Bow tube fenders

[Tigerr]

On the previous boat, Reeves, the area just behind the bow strake steel used to get trashed up. I see the same thing on a lot of boats. I had some thick butyl rubber tube fenders made, hung low festoon-style to heavy staples on the gunnel just behind the cratch. These were marvellously effective in cushioning, for instance, the impact of an unfortunate swing in a lock, or the evil gouging of a section of exposed steel siding. Brilliant. 

Only a couple of times in 10 yrs, at e.g Hurlestone, did we need to lift a fender tube to pass. I always wondered why this wasn't much more common. Seems obvious that the space-maximising square design of almost all NBs is inherently flawed in the bow-to-main square hull join. Loads of scrapes, rusting etc. 

That was over 10 yrs ago. 

Imagine my shock to discover how much today it would cost to have another 3m of 80mm butyl tube made for the new boat! 

After a lot of internet searching, I have found HGV lorry bumper D extrusion tube. It's heavy stuff, a lot stiffer than butyl, and possibly a bit fatter. But at £80 for two 3m lengths, must be worth a shot. Hang and used it this weekend and so far I am impressed. 

I see some boats with long knotted bow festoons, but interested to know if anyone else has tried my idea. I should say, Knowing the forum, that I couldn't give a toss for the holy helmsmen who never make contact with the edge. It's a canal, not the med. 

 

[IanD]

3 minutes ago, Tigerr said:

On the previous boat, Reeves, the area just behind the bow strake steel used to get trashed up. I see the same thing on a lot of boats. I had some thick butyl rubber tube fenders made, hung low festoon-style to heavy staples on the gunnel just behind the cratch. These were marvellously effective in cushioning, for instance, the impact of an unfortunate swing in a lock, or the evil gouging of a section of exposed steel siding. Brilliant. 

Only a couple of times in 10 yrs, at e.g Hurlestone, did we need to lift a fender tube to pass. I always wondered why this wasn't much more common. Seems obvious that the space-maximising square design of almost all NBs is inherently flawed in the bow-to-main square hull join. Loads of scrapes, rusting etc. 

That was over 10 yrs ago. 

Imagine my shock to discover how much today it would cost to have another 3m of 80mm butyl tube made for the new boat! 

After a lot of internet searching, I have found HGV lorry bumper D extrusion tube. It's heavy stuff, a lot stiffer than butyl, and possibly a bit fatter. But at £80 for two 3m lengths, must be worth a shot. Hang and used it this weekend and so far I am impressed. 

I see some boats with long knotted bow festoons, but interested to know if anyone else has tried my idea. I should say, Knowing the forum, that I couldn't give a toss for the holy helmsmen who never make contact with the edge. It's a canal, not the med. 

 

 

I saw a boat with the long rope bow fenders and it looked like a good idea to me, but I didn't manage to find a supplier and then kind of forgot. Your idea sounds like a good one -- any pictures?

[magnetman]

I keep my bow tubes clear of obstructions so the torpedoes can get out cleanly. 

[Tigerr]

15 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

I saw a boat with the long rope bow fenders and it looked like a good idea to me, but I didn't manage to find a supplier and then kind of forgot. Your idea sounds like a good one -- any pictures?

I will take a picture next week when back on board. The lorry bumpers sit quite handsomely, but I do have an additional 6 inches width at the bow. 

To my mind, the boat design issue is very obvious, and evident in all the boats one sea with bashed and scraped damage just abaft of the bow strake. I completely understand that the hull design is about space maximisation and minimal steel curving, but it has always looked to me to be a poor considered area. there is a similar area at the stern of most NBs, in my opinion. 

However, the things I have hung weigh too much, and that's going to be an issue when, as will certainly happen, one or both need to be lifted in a narrow lock situation. 

What puzzles me though is why this sort of protection is not universal. 

[blackrose]

14 hours ago, magnetman said:

I keep my bow tubes clear of obstructions so the torpedoes can get out cleanly. 

 

What is a bow tube anyway?

 

I've got one of these 3m long rubber fenders running down each side of the bow. From memory they're roughly 83mm OD/52mm ID, giving a wall thickness of about 15mm.

 

 

I think they were about £50 each but that was nearly 20 years ago. If you want the same sort of thing in rope fender material be prepared to pay several hundred £.

Edited February 27 by blackrose

[Stroudwater1]

Isn’t it usually superficial scuffs that happen here? The occasional dent adds character. A touch up with paint is probably best, together with touching up other parts of the sides when doing it. 
 

[Tigerr]

Yes black rose, that is the setup I used to have. I got the tubes from Seals Direct back in 2012. But they cost a fortune now to have made, can't find a supplier for them. I've seen rope fenders like that, also very costly and not convinced they do as good a job.

So I am trying out truck bumper tubes instead. Very much cheaper but might not be quite the thing. 

The main aim is to have a shock-absorber in the contact area, to reduce the effect of being knocked about in a lock, or misjudging a landing. 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

3" thick wall Alkathene water pipe looks to be very similar and the stuff I've got is certainly not easily crushable.

 

 

 

I have a 12-15 metre length and it can be run over by big farm machinery without crushing.

It is 63mm OD with 6mm wall thickness.

 

 

It is £27 for a 6 metre length : here

 

MDPE Pipe Length Blue | Trustpilot Reviews 5.0 Stars Excellent (pipestock.com)

 

 

Edited February 27 by Alan de Enfield

[Peugeot 106]

15 hours ago, Tigerr said:

On the previous boat, Reeves, the area just behind the bow strake steel used to get trashed up. I see the same thing on a lot of boats. I had some thick butyl rubber tube fenders made, hung low festoon-style to heavy staples on the gunnel just behind the cratch. These were marvellously effective in cushioning, for instance, the impact of an unfortunate swing in a lock, or the evil gouging of a section of exposed steel siding. Brilliant. 

Only a couple of times in 10 yrs, at e.g Hurlestone, did we need to lift a fender tube to pass. I always wondered why this wasn't much more common. Seems obvious that the space-maximising square design of almost all NBs is inherently flawed in the bow-to-main square hull join. Loads of scrapes, rusting etc. 

That was over 10 yrs ago. 

Imagine my shock to discover how much today it would cost to have another 3m of 80mm butyl tube made for the new boat! 

After a lot of internet searching, I have found HGV lorry bumper D extrusion tube. It's heavy stuff, a lot stiffer than butyl, and possibly a bit fatter. But at £80 for two 3m lengths, must be worth a shot. Hang and used it this weekend and so far I am impressed. 

I see some boats with long knotted bow festoons, but interested to know if anyone else has tried my idea. I should say, Knowing the forum, that I couldn't give a toss for the holy helmsmen who never make contact with the edge. It's a canal, not the med. 

 

 

Looks like a really good idea which I never thought of. We always return from holiday with dents and paint scrapes of shame exactly where you say. We have a short boat and it is always damaged in this area. I would need to fit some recessed fixing but that wouldn’t be difficult for a welder.

Having once got caught on a lock gate I would make sure that these fenders are protected with a weak link eg cut chain, string or in my case cable ties

[Alan de Enfield]

The reviews of this 'stuff' show folks have used it on their boat as a 'fender' and another used it on his jetty as a fender.

 

 

D Fender (2550mm x 86mm x 76mm) – Nationwide Trailer Parts Ltd (nationwide-trailer-parts.co.uk)

 

£32 + VAT for 2550 cm

[Tigerr]

That’s the stuff I got. Cost £80 delivered. 

3 hours ago, Peugeot 106 said:

 

Looks like a really good idea which I never thought of. We always return from holiday with dents and paint scrapes of shame exactly where you say. We have a short boat and it is always damaged in this area. I would need to fit some recessed fixing but that wouldn’t be difficult for a welder.

Having once got caught on a lock gate I would make sure that these fenders are protected with a weak link eg cut chain, string or in my case cable ties

Instead of a recess fixing I put heavy staples onto the gunnel edge. You need to be able to lift it inboard occasionally for very narrow bits and that’s harder if it’s run to a recess fixing.