GRP fenders

[grannykins]

Probably a stupid question, but where do you put the fenders on a GRP cruiser while you are on the move / going through locks? The cruiser we are going to look at has quite large fenders, with two huge balloon shaped ones near the front, but there doesnt appear to be anywhere to put them whilst moving. The chains / ropes attaching them to the boat are not long enough to reach the roof.

 

Thanks

[lockedout]

I'm afraid the unrecontructed yottie in me says that all fenders should be unshipped and stowed below when away from the berth.

 

A cruising alternative (only barely acceptable to a pedant like me) seems to be to hang the fenders along the transom rail.

 

A lot of the larger power boats are made with fender racks either along the cabin side or on the pulpit.

 

Having said all that, I now own a steel tupperware crusher - and if I was going to be sharing locks with me, I would probably leave my fenders dangling!!

 

Sorry, no help at all...

[Naughty Cal]

We stick ours on the walkways if not cruising far.

 

On the sea or the tidal stretches they are taken off and stowed in the cockpit.

 

And we dont use ball fenders. Pet hate of ours as they look dreadful and sods law dictates that they are never in the right place anyway!

[grannykins]

Ok thanks, when we get ours we will lift them for cruising.

 

Do they stay on the walkways? Is it difficult to lift and replace the ones that arent by the bank? (although I'm sure hubby will be able to do it without falling in )

 

The guy who owns the one were looking at is taking us for a trip in it anyway, so I guess we'll just watch him. Not sure whether or not I like the ball ones - they do look a bit huge!

[Naughty Cal]

Our fenders sit quite snugly between the cabin roof and the rails.

 

We only deploy the fenders on the side we are mooring on so the ones on the river side stay on the walkways.

[grannykins]

Brilliant, thanks

[ditchcrawler]

Ok thanks, when we get ours we will lift them for cruising.

 

Do they stay on the walkways? Is it difficult to lift and replace the ones that arent by the bank? (although I'm sure hubby will be able to do it without falling in )

 

The guy who owns the one were looking at is taking us for a trip in it anyway, so I guess we'll just watch him. Not sure whether or not I like the ball ones - they do look a bit huge!

He may leave them down, lots do. And no I don't like the look of them ether.

[gazza]

It depends on where you use your boat, broads and coastal cruising fenders up or stored, inland rivers fenders down all the time, take the nene as an example, locks are roughly every half hour, your fenders will end up like whores draws, up down, up down......

The Ely ouse, tributaries and the old west mean crusing with them up is possible, but once above brownhills staunch you are back into roughly 30-45 mins between locks, so whores draws territory.

Some of the stretches of the northern rivers will have long distance between locks.

Any canal would be fenders down except in a narrow lock, you will get stuck......

Broad locks when sharing with sewer tubes would require vigilance to ensure you don't end up stuck too.

 

The yachty approach doesn't work on inland waterways, once the cast off there's nothing to bump until the end of your days crusing.

[Naughty Cal]

We don't cruise with our fenders down even if it is short distances between locks. They scuff the grp as they swing.

 

The only time we have strayed away from this in recent years has been on the northern sections of the broads where it was hire boat galore!

No I take that back. We had them down on the new junction as well because I walked between the locks and bridges. Wasn't much point getting back on the boat to get off again in two minutes!

[Strads]

Sell them,,,,

surplus to need due to wrong size....

[grannykins]

Certainly dont like the idea of cruising with them down - (although slightly worried about crunching a cruiser, I know they are much more fragile than narrowboats and I've never driven one yet.)

 

Are they the wrong size, or do you just mean the ball ones?

 

Oh, and another question - do cruisers need front fenders? Dont think I've ever seen one with one on.

Edited June 10, 2013 by grannykins

[Naughty Cal]

A lot of cruisers have a bow fender. We personally don't as again we think they look daft. Something has gone very wrong if you manage to hit the bow!

Here is Naughty-Cals usual fender inch arrangement.

 

 

And fenders lifted when underway

 

[gazza]

I'm with you on the no bow fender, however we can't leave our side fenders on the gunnel of the elysian as our 6.5 stone rottie likes wandering up to the bow on his own accord.

As the hull has been painted scuffing the gel coat is not an issue.

Edited June 10, 2013 by gazza

[grannykins]

Hmm, there is no rail on the Burland we are going to look at, so I'm not sure what we would do there. I dont think they would stay on the gunnel.

[magnetman]

when I briefly resided on an splitter used on inland waterways I just left the fenders 'armed' as in ready for battle.

there is a lot of potential for damage when mixing a splitter with a lot of floating metal as one does inland, even when one is not actually out yotting.

[Janet S]

I read the title wrong and wondered who'd be using GRP boats as fenders...must get my eyes tested!

[magnetman]

I read it the same way was wondering why anyone would make a fender from such a brittle material

 

they make boats with it so anything is possible

[gazza]

I read it the same way was wondering why anyone would make a fender from such a brittle material

 

they make boats with it so anything is possible

That will be the same brittle stuff that goes into lifeboats then?

[Naughty Cal]

when I briefly resided on an splitter used on inland waterways I just left the fenders 'armed' as in ready for battle.

there is a lot of potential for damage when mixing a splitter with a lot of floating metal as one does inland, even when one is not actually out yotting.

We find that by not travelling around with fenders down and only putting them down on the mooring side when stationary people are a little more careful when manouvering around our boat.

[grannykins]

I read the title wrong and wondered who'd be using GRP boats as fenders...must get my eyes tested!

 

 

I read it the same way was wondering why anyone would make a fender from such a brittle material

 

they make boats with it so anything is possible

 

We find that by not travelling around with fenders down and only putting them down on the mooring side when stationary people are a little more careful when manouvering around our boat.

 

Good point. Will see what the current owner does when he takes us out on Friday. May have to make a couple of adjustments so we can raise them when traveling.

[David Mack]

That will be the same brittle stuff that goes into lifeboats then?

 

This is what happens when the brittle stuff goes into lightships.

 

[gazza]

Where's the facepalm emoticon?

[matty40s]

Prize for most fenders of the day goes to.....

 

 

[Naughty Cal]

 

This is what happens when the brittle stuff goes into lightships.

 

Along with lots of broken bones......