Buoys - fenders - bumpers

[harddock]

What do you use to cushion your boat against another boat while rafting or tying up to a dock.
How are you attaching them to the hull?

If you are padding the dock itself what are you using?

[Nautiquehunter]

RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

Never raft very seldom dock when I do there are plenty of people to catch the boat.

[AuMDLST]

RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

never - ever - without question do I tie up to anyone!!!
Not even the Fresh water and game patrol - All hands on deck - Hold them at arms length.

[210GA]

RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

We tie up all the time to others but we have to know them and then only on one side; we never try and get pinched in the middle of two boats. When we do tie up we use 4 or 5 long bumpers. (Knock on wood) we haven't had a mishap yet.

We don't tie up to people we do not know; when we are tied up we do not allow people to walk from one boat to another unless it's on the platform.

[Hollywood]

RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

We use the low freeboard/bass boat bumpers with suction cups. They actually hold surprisingly well.



The best dock is one with tall vertical pipes/boards. The rub rail can do it's job, no bumpers needed.

[CradGen2]

RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

I only tie up with people who have larger boats. They normally have larger fenders and I keep the ropes tight so the boats don't bouneh into eachother. We never tie up in the main channel.

I make the game commision use their fenders and we always have lots of hands on deck for that Glorious event.

[DanielC]

RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

I too use the "bass" boat fenders. My boat is a 1997 Ski Nautique. For the front, I have a fifteen foot rope with a loop that goes over the pylon. and the fender is tied into the fifteen foot rope where it just hangs over the boat at the correct spot. When I pull up to a dock, I can just drop it over the drivers side, or with a little practice, I can toss ot over the port side. The extra rope is used to tie to mooring cleats, or whatever is handy.
On the back of the boat, I removed the brackets that hold the rear seat back in place, and put nylon straps about six inches long, and one inch wide under them. I have the "bass" boat fenders with a short strap and a clamp that I thread the nylon strap on the boat into., and that holds them. for the bacl dock line, I use the 15 foot take off section from a slalom rope that almost every body removes. I tie it to the rear lifting eye.
I almost always try to park on the inside of docks.

[rugdr]

RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

We use theses: http://www.ourtoyshop.com/558596.html

They are vinyl, so they don't scratch at all. You can control how much air is in them for either a cushion bumper or solid bumper. They are also a great conversation piece. People will laugh at first....till they try them.

[Nautiquehunter]

Re: RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

We use theses: http://www.ourtoyshop.com/558596.html

They are vinyl, so they don't scratch at all. You can control how much air is in them for either a cushion bumper or solid bumper. They are also a great conversation piece. People will laugh at first....till they try them.

Where do you keep them ? Do you deflate them when not in use?

[rugdr]

RE: Re: RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

Yep deflate them every time. They inflate extremely fast with a tube pump and just have a plastic piece that plugs the hole. Just knot the rope to handle, inflate, and at the end of the day deflate, fold them up small and use the rope to tie them up. Easiest thing (and cheapest) that I have found.

[TravisFling]

RE: Re: RE: Buoys - fenders - bumpers

I second the kids bouncy balls. Incredibly easy to use and they work perfect, as they float, and it's a ball, so you don't have to tend to them too much, as they're always "up". Work perfectly, except for the kids want to bounce on them soooo badly. hehehe.