Front and back fenders weak links

[KezzerN]

I can't find the thread where this was mentioned so I am starting a new thread.  When doing the weak links how do you make them weak and which is the best place on the fender chain to put them?  Thanks!

[Rob-M]

Partially cut through any link on one side of the chain so it will snap if the fender gets caught.

[KezzerN]

Thanks for the speedy response Rob.  I don't think I have a hacksaw blade that will cut metal so I will have to sort out getting one.

[Tonka]

Just now, KezzerN said:

Thanks for the speedy response Rob.  I don't think I have a hacksaw blade that will cut metal so I will have to sort out getting one.

Do they do hacksaw blades that don't cut metal ?

[KezzerN]

Just now, Tonka said:

Do they do hacksaw blades that don't cut metal ?

 

 

No idea; I assume some were just for wood???  I am not that technical.

 

 

[BEngo]

Alternatively,

replace one link with a cable tie, or

Take bolt croppers to one side of a link.

N

[KezzerN]

Just now, BEngo said:

Alternatively,

replace one link with a cable tie, or

Take bolt croppers to one side of a link.

N

 

 

I do have bolt croppers.  In fact I have three pairs: two small and one big pair.  There are certain tools I really like and bolt croppers are one of them!  I shall have to be careful and not overdo it and cut straight through.

 

 

[Tonka]

3 minutes ago, BEngo said:

Alternatively,

replace one link with a cable tie, or

Take bolt croppers to one side of a link.

N

If he hasn't got a hacksaw blade, you think he might have a bolt cropper

 

 

 

 

Oops sorry. He has

Edited March 29, 2025 by Tonka
Extra info

[Alan de Enfield]

7 minutes ago, KezzerN said:

I shall have to be careful and not overdo it and cut straight through.

 

You do need to cut right thru' (one side of the link)

[Mike Tee]

I'd strongly recommend the suggestion of cutting through one side of a link in the chain with bolt croppers - but only do it one one side of the fender, this will allow the fender to fall to the side thereby not losing the expensive fender!

[LadyG]

27 minutes ago, KezzerN said:

 

 

No idea; I assume some were just for wood???  I am not that technical.

 

 

Lol, thats plane to see!

You use different blades for cutting wood,  numerous different types of saw are available including:

Fretsaw

Coping saw

Tenon saw

Carpenters hardpoint saw

Bow saw etc....

Most will cut through wood, but metal is generally much harder.

Most people would buy a small hacksaw for this job.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2025 by LadyG

[magnetman]

Hacksaw or bolt cutters is good. 

An angel grinder can do it but its overkill and a bit hazardous. 

 

I use the zapper on my keyring to cut chains. I was given it for a birthday. My sister was quite high up in Kroll O'Gara security/military hardware services for a while. 

 

I also have a long range acoustic device. 

 

 

 

 

 

[KezzerN]

Bolt croppers have worked a treat.  Thanks everyone.

[magnetman]

I wonder if one were to take 1,000 uses of 'bolt croppers' how many times someone cut a bolt. 

 

I think they should be chain and lock cutters. 

 

 

 

 

[Jonny P]

The photo below shows damage to the screw lock carabiner type fitting rather than rope links that you might assume to be the weakest link.

 

This was caused by the bow fender riding gates while the boat was in gear due to having a boat under tow behind (35’ tug towing an alleged 42’ boat).

 

I didn’t realise until after the event.

[magnetman]

That is a handy weak link but more expensive to replace than a normal chain link cut on one side. 

 

Back in the day I used to regularly pull out opened up forged iron chain links with the magnet. They were forged in such a way as to have an overlap. A bit like a keyring. 

 

I wondered if these may have been a safety feature on the towing harness attached to the animal. 

 

Its nice in some situations to have this sort of thing. 

I think there would have been something to prevent a minor Boat handling error resulting in the animal going into the water. 

Edited March 29, 2025 by magnetman

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Jonny P said:

The photo below shows damage to the screw lock carabiner type fitting rather than rope links that you might assume to be the weakest link.

 

This was caused by the bow fender riding gates while the boat was in gear due to having a boat under tow behind (35’ tug towing an alleged 42’ boat).

 

I didn’t realise until after the event.

 

 

 

I've found that chain links cut right through on one side eventually open up in normal use (and the chain comes apart) just like the carabiner link in your photo. Similarly with cable ties, they just break pretty soon.

 

So nowadays I cut 95% of the way through one side of a chain link. These work fine and still break under extreme stress. DAMHIK.

 

 

[Jonny P]

7 minutes ago, magnetman said:

That is a handy weak link but more expensive to replace than a normal chain link cut on one side. 

They’re not particularly expensive but it could be argued it didn’t work sufficiently to avert a full hang up as the fender hasn’t been totally released. I didn’t though recall any alarming moment and because of the circumstances was being ultra-vigilant. I can’t even tell you which lock it was in just that it was somewhere between Hillmorton bottom (where with the volockies help we trialled both boats in a narrow lock) and Bosley top.

 

It was more for the interest that what you’d think to be the weak link wasn’t. The rope ‘shackles’ were stretched too. And you’ll note the bow shackle attachment has been turned around suggesting the fender did lift at some point.

Edited March 29, 2025 by Jonny P

[David Mack]

59 minutes ago, Jonny P said:

They’re not particularly expensive but it could be argued it didn’t work sufficiently to avert a full hang up as the fender hasn’t been totally released. 

You say that happened from riding the gate. I would be pretty sure that would have failed and released the fender if you had actually had a complete hangup.

[Jonny P]

10 minutes ago, David Mack said:

You say that happened from riding the gate. I would be pretty sure that would have failed and released the fender if you had actually had a complete hangup.

Hopefully.

 

I haven’t changed the arrangement as it’s even weaker than I thought. It’s also how it was installed by Tradline. It’s the same as would happen by cutting a notch in one side of a link in a chain which is the normal advice.

 

It’s also possible it happened by the fender being pushed to one side.

[Tonka]

1 hour ago, Jonny P said:

The photo below shows damage to the screw lock carabiner type fitting rather than rope links that you might assume to be the weakest link.

 

This was caused by the bow fender riding gates while the boat was in gear due to having a boat under tow behind (35’ tug towing an alleged 42’ boat).

 

I didn’t realise until after the event.

If you covered the front fender with a car tyre turned inside out then you'd get less gate hangups. Also why have you a steel shackle attaching to the boat ( damaging the paintwork) when you could of tied to the boat or used a rope shackle

[ditchcrawler]

7 hours ago, Jonny P said:

The photo below shows damage to the screw lock carabiner type fitting rather than rope links that you might assume to be the weakest link.

 

This was caused by the bow fender riding gates while the boat was in gear due to having a boat under tow behind (35’ tug towing an alleged 42’ boat).

 

I didn’t realise until after the event.

I use cord, I may change to thinner cord after seeing this 

[magnetman]

The other option is to just not have a bow fender. 

 

Yes I know! But in reality how much damage does having a bow fender avoid compared with how much damage it can potentially cause. 

 

If having a bow fender makes people think it is alright to impact the gates then that is bad psychology. It is okay to ride the gates but slamming into them whether one has a fender or not should never happen. 

 

If the bow is simply sliding up a down while in contact with the gate the potential for damage to the Boat and the gate is significantly reduced if there is no bow fender. 

 

I had a tyre for this. Pirelli P6000 cut in half and bolted onto the stem in the same orientation as if it had been a wheel. 

Like that (Grove Bridge 2004)

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I’ve always thought them rubber strips down the stem on hire boat is good idea. 
🤷‍♀️

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

11 hours ago, KezzerN said:

 

 

No idea; I assume some were just for wood???  I am not that technical.

 

 

Obviously you haven’t got a clue to what you’ve got yourself into with Narrowboating, maybe it’s time you started getting a bit’s hands on, have you honestly a clue or are going to keep asking basic questions every day like the one you’ve asked here? You need to start thinking for yourself😱😱 shock horror real world wake up call.

Edited March 29, 2025 by BoatingLifeUpNorth2