Using old Tyres as protection for a bow fender

[frangar]

Hi chaps,

 

Before we set off on a bit of a chug I'm thinking of fitting an old tyre around the bow button to give it some protection... Just wondering how & what most people use to "join" the ends of the tyre together at the back of the button as I can imagine there can be quite a bit of force on it as you ride up a gate....

 

Many thanks in advance

 

 

Gareth

[casper ghost]

I would certainly recommend you do it, these fenders tend to wear far too quickly. Mine has a piece of flat rubber around it, held in place by some thick wire.

[RobinJ]

Before we set off on a bit of a chug I'm thinking of fitting an old tyre around the bow button to give it some protection... Just wondering how & what most people use to "join" the ends of the tyre together at the back of the button as I can imagine there can be quite a bit of force on it as you ride up a gate....

Don't know how it was done, but the one that was on the boat originally is actually inside the tyre, just the chains hanging out!

[Josher]

Hi chaps,

 

... as I can imagine there can be quite a bit of force on it as you ride up a gate....

 

I stay as far back as possible (57 foot and rarely single-handed) so this is not an issue.

[casper ghost]

I stay as far back as possible (57 foot and rarely single-handed) so this is not an issue.

Well that post was very helpful

[LEO]

Hi chaps,

 

Before we set off on a bit of a chug I'm thinking of fitting an old tyre around the bow button to give it some protection... Just wondering how & what most people use to "join" the ends of the tyre together at the back of the button as I can imagine there can be quite a bit of force on it as you ride up a gate....

 

Many thanks in advance

 

 

Gareth

 

Hi,

 

I think this has been the subject of previous postings. I find tyres used to cover button fenders are best used turned inside out, the tyre suitably trimmed round the side wall.

 

Wrap around the fender and tighten with a 'Spanish Windlass' and drill two holes where the tyre overlaps, put bolts through these together with large washers and fix nuts and large washers.

 

Best to drill a 1" drain hole at the bottom of the boton tyre to allow for drainage, undo windlass and the compressed fender should expand and tighten within the tyre nicely.

 

Make sure you use large washers or the bolts pull through.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Leo

[Josher]

Well that post was very helpful

 

I have just replaced my bow fender and I will not be protecting it with an old tyre (if I was going to do that, why spend the money on a rope fender in the first place?).

[blackrose]

I have just replaced my bow fender and I will not be protecting it with an old tyre (if I was going to do that, why spend the money on a rope fender in the first place?).

 

The same thought crossed my mind...

 

It does seem a bit odd to buy a bow fender to protect the boat and then put a tyre on top to protect the fender!

 

If you don't mind tyres on your boat (and they do make good fenders), then why not just have a tyre instead of a bow fender in the first place and save your money?

 

Go kart tyres are a good size.

Edited May 10, 2010 by blackrose

[Grace and Favour]

The same thought crossed my mind...

 

It does seem a bit odd to buy a bow fender to protect the boat and then put a tyre on top to protect the fender!

 

If you don't mind tyres on your boat (and they do make good fenders), then why not just have a tyre instead of a bow fender in the first place and save your money?

 

Go kart tyres are a good size.

 

I'm waiting to see who suggests small rope fenders to protect the tyres

 

 

 

Oh!

 

 

I ijust have!

[carlt]

I once bought 3 year old car off a guy and he had never taken the original plastic covers off the seats.

 

He couldn't believe it when, as soon as money changed hands, I ripped the polythene off and stuck it in the boot., before admiring what he had missed out on, for all that time.

 

If you're going to stick a tyre, over your fender, why bother with a nice fender? Just use the tyre.

 

If you don't mind tyres on your boat (and they do make good fenders), then why not just have a tyre instead of a bow fender in the first place and save your money?

Note to self. If you're going to take 20mins to type one post, make sure nobody has posted the same thing, in that time.

[DHutch]

I have to admit our fender (black polyprop) is about 6 years old and only just showing signs thats its getting to the end of its life.

- With our vertical stem we also keep the front end off the top lock when going up, but are always against the lower gate going down.

 

 

Daniel

[casper ghost]

But what if you already have a rope fender which you know will rub away in next to no time if left as is so you cover the front with a neat piece of flat thick rubber, not from a tyre by the way. What you get is the cushioning effect from the rope fender but it last alot longer. My last rope fender just fell to pieces after a while..

[carlt]

But what if you already have a rope fender which you know will rub away in next to no time if left as is so you cover the front with a neat piece of flat thick rubber, not from a tyre by the way. What you get is the cushioning effect from the rope fender but it last alot longer. My last rope fender just fell to pieces after a while..

My rope fender lived under the hatch, on the front deck, whilst underway.

 

I had a nice fat lump of metal, to protect my boat from head on collisions, called a stem iron.

Edited May 10, 2010 by carlt

[RLWP]

But what if you already have a rope fender which you know will rub away in next to no time if left as is so you cover the front with a neat piece of flat thick rubber, not from a tyre by the way. What you get is the cushioning effect from the rope fender but it last alot longer. My last rope fender just fell to pieces after a while..

 

Our front fender is certainly wearing away. After six years of rubbing it up and down locks (plus a couple of years of being used by hirers) I'm almost thinking about doing something about it. But as none of the strands has gone yet, I probably won't.

 

Sorry Casper, I don't recognise the wear you are describing. Ours has lasted a lot more years than yours did.

 

Richard

[blodger]

Our front fender is certainly wearing away. After six years of rubbing it up and down locks (plus a couple of years of being used by hirers) I'm almost thinking about doing something about it. But as none of the strands has gone yet, I probably won't.

 

Sorry Casper, I don't recognise the wear you are describing. Ours has lasted a lot more years than yours did.

 

Richard

I have bought one new button in the past eight years. the original I have turned round and fitted under the other which is at the top of the stem which is also the most stuck out. There's a third button above the waterline which is someone's throw away relacing similar. They are handy when turning with the stem on the quay/pilings, etc

 

I need the weight at the front to keep the stern out of the water!

 

Most wear is when single handing through rising locks and keeping the engine in gear against the gates for self opening.

[casper ghost]

Sorry Casper, I don't recognise the wear you are describing. Ours has lasted a lot more years than yours did.

 

Richard

 

Well, that's not fair, why was mine so rubbish??

[RLWP]

Well, that's not fair, why was mine so rubbish??

 

Dunno. It's curious that. What was yours made of?

 

Richard

[carlt]

Dunno. It's curious that. What was yours made of?

 

Richard

It's often as much to do with the skill of the fendermaker, as the materials.

 

I've seen saggy, loose fenders that look like they won't last 5 minutes.

[Naughty Cal]

Fenders for fenders.

 

Whatever next?

[carlt]

I need the weight at the front to keep the stern out of the water!

What are your fenders made of?

 

Element 118?

[casper ghost]

It's often as much to do with the skill of the fendermaker, as the materials.

 

I've seen saggy, loose fenders that look like they won't last 5 minutes.

 

It was bought for me from a chandlers, not cheap either.. It was rope colour, manila I think. I do cruise single handed so lots of rubbing on lock gates and even used to boat to push the gates open but even so after only 1 years cruising it was flat so I wrapped cheap plasticy rope around it and then put a rubber sheet around the front, that worked ok but looked a mess, now it's completely in pieces the rope has disintergrated. I've got a button fender to put on which is old but in good condition.

[RLWP]

It was bought for me from a chandlers, not cheap either.. It was rope colour, manila I think. I do cruise single handed so lots of rubbing on lock gates and even used to boat to push the gates open but even so after only 1 years cruising it was flat so I wrapped cheap plasticy rope around it and then put a rubber sheet around the front, that worked ok but looked a mess, now it's completely in pieces the rope has disintergrated. I've got a button fender to put on which is old but in good condition.

 

I think you just got a bad-un. I'm a robust boater too (pushing gates open, riding the button on the gates and so on) and as I said, ours has lasted well. It's made of white stuff, which could be nylon I guess. I wonder if yours was genuine manila and needed treating before you fitted it (bucket of creosote is it?) and went rotten.

 

Richard

 

Oh, a button fender needs a really good core if it isn't going to go flat. That's where I'd want an old car tyre to be, rolled up in the middle

[Mrs Tawny Owl]

I've never really seen the point of tyres round your fender, they look a bit scruffy and "not right", and I've always thought the fender was there to protect the boat, not need protection of it's own.

 

As Richard said, ours has been on for the 6 years we've had her, and wasn't new when we bought the boat, so I'd be realtively happy to have to replace after that sort of time, but it'll last a bit longer yet.

 

She's an ex Alvechurch hire boat, so I expect they put a good one on in the first place, they wouldn't want to be replacing every five minutes.

 

Sue

[RLWP]

Now, our stern fender is a positive wildlife haven, supporting a lively colony of moss and nettles.

 

Richard

 

We don't expect to win any concourse contests

[NB Alnwick]

Fender? We only put ours on when we really have to . . .