Making fenders

[Chris Lingwood]

I've currently only got abotu 6 ugly blue plastic squishy fenders down the side of my boat. No bow or stern fenders. I could do with a few more hear and there. Is it fairly straight forward to make your own? It cant be that hard and it would give me some more things to do in the evening. Plus I've spent an absurd amount of money on stuff lately and this way must be cheaper!

 

I've found this http://www.floatingbear.ca/RopeFender.HTM which tells you how to make the little fenders (handy as mine are rubish). But I could do with something on the bow and stern so I don't scrape it so much on the nasty concrete when I'm attempting to moor up (I'm still pretty new to this driving thing and 60 foot is a long way!)

 

Are there any good books or guides on the internet that I've just missed?

[John Orentas]

Hi Chris.

 

A front and a rear fender is in fact compulsory an a narrowboat, there are several books on fender making these days, look in WW adds. I would strongly advise using substantial inerts, I used rolled up tyre treads (two and a half if I remember) for the front and a length of rolled up conveyor belt for the rear one to give 15 inch length by about 8 inch diameter.

 

Cutting holes is not the problem you may imagine, let me know if you want to proceed.

[DHutch]

Fenders are very expensive items, £60- £100 each. However, they do last a long time, 4/6years ussually

- But if you can make your own thats cool.

- Or you can use old kart tyres or the like.

 

 

Daniel

[David Schweizer]

The best (and probably cheapest) fenders I have found are made by Eric Johns. He used to live on a boat near Cropredy but has recently moved to Wales, he has a web site at http://www.fendermakerltd.co.uk

 

He has always made the fenders for my boat and will make them up to special sizes if you phone him with the details (my tip cat has to be 22" instead of the normal 24") His prices also include delivery by carrier, or you can arrange to collect them from Cropredy.

[Chris Lingwood]

A front and a rear fender is in fact compulsory an a narrowboat

 

Really? I didn't know that! I'd best sort myself out with some then.

 

Having a look at how you make these things its probaby a bit too adventurous to try and make one of the big ones, I might try my hand at the smaller ones later on, but they don't cost a great deal.

 

What fenders do you think I should be having then? You can see the bow best in this shot http://www.dingle.nildram.co.uk/barge/24687_2.jpg

 

I would have thought some kind of corner fenders for the back would be a good idea a u fender at the front and a tipcat at the back in the middle? And say....6 nice rope side fenders?

 

I was going to make myself some corner fenders out of old tyres but a guy at my marina said you weren't allowed to as they gum up the locks when they fall off. Is there any truth in that?

Edited November 9, 2005 by Chris Lingwood

[Breals]

Tyre fenders are OK I think but should be lifted out of the water when travelling and certainly before going through locks in case they jam the boat and sink it. I think this applies to all types of side fender but I must admit my worn old rope fenders have been left down many times and haven't caused me a problem, but they're very narrow.

 

The back fender is crucial to prevent your rudder getting bent if you back into something, so the further it projects the better!

Edited November 9, 2005 by Breals

[John Orentas]

Hi Chris.

 

Davids link looks very good but I am not sure why he is so scathing about using car tyres inside them, the usual is to have a Tipcat or short button on the bow and a long button on the stern. Two or three rope side fenders are good to have, you need a bit of bulk to keep the boat away from uneven bank-sides.

 

There is a fashion now for those slim pipe fenders and some people are foolish enough to use them in locks. Never use side fenders of any kind when using locks many boats each year are sunk because people insist on this silly foolhardy practise.

 

 

--------------

Edited November 9, 2005 by John Orentas

[Breals]

Never use side fenders of any kind when using locks many boats each year are sunk because people insist on this silly foolhardy practise.

 

As an aside I was helping someone up through a lock the other day and one of his side fenders jammed his boat tightly. Luckily he was able to prise himself out again but, as a lone boater, he would have been in dire straits if it had jammed while the lock was filling. This almost happened to me, with a floating breadcrate I hadn't spotted in the lock.

 

John, my fenders are (from years of use) raggedy old bits of rope, they just slither between the boat and the lock wall - but I know I should still lift them! They also smear mud all over my boat.

Edited November 9, 2005 by Breals

[Chris Lingwood]

Do side fenders seriously sink boats? The only way I can think of this happening is if they get caught on something going up. I would have thought that either the rope would snap or it would get dislodged before that happens. I suppose if theres two of you in a lock or you get it caught on a ladder it might not. Mind you I've only got plastic inflatable fenders which squash at the least provocation! It is just important to take up the ones on the wall side? It just seams like a good idea to have them between boats if you are paired up.

 

I think he is just anti tyre inside the fenders because its cheaper than rope.

 

One question is nagging me at the moment, exactly how would I attach them? At the stern theres pleanty to tie things onto http://www.dingle.nildram.co.uk/barge/24687_3.jpg so i could probably tie on a long button

 

At the bow however as you can kinda see on this shot http://www.dingle.nildram.co.uk/barge/24687_2.jpg theres only the T peice right at the point of the bow and nothing else untill you get back to the roof rails. I guess I'd have to mount some fixings on the wooden bits. I suppose if I could get a tip cat with another mounting chain in the top center I could attach it to the T then use the side fixings just to hold it in place.

[John Orentas]

"Do side fenders seriously sink boats? The only way I can think of this happening is if they get caught on something going up. I would have thought that either the rope would snap or it would get dislodged before that happens. I suppose if theres two of you in a lock or you get it caught on a ladder it might not. Mind you I've only got plastic inflatable fenders which squash at the least provocation! It is just important to take up the ones on the wall side? It just seams like a good idea to have them between boats if you are paired up".

 

 

Hi Chris.

 

It doesn't work as you describe it, all it takes is that bit of added friction sufficient to tilt the boat as it is going up in the lock. Under the right conditions the base-plate on one side and the area close to the gunnel on the opposite side will jam lightly into the brickwork or masonry of the lock wall. From then on the higher the water rises relative to your boat the tighter it will jam until the result if nothing is done is inevitable, it takes no longer than half a minute. When water is pouring over the rear deck and into the boat the situation is not reversible.

 

At all times you must have someone on the bank in view and in hearing, and they must know instinctively what to do, from you shouting they will have only seconds to drop the paddles and prevent a disaster. Even in wide locks the same situation can occur, I had a close call in the iron lock at Beeston some years ago.

Edited November 9, 2005 by John Orentas

[Chris Lingwood]

ah right! I've never used a narrow lock but I can see how that would be a much bigger problem in them. You'd have to be incredibly unlucky to do that in a 14ft lock though. You'd have to have the boat diagonaly across the lock so the side fenders wouldn't really matter. I'll definitly keep that in mind though.

[Keeping Up]

ah right! I've never used a narrow lock but I can see how that would be a much bigger problem in them. You'd have to be incredibly unlucky to do that in a 14ft lock though. You'd have to have the boat diagonaly across the lock so the side fenders wouldn't really matter. I'll definitly keep that in mind though.

The same applies with two boats side by side in a 14-foot lock.

 

Last year we got stuck half-way into a lock on the K&A because the other boat had so many fenders down, and we had quite a job to persuade him to take them up so we could join him. It was a hire-boat too so they shouldn't have been that concerned about their paintwork

[Chris Lingwood]

I can honestly say I never thought of that, I won't be doing it again I can tell you. I've shared with a fair few people more experienced than me and not one of them has mentioned it...very strange!

[John Orentas]

Some locks are worse than others, Maple flight is notorious for sinking's, the chambers are built of stone and there are gaps between the slabs. One good tip which the old boatmen used to do, when going up in the lock keep the boat rocking gently by moving your weight from side to side it will be far less likely to get jambed.

[David Schweizer]

Hi Chris.

 

Davids link looks very good but I am not sure why he is so scathing about using car tyres inside them, the usual is to have a Tipcat or short button on the bow and a long button on the stern. Two or three rope side fenders are good to have, you need a bit of bulk to keep the boat away from uneven bank-sides.

--------------

From a functional aspect, I can't think of a reason why the centre of a fender would be better if made of rope rather than rubber. however when the outer casing wears through at the front, you can stitch it up through the rope centre and give it a couple more years life.

 

I use a small button on the bow and a tipcat and small button on the stern. I just don't know how people keep those long buttons horizontal without yards of chain. Apart from that, the rudder on my boat is quite large and a long button on it's own would not have sufficient reach.

 

As far as side fenders are concerned, I can see no use for them whilst cruising, but I do have a couple of flat black fenders which I drop over the gunwhales when coming in to a hard edge, and for cushioning the boat when moored on a hard edge overnight. When mooring against piling overnight I have a couple of fairly small tyres which I drop down.

 

There is a fashion now for those slim pipe fenders and some people are foolish enough to use them in locks. Never use side fenders of any kind when using locks many boats each year are sunk because people insist on this silly foolhardy practise.

--------------

 

Having an old boat which is actually 7ft wide rather than the more commonlopace 6ft 10" I will not lock with another boat if they refuse to lift their side fenders. I once got stuck solid in a lock going down the Caen Hill flight (K&A) with another boat which had slim pipe fenders. It took us over an hour to get free.

[DHutch]

One question is nagging me at the moment, exactly how would I attach them?

Theres ussually mounting points welded onto the hul around where you would put the fender, you then attach to them using chain or rope.

 

- Ill try and dig out a photo or two.

 

 

 

Daniel

 

 

Here we go, Bow Fender and, Stern Tipcat.

 

 

Daniel

[Wobbly Dick]

Hi!

 

There are some many variations of poly rope ie, split film, monfilament, staple spun and hemp look alike. These ropes vary in uv protection, wear, floatation, smoothness, colour, flexibility and cost, but I would like to know what people have tried and what they would recommended?

 

I was sent a sample of 'construction rope,' the type used in climbing nets. This is soft and flexible, anyone tried it?

 

http://www.ropesandtwines.com/categories.asp?cat=19

 

The other rope they have is the staple spun, but I have no idea what this is like. Can anyone help

[David Schweizer]

Hi!

 

There are some many variations of poly rope ie, split film, monfilament, staple spun and hemp look alike. These ropes vary in uv protection, wear, floatation, smoothness, colour, flexibility and cost, but I would like to know what people have tried and what they would recommended?

 

I was sent a sample of 'construction rope,' the type used in climbing nets. This is soft and flexible, anyone tried it?

 

http://www.ropesandtwines.com/categories.asp?cat=19

 

The other rope they have is the staple spun, but I have no idea what this is like. Can anyone help

 

Personally I would always go for natural hemp, but you have to soak them in creosote to make them rot resistant. Unfortunately real creosote is no longer available and I don't know how effective the substitute stuff is. Fortunately this is not an immediate problem for me as I recently rescued a can of the old stuff from my mum's shed. Theres enough in there to do at least two sets of fenders.

[DHutch]

Never made any, but our (shop bought) ones are black polypropline.

- Same stuff as the blue polyprop, just black!

 

There about 4years old and looking great still, mildly scuffed, but thats it.

 

 

Daniel

[len]

Hi Chris.

 

A front and a rear fender is in fact compulsory an a narrowboat, [snip]

 

 

Coo,

 

never knew that, saw several illegals when out over Easter - Any chance of a link to the reference, please .

 

TIA

 

Len

[blackrose]

On the topic of side fenders jaming your boat in a lock, I assume this wouldn't apply to a 12' widebeam in a double lock? (since it can only use double locks and nothing else can go alongside)

[DHutch]

On the topic of side fenders jaming your boat in a lock, I assume this wouldn't apply to a 12' widebeam in a double lock? (since it can only use double locks and nothing else can go alongside)

Yeah, shouldnt have a problem with a 12' boat in a 14' lock.

- We use fenders on out (6'10") boat when where in a double lock on our own.

 

 

Daniel

[Baron & Mrs Boater]

I have just bought a new v shaped bow fender and long button fender from a very nice chap in the Walsall area (Brian Mcguigan). I am very impressed with the quality of the workmanship (which includes turks head detailing).

 

He and his wife have a website if you are interested: http://www.bcnboats.co.uk

 

I would recommend them !

 

Edited April 28, 2006 by Baron & Mrs Boater

[Wobbly Dick]

Do side fenders need to lifted before going into a lock?

[Moley]

Depends whether you mind getting wedged and sinking.

 

Seriously though, anything that could obstruct your clear rise or fall in the lock, be it fenders, logs or any other rubbish is to be removed.

Edited May 11, 2006 by Moley