Rope Fenders

[lozjm]

Hi All,

 

First post so be gentle.

 

I know i can buy these but - does anyone have instruction of how to make rope fenders ( side ) - Its for the old man - so links to youtube are no good, anyone have it on paper ? - or know of a book i can get ?

 

Thanks all

 

 

Laurence

[Maverick]

Personally I have a great hatred for the things. When you moor against a bank they get full of mud then take great delight to smear it all down the sides of your boat. Washing em is nigh on impossible.

 

Avoid the little bleeders like the plague and buy some of those strong rubber ones

[Machpoint005]

Hi Loz and welcome. I know rope fenders are basically loads of crown knots one on top of the other, but trying to make one still beats me. I too would be interested if anyone knows more. P'raps it's one of those secret arts that is passed down after a 30-year apprenticeship?

 

Mav has a point about getting them muddy, but I'm more interested in making them for therapeutic reasons (to get my own back for perpetually tripping over the memsahib's latest knitting project).

 

Ian

[magnetman]

I once had a nice little ropework book, forgotten what it was called, about 1/2 inch thick A5 sized, yellow card covers and it gave details of making fenders using the old 'crosspointing' method as well as other things like 10ft long bow fenders for river tugs. I think I saw copies of it in Reeds Nautical Bookshop in Molesey, they don't have a website but Google will give you a phone number.

[Machpoint005]

Could it be this one?

clicky jobby

Ian

[haggis]

There is "the Fender Book" by Colin R Jones which is the DIY book of fenders. I can't quite understand the comment about getting them covered in mud then the mud rubbing off on the boat. If the banking is that muddy, is it not soft enough for you not to need fenders at all? I hesitate to start up a whole new can of worms but the only time I see boats with muddy fender marks along the sides are when they go along with fenders down. A bit like rubber fenders really, doesn't seem to be the done thing.

Having lit the blue touch paper I am now standing back and waiting to be told how arrogant etc I am

[Maverick]

There is "the Fender Book" by Colin R Jones which is the DIY book of fenders. I can't quite understand the comment about getting them covered in mud then the mud rubbing off on the boat. If the banking is that muddy, is it not soft enough for you not to need fenders at all? I hesitate to start up a whole new can of worms but the only time I see boats with muddy fender marks along the sides are when they go along with fenders down. A bit like rubber fenders really, doesn't seem to be the done thing.

Having lit the blue touch paper I am now standing back and waiting to be told how arrogant etc I am

 

You arrogant scotch **** Yes your quite right. I always forget to lift my fenders up. But it is true that you only need forget once and the mud works into all those holes. It virtually is impossible to clean em afterwards.

Edited September 11, 2007 by Maverick

[haggis]

You arrogant scotch **** Yes your quite right. I always forget to lift my fenders up. But it is true that you only need forget once and the mud works into all those holes. It virtually is impossible to clean em afterwards.

 

Dunk them up and down in a pail of water? Trail them along side the boat (in the water) hose them with a high pressure hose? Put them in the washing machine? Or just let them dry out and the mud will (eventually) fall off.

When recenty hosing down the bow fender I disturbed some of the biggest spiders i have ever seen. I stopped hosing as I didn't think they were doing any harm there.

[John Orentas]

I have always found those little rubber things to be a total waste of time, OK I suppose if your have a very accurate bank to moor up to but how often do you find one like that, I find I need fenders with plenty of bulk. Only a matter of time before someone says something like 'They're very good when you are in a lock'.

 

When the inevitable happens I think I will duck out this time.

[Maverick]

Dunk them up and down in a pail of water? Trail them along side the boat (in the water) hose them with a high pressure hose? Put them in the washing machine? Or just let them dry out and the mud will (eventually) fall off.

When recenty hosing down the bow fender I disturbed some of the biggest spiders i have ever seen. I stopped hosing as I didn't think they were doing any harm there.

 

 

[DHutch]

Personally I have a great hatred for the things. When you moor against a bank they get full of mud then take great delight to smear it all down the sides of your boat. Washing em is nigh on impossible.

 

Avoid the little bleeders like the plague and buy some of those strong rubber ones

Yeah, ditto im afraid, and largely, the inflatable yacht type fenders also, espcially in any other colour than black.

- We have a set of these (bar one that went walkies) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Six-Quality-Side-Fen...1QQcmdZViewItem

- There a bargin at half the price, and after 5years ours look as good as new and work as well as any other we've used, neat and to the point.

 

 

Save your ropework for the front and rear fenders i say.

 

And as for fenders needing 'bulk' john, i hear what your saying. And when we origanally got the above fenders we kept back a few of our old inflatable ones for use where the bank was rough. But tbh, we've never used them, prefering to simply move the fenders we have to the offending area should the bank not be stright.

- I must admit, if we are in at the side, it does rather preclude it to be a good side. But still, really never had a problem.

- The also will sink (although the rope floats, for retreaval) so can be used below the waterline should that be nessary.

- Currently where mored against a muddy edge with a stack load of reeds. That works too...

 

 

 

Daniel

[Machpoint005]

Not very therapeutic making a black rubber tube, though...

Ian

[DHutch]

Not very therapeutic making a black rubber tube, though...

Ian

Ah, no. But it takes less time... Leaving time for more theraputic things.

- Like lying on you back, on oil covered engineroom board, in the 12inch gap between lit boiler and a ht engine, trying to a thread an m8 nut onto a imperial thread, that you cant prevent turning round. Isnt that right joe... (he even offered!! i just watch him stuggle!)

 

 

 

Daniel

[allybsc]

Could it be this one?

clicky jobby

Ian

 

I'm liking the look of that book for my partner, all that whipping sounds fun!!! that must be where the phrase "whipped into shape" comes from...and I always thought it meant a damn good beating

[magnetman]

Thats the book i mean. I personally think side fenders are pointless while out boating, specially in locks, they get in the way. Edited

Edited September 11, 2007 by magnetman

[Liam]

Go-Kart tyres...

 

We've got a Daytona near us, and now and again they obviously go and replace the tyres on the karts. My Dad went and came away with 6. The bloke was dead chuffed that somebody actually wanted to take used tyres of him as they're a bugger to get rid of apparently.

 

A hole drilled in the top for the rope, and one in the bottom to drain the water out, and they make cracking fenders. They are alot wider than the usual rope side fenders you see on boats. The best of it is that they're free, and easily replaceable. Stacker tyres are probably the same thing too.

 

Go Kart Tyres... (nice and shiny to suit the boats who go cruising with them down whilst locking )

 

[magnetman]

And for a stern fender i use a Vespa wheel and inflated tyre (got it out of the cut attached to a Vespa) fixed horizontally above the rudder, protects it nicely and doesn't rot the paint. Front fender is half a Pirelli P6000 as fitted to the Jaguar XJ series.

[bottle]

Hi

 

Have made a few following the directions of "Des Pawson"

Also gives directions for buttons and tipcats, not tried that yet

 

[saltysplash]

Go-Kart tyres...

 

We've got a Daytona near us, and now and again they obviously go and replace the tyres on the karts. My Dad went and came away with 6. The bloke was dead chuffed that somebody actually wanted to take used tyres of him as they're a bugger to get rid of apparently.

 

A hole drilled in the top for the rope, and one in the bottom to drain the water out, and they make cracking fenders. They are alot wider than the usual rope side fenders you see on boats. The best of it is that they're free, and easily replaceable. Stacker tyres are probably the same thing too.

 

Go Kart Tyres... (nice and shiny to suit the boats who go cruising with them down whilst locking )

 

 

 

Yep, used to use tyres on our old ironclad dutch barge.

 

The looks on the faces of the ginpalace types as we enterd Thames locks were always a picture. they used to move further up the lock quite rapidy i recall.

 

I once mentioned this to a lock keeper at Hampton and he said. "oh you mean the splitters" "why splitters?" says I " ah, coz thats the sound they make when you hit them" says he with a twinkle in his eye

[Machpoint005]

Have made a few following the directions of "Des Pawson"

Also gives directions for buttons and tipcats, not tried that yet

Thanks Keith, I'll give that a shot.

Ian

[saltysplash]

Thanks Keith, I'll give that a shot.

Ian

 

 

http://www.getknotteduk.com/frames.htm

 

The fender book.. got one meself and it talks ya through it.

 

 

Had to troll through bloody fender guitar books looking for that link tut

[lozjm]

Thanks all for you help. I habve a few links - and plenty of book recommendations

 

Thanks Again

 

Loz

[John Orentas]

 

 

Are you sure that is not that Ben Laden bloke, after all it can be a bit tedious sitting in a cave all day, making a few fenders might just pass the time.

[Blake]

Hi All,

 

First post so be gentle.

 

I know i can buy these but - does anyone have instruction of how to make rope fenders ( side ) - Its for the old man - so links to youtube are no good, anyone have it on paper ? - or know of a book i can get ?

 

Thanks all

Laurence

Gentle couteoud and gracious - welcome and I have the answer. I have just made some from a little book by Des Pawson callled Ropework I think - a brilliant book and yoiu can have fun with mats and lanyards fenders and keyrings. May I also suggest yoiu get in touch with Pete at Tradline in Braunston. Really nice guy with lots of patience and useful advice on rope sizes lengths etc. Have fun and don't wear youir fingers out. Oh an d by the way a usweful tool is a marlin spike like on an old fisherman's knife - I'm sure yoiu know all this as well as using insulation tape to bind round the ends.