Recessed fender cups.

[Biggles]

Hello

 

I want to put 6 x recessed "cups" for want of a better description like a half sphere in the side of my build to hand the fenders off.

 

I would like something 2"-3" diameter.

 

Does anyone know either their proper name, where I can get them from or ways of making / doing them.

 

Biggles

[PaddingtonBear]

Don't bother, they are absolute rubbish IMHO. In most of the ones that I have seen the steel pin breaks away, a case of good idea in theory, very bad idea in the rough and tumble of everyday boating. Not a semi trad btw is it

[Ally]

I would call them Fender Eyes, though who knows? They can be bought through large chandlers, or from somewhere like Light Alloys in Ollerton. How about using the type of fender eyes that fit to the top hand rail though? Small brass/chrome eyelets that allow the fenders to be hung at the correct height, and easily lifted onto the roof when not in use. Also available at most decent chandlers and no need for circle sawing into the steel either.

Good luck with your build!

[Naughty Cal]

Don't bother, they are absolute rubbish IMHO. In most of the ones that I have seen the steel pin breaks away, a case of good idea in theory, very bad idea in the rough and tumble of everyday boating. Not a semi trad btw is it

 

Can you not get more heavy duty versions?

[LEO]

Don't bother, they are absolute rubbish IMHO. In most of the ones that I have seen the steel pin breaks away, a case of good idea in theory, very bad idea in the rough and tumble of everyday boating. Not a semi trad btw is it

 

Agreed, don't bother, fender sits too low and really has to be deployed all the while, a danger in locks. Tried some on a friend's new Aqualine before coming to this conclusion. Save your money.

 

Leo

[alan_fincher]

Agreed, don't bother, fender sits too low and really has to be deployed all the while, a danger in locks. Tried some on a friend's new Aqualine before coming to this conclusion. Save your money.

 

Leo

Yes, I agree with this 100%.

 

The bank is often higher than you assume it is, and fenders hung in this way often seem to pass under whatever is holding the piling together at the top, (e.g. length of old railway line), so you still end up scraping against it, unless you hang ridiculously thick fenders.

 

Whilst they look very neat, on some canals at least, they really are not as clever as they look, (in my view).

[Nine of Hearts]

In defence of gunwale-level hung fenders if you're single-handing, having to deploy/retrieve fenders is not something you want to be doing on top of everything else. It's easier just to leave the buggers down. And if you're doing this, you don't want them dangling from your coach roof, fouling up your gunwale and impeding your progress down same. Mine aren't in eyes, they're in welded in recesses, and tbh, I've yet to encounter any situation in which this configuration is a problem. Fit what you like, but beware the purists!

 

And yes, it's a semi-trad. So sue me.

[Ynot]

Tend to agree - don't bother. We have them and thought they would be good but too low to be effective and awkward to remove for locks. We ended up using them only when moored in the marina and instead bought those "G" brackets that allow the fenders to dangle from the hand rail - easy to alter the height when needed and to remove or deploy quickly. Damned ugly to look at though.

[nb Innisfree]

Make sure the pin is stainless steel, I have seen some rusting. Another prob with fender eyes is lifting fenders and having to lay them on side deck.

[andywatson]

Tend to agree - don't bother. We have them and thought they would be good but too low to be effective and awkward to remove for locks. We ended up using them only when moored in the marina and instead bought those "G" brackets that allow the fenders to dangle from the hand rail - easy to alter the height when needed and to remove or deploy quickly. Damned ugly to look at though.

 

A bit too late in this case but another reason to consider Northwich handrails.

[bottle]

I have them welded in, cup and bar, use them when able to but also have 'hangers' when necessary.

 

'Hangers' are more usable as the bank is not always straight and the gunwale ones are usually in the wrong place.

 

All side fenders are removed before boat is moved, either placed on roof or in side lockers in the cratch.

 

Tradline Rope and Fenders (Braunston) do an adjustable metal, rubber cushioned fender hanger, very neat.

[ditchcrawler]

Don't bother, they are absolute rubbish IMHO. In most of the ones that I have seen the steel pin breaks away, a case of good idea in theory, very bad idea in the rough and tumble of everyday boating. Not a semi trad btw is it

I think I have some in the shed which I decidedn not to fit

[mrsmelly]

Hello

 

I want to put 6 x recessed "cups" for want of a better description like a half sphere in the side of my build to hand the fenders off.

 

I would like something 2"-3" diameter.

 

Does anyone know either their proper name, where I can get them from or ways of making / doing them.

 

Biggles

 

Hi

 

I would save your money for something else there will be plenty to spend it on. After all fenders should only ever be used whilst moored and at no other time so simply dangle from the top somewhere handrail or whatever.

[Biggles]

I think I have some in the shed which I decidedn not to fit

 

 

Got a picture and some sizes?

 

Biggles

[johnjo]

The fenders hang too low, so useless on many canals when mooring up, they're fiddly & a bugger to get to in a hurry, and one day you'll find your boat hanging in a tight lock cos the fenders are jammed against the lock sides.

 

Hang them off the handrails, you'll be able to get to them standing up and not balancing precariously on your knees from the gunnel with one hand, whilst you hang on with the other.

Edited January 15, 2010 by johnjo

[ditchcrawler]

Got a picture and some sizes?

 

Biggles

I will look tomorrow. I bought them with the hull 10 years ago and never fitted them, keep meaning to but them in a boat jumble

[DHutch]

We dont even use fenders very often.

- Wouldnt really want them tied on that low,could get them out the way without bending down and untying the buggers. Plus if they snag theres no lenght of rope to give or allow them roll out the way.

 

What do you want fenders for.Think about when and even if you going to use them.

 

 

 

Daniel

[Chertsey]

In defence of gunwale-level hung fenders if you're single-handing, having to deploy/retrieve fenders is not something you want to be doing on top of everything else. It's easier just to leave the buggers down. And if you're doing this, you don't want them dangling from your coach roof, fouling up your gunwale and impeding your progress down same. Mine aren't in eyes, they're in welded in recesses, and tbh, I've yet to encounter any situation in which this configuration is a problem. Fit what you like, but beware the purists!

 

And yes, it's a semi-trad. So sue me.

Is it that hard to move a couple of fenders at the beginning and end of the day?

 

Also, I've seen a boat with the recessed eyes where they'd just pulled right out, leaving the circular hole.

Edited January 16, 2010 by Chertsey

[Liam]

I don't know whether it's just me but I hardly use fenders.

 

When I leave the boat during the week it's either on my own mooring which I have kitted out with an old car tyre at either end, or alongside my parents boat who have their fenders dropped down on both sides.

 

Whenever I have been out on a trip, I very rarely bother with them, as I don't really think about attaching them as they are always stored in the engine room. The only time I will drop them is when it is windy and I am made aware of the fact that I don't have any down as I'm bumping the bank. Usually I just tie up, with tight ropes and have a comfortable night withouth them.

 

Saying that though, on more recent trips I've been the first boat away in the morning and the last one to tie up at night so don't have to put up with passing boats moving the water about.

[tony collins]

Hello

 

I want to put 6 x recessed "cups" for want of a better description like a half sphere in the side of my build to hand the fenders off.

 

I would like something 2"-3" diameter.

 

Does anyone know either their proper name, where I can get them from or ways of making / doing them.

 

Biggles

If you are still at the build stage, I have a suggestion which we did on our boat. I will try and describe and put up a picture later on.

 

Cut through the edge of the gunwale going a couple of inches into that, then continue the same cut down the top plank, again a couple of inches or so. repeat about four inces away and then take two horizontal cuts to remove the piece. Then weld a bit of (say) 19mm bar into the gap, making sure the the bar is at least an inch longer than the gap. This will give a very strong gunwale fender eye. We used to use ours for mooring,(particularly springs) the piece you cut out can be reversed and weld in to the remaining hole to seal it off.

 

It is a lot simpler than it sounds and is cheap and very strong. Much stronger than the commercially available ones.

 

As I say I will try an put up a picture later on today.

 

Tony.

 

Edit: see the grubby sketch below which might give you the idea I am getting at.

 

Edited January 17, 2010 by tony collins

[tony collins]

Biggles here are a couple of photographs

 

This one shows how unobtrusive the fender eye is when not in use, (just below first cabin window)

 

 

 

This one shows the rear one in use (Sorry about the scruffy fender)

 

Tony.

[sueb]

If you plan to festoon your boat with silly fenders don't forget to get a hat festooned with hanging corks to go with it

Sue

[mrsmelly]

Biggles here are a couple of photographs

 

This one shows how unobtrusive the fender eye is when not in use, (just below first cabin window)

 

 

 

This one shows the rear one in use (Sorry about the scruffy fender)

 

Tony.

 

Isnt the fender supposed to fend off the concrete rather than fresh air ?

[DHutch]

We dont even use fenders very often.

I don't know whether it's just me but I hardly use fenders.

 

Not Just you...

[Nine of Hearts]

Is it that hard to move a couple of fenders at the beginning and end of the day?

 

I'm talking about when you're coming into dock, or into watering point, fuel stop, lock approach or whatever. Do you dash down the boat deploying fenders at this point, or do you scrape the sides and deploy them after you're tied up? No doubt I shall be inundated "well a skilful boater would glide in parallel to the bank with nary a ripple" rebuffs, but I keep mine down and be damned. Unless you hang them on chains, the rope (fender line? ) snaps before the boat even shifts kilter so there aren't really any safety concerns, despite what the alarmists might say.