beautiful gel coat

*Handle makes it east to hang on boat's cleats

*Available in 4 colors, black, blue red, yellow

*Comes with plug removal tool

*Boat Ballz are for use as a boat fender/buoy only and not as a bounce toy. WFYB is not responsible for injuries using them as a bounce toy.