Rubber pipe fenders

[Deep]

Morning. Does anybody know where I can buy the rubber pipe used in pipe fenders?

[Tracy D'arth]

I think it is not made as pipe.  Try Seals Direct and similar companies as a starting point, they sell all sorts of extruded rubber sections including dock edging etc.  I find the products of Firestone, Pirelli, Goodyear, Dunlop etc to be suitable, available in various circular sizes.

[Deep]

Thank you

[frangar]

They are the work of the devil. Useless as fenders…sink when they get ripped off and jam lock gates up when the fall on the cill. 

Edited December 16, 2022 by frangar

[Annie cariad]

I have six for sale £5 each collect saltisford 

[MtB]

56 minutes ago, frangar said:

They are the work of the devil. Useless as fenders…sink when they get ripped off and jam lock gates up when the fall on the cill. 

 

They also lie on the bottom of the cut with their floating ropes rising vertically from them, trying to snare passing propellers. One snared mine and we only discovered the cause of all the racket when engaging ahead or astern when the boat was docked. 

 

It just so happened to happen about a mile from the dock we were heading for anyway, at the time, so we bow-hauled the last half mile after repeated dives down the blade hatch and finding nothing obvious. (The pipe itself was hanging down out of the way when the blade was stationary, only rising to batter the underside of the counter when a gear was engaged.)

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by MtB
Add a bit.

[Jon57]

Saw a guy who had slid a load on a rope and said he used them to drop down the mitre of leaking gates?

I know the old boatmen used to use the long shaft for the same reason. Don’t know if it works. We could start a collection and give it a try. 😁😁 . Totally agree with the above comments.

[Chewbacka]

1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I think it is not made as pipe.  Try Seals Direct and similar companies as a starting point, they sell all sorts of extruded rubber sections including dock edging etc.  I find the products of Firestone, Pirelli, Goodyear, Dunlop etc to be suitable, available in various circular sizes.

Then again you could put pipe fender in eBay search and get a bit of rope with it as well

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

Then again you could put pipe fender in eBay search and get a bit of rope with it as well

 

From the way the OP was worded I got the feeling they wanted the rubber material for something else, and was trying to identify the source. 

 

 

[dmr]

I have several pipe fenders that I have collected from my prop, one with great difficulty.

Proper rope fenders look better, perform better, are not anti-social, and only a bit more expensive.

[Nightwatch]

I have six rubber fenders in use. I have had them 12 years or more. Not lost one yet. Just saying.

 

And I’ve never picked one up on the prop. Other stuff yes, but not a rubber fender.

[Tony Brooks]

2 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

I have six rubber fenders in use. I have had them 12 years or more. Not lost one yet. Just saying.

 

And I’ve never picked one up on the prop. Other stuff yes, but not a rubber fender.

 

Neither did I after I made the easily removed hand rail hooks so they could be taken off and not fall down when cruising. Maybe, seeing how some locks are restrictive width wise it might be a good idea for a new bylaw to minimize it - providing it was enforced sensibly.

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

They also lie on the bottom of the cut with their floating ropes rising vertically from them, trying to snare passing propellers.

All mine have had their floating polypropylene ropes replaced with sinking polyester. I did that after reading about you plight on here. Never actually lost one, but still. 

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

All mine have had their floating polypropylene ropes replaced with sinking polyester. I did that after reading about you plight on here. Never actually lost one, but still. 

 

Very noble of you, thank you!!

 

 

[Jon57]

13 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

All mine have had their floating polypropylene ropes replaced with sinking polyester. I did that after reading about you plight on here. Never actually lost one, but still. 

Tried that with bottles of beer. Will have to break the ice incase of emergency.🤣🤣🤣

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, Deep said:

Thank you

Those pipe fenders have sharp edges, which means they rub though the polyprop rope if jammed against sharp edges. Also check the base knots are big enough when you buy them DAMHIK

[Hudds Lad]

We had some come with the boat, after a night of them squeaking against the armco whenever anyone aboard so much as twitched, they got replaced by some proper rope ones from the lovely people at Tradline in Braunston.

 

I’d suggest if you want some, go to a nearby popular narrow lock with a grapple, soon have a load of ‘em.

[blackrose]

3 hours ago, frangar said:

They are the work of the devil. Useless as fenders…sink when they get ripped off and jam lock gates up when the fall on the cill. 

 

Really? Thanks for letting me know. I've been using them for 20 years, found them excellent as fenders and never had a problem with them.

1 hour ago, LadyG said:

Those pipe fenders have sharp edges, which means they rub though the polyprop rope if jammed against sharp edges. Also check the base knots are big enough when you buy them DAMHIK

 

Mine don't have sharp edges. Rubber extrusions aren't usually sharp.

[LadyG]

55 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Really? Thanks for letting me know. I've been using them for 20 years, found them excellent as fenders and never had a problem with them.

 

Mine don't have sharp edges. Rubber extrusions aren't usually sharp.

The ones I have have sort of discs at the top. Anyway, one dropped off in first few days, and another I found the polyprop was half worn through after a while. Agree  rope fenders are best, though I only have one or two and they look very tatty. 

[haggis]

Pipe fenders are only a problem if you boat with them down as they get caught in lock gates and sides and they can break free and become a problem for other boaters. If it floats your boat, mooring with them is fine but please lift them when boating. 

[Deep]

My reason for asking is that my grandson is making me some wooden fender hooks as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Award woodwork assignment and I thought it would be good if he made the whole thing. It would seem that I will buy rope fenders instead.

[Jon57]

Just now, Deep said:

My reason for asking is that my grandson is making me some wooden fender hooks as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Award woodwork assignment and I thought it would be good if he made the whole thing. It would seem that I will buy rope fenders instead.

Good decision 👍

[MtB]

Or enhance his skillset by buying ome rope, and he can make some proper rope fenders instead? I suspect the thin rope fenders one sees for sale only slightly thicker than a rubber pipe fender are really easy to make. Bet there are some tutorials on youtube.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, Deep said:

My reason for asking is that my grandson is making me some wooden fender hooks as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Award woodwork assignment and I thought it would be good if he made the whole thing. It would seem that I will buy rope fenders instead.

You use to be able to buy a kit to make rope fenders, that would look even better

 

[Cheshire cat]

The rubber fenders are made by these guys. 

 

Tradline

 

They have an extruder that recycles insulation for underwater cables