Fenders

[horsee1]

Hello everyone,

 

This is my first post, we're in the process of buying our first boat!

This forum has been invaluable to us so thanks to all the experienced members that take the time to contribute.

 

Whist negotiating the price we hadn't thought about fenders, the boat has none. The broker has offered to sell us some at 'cost' which would be £160 all in. (6 side fenders, plus stern and bow button fenders)

 

This sounds more like how much they'd cost if we'd walked into any old chandlery and not a mates rates hook up. Obviously he isn't under any obligation to help us out but I'd rather be told the price and not spun a yarn about how good a deal we're getting.

 

My question is, how much should one expect to pay for fenders?

 

Is there such thing as cheap or expensive fenders?

 

Thanks in advance.

[DeanS]

side fenders come in packs of 4 for £20 often.

You will pay a lot less on Ebay for a stern fender than in a chandlery.

I used tyres on the bow and the stern, until I have some cash. Work very well.

[frangar]

You can get cheap or expensive fenders….it depends how "trad" you want them to be….they can be made from polyprop which is cheaper than sisal….however sisal looks right on a tad boat.

 

Brian from Nb Alton who is on this forum makes lovely fenders…all hand made in sisal with no bits of old tyre etc as a core which can be found on cheaper ones….they will also last longer if looked after than the cheaper ones….and protect both your boat and whatever you may have hit better!

 

Personally I would try to source my own…at least that way you know what you will be getting…..to give you some idea I paid in the region of £300 for 2 tipcats and a fancy button for the stern of my boat. I would go for rubber side fenders however….but I only use them when moored…..but thats a whole new thread!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[ditchcrawler]

You don't need 6 side fenders, unless you intend to cruise with them hanging down all the time, in which case you will need 6 every year as you will ping them off.

I only use 2 which are only deployed when we moor up .

[Ray T]

Fender makers here:

 

http://www.fendermakerltd.co.uk/index.htm

 

http://www.blackpigfenders.co.uk/

 

http://www.getknotted.co.uk/

 

http://www.tradline.co.uk/

 

http://www.trafalgarmarineservices.co.uk/

 

Take your pick, costs as per web site information.

[NB Lola]

You don't need 6 side fenders, unless you intend to cruise with them hanging down all the time, in which case you will need 6 every year as you will ping them off.

I only use 2 which are only deployed when we moor up .

Ditto

[horsee1]

Thanks everyone!

[PaddingtonBear]

Go to Brian on Alton, you know it makes sense

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Hi ya,& welcome,

Is it a Steel Canal boat, or a Fiberglass/GRP or Wood Boat ,Are you on a Narrow or Wide Canal/River.

I only ask as depending on the beam /Build material of boat & chosen cruising ground, it may have a bearing on number type & diameter of fender you require.

 

But as I've just re read you post,I see its the broker trying to sell you them,so ime sure they will be of the correct sort.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[MtB]

Side fenders are most definitely to be avoided when cruising. You don't need them and they can be downright dangerous in locks, causing the boat (once in a blue moon, but once is all it takes) to jam in the lock with a significant risk of sinking.

 

By all means use them when moored to keep the boat from banging on the piling, but side fenders down when cruising is generally an indication of an inexperienced boater.

 

MtB

[Ex- Member]

You don't need 6 side fenders, unless you intend to cruise with them hanging down all the time, in which case you will need 6 every year as you will ping them off.

I only use 2 which are only deployed when we moor up .

 

Hi dithcrawler.

 

We have 5 aside, I made them myself from industrial rubber air hose with 3 strands of 10mm rope threaded through the middle knotted at the bottom and looped through brass fender eyes at the top with a SS d shackle. We cruised with them dangling for nearly 2 years in 2005/7 and have been on the water with the same ones from August this year, never lost one yet, and If we did it would cost little to replace with an equivalent sized cheap rope one.

 

The cost compared to the 6 coats of Jotun Epoxy applied to the hull sides is a fractional of the paint. Even if we lost them regularly they would be replaced regularly, especially with the stonework on the bridges around here. Hull sides hardly have a mark on them, bow's another story though

[mattlad]

Side fenders are most definitely to be avoided when cruising. You don't need them and they can be downright dangerous in locks, causing the boat (once in a blue moon, but once is all it takes) to jam in the lock with a significant risk of sinking.

 

MtB

A friend of mine did just that, locking down into Stourport basins emptied the lock and realised that the boat hadn't gone down....... He refilled the lock VERY quickly but the boat was wedged in the lock good and proper and it was several hours before he managed to get moving again. Of course there was quite a queue of disgruntled boaters and he felt quite the fool but at least no-one was hurt. Thirty years later he can laugh about it but he wasn't at the time!

[FadeToScarlet]

Side fenders are most definitely to be avoided when cruising. You don't need them and they can be downright dangerous in locks, causing the boat (once in a blue moon, but once is all it takes) to jam in the lock with a significant risk of sinking.

 

By all means use them when moored to keep the boat from banging on the piling, but side fenders down when cruising is generally an indication of an inexperienced boater.

 

MtB

The ( only?) exception being locks on the Nene and Ouze, which have protruding "safety" chains which can the baseplate and tip a narrowboat alarmingly. Fenders help in this case to keep the plate away from the danger, and there's no risk of jamming as the locks are between 10'2" and 15' wide.

 

Otherwise, they come up when we get to the cut, for narrow or wide locks.

Edited December 16, 2013 by FadeToScarlet

[pquinn]

over here in Ireland you need fenders in the locks especially when going up hill if the person operating the lock does not know the correct procedure and i have rarely seen somebody that does or they fill the lock in a foolish hurry which i have seen many do as most boats will swing wildly and smack in to the chamber walls when the wrong sluice is opened. paul

[MtB]

over here in Ireland you need fenders in the locks especially when going up hill if the person operating the lock does not know the correct procedure and i have rarely seen somebody that does or they fill the lock in a foolish hurry which i have seen many do as most boats will swing wildly and smack in to the chamber walls when the wrong sluice is opened. paul

 

Well Ireland is another exception!

 

Over here, the locks on narrow canals are typically from 4" to 12" wider than the boat when empty, so side fenders can be quite a problem.

 

MtB

[horsee1]

Already well aware that fenders should never be used in locks, 6 side fenders is sounding pretty excessive now though!

[RLWP]

Hello everyone,

 

This is my first post, we're in the process of buying our first boat!

This forum has been invaluable to us so thanks to all the experienced members that take the time to contribute.

 

Whist negotiating the price we hadn't thought about fenders, the boat has none. The broker has offered to sell us some at 'cost' which would be £160 all in. (6 side fenders, plus stern and bow button fenders)

 

This sounds more like how much they'd cost if we'd walked into any old chandlery and not a mates rates hook up. Obviously he isn't under any obligation to help us out but I'd rather be told the price and not spun a yarn about how good a deal we're getting.

 

My question is, how much should one expect to pay for fenders?

 

Is there such thing as cheap or expensive fenders?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Just to offer an alternative view...

 

Yes, there are cheap and expensive fenders. The material they are made from makes a difference, as does the construction of the cores of the bow and stern buttons. Then, the way they are tied makes a difference. I know of one fender maker that makes fenders that they sell themselves to a good standard. And they will knock out a fender for a chandlers to sell cheap using different materials and standards

 

£160 for a bow, stern and six side fenders sounds OK to me, but then I haven't bought a fender for a long time

 

Richard

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

A friend of mine did just that, locking down into Stourport basins emptied the lock and realised that the boat hadn't gone down....... He refilled the lock VERY quickly but the boat was wedged in the lock good and proper and it was several hours before he managed to get moving again. Of course there was quite a queue of disgruntled boaters and he felt quite the fool but at least no-one was hurt. Thirty years later he can laugh about it but he wasn't at the time!

I have heard about this happening,& seen a cpl of pics,

It must be an awful gut wrenching feeling to see your home or pride & joy,hovering like that,,

It's bad enough when I Crain mine in or out,on or off something,

Shudder.

[nebulae]

No chance of getting through York Street Lock in Stourport with fenders down .Helped a boat get unstuck last year.New owners had just picked up the boat from the basin. What made it worse was the fact that the fenders were tied to eyes welded into the gunnels. I thought this was a good idea until I tried to untie the fenders.Not enough space between the cabin side and lock wall to get down and reach the fender.

[roggie]

I brought 2 chunky side fenders (for the back of the boat) from a ebay seller http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290993636368?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 Look OK to me - under the computer at the moment but will end up on the boat when I next go there. The seller 7harriet8 is on a boat in the Milton Keynes area I understand.

[tommytelford]

Went for ages with no fenders but decided to buy some new ones when we started repainting the boat. Cruised for a day with them down, result now have two of my new fenders on the deck after recovering them from the river after getting them caught on the first bit of armorcladding we encountered.

 

Remaining fenders now safely stowed on the gunwhales out of harms way

 

Conclusiom: don't cruise with fenders down

[NB Alton]

You can get cheap or expensive fenders.it depends how "trad" you want them to be.they can be made from polyprop which is cheaper than sisal.however sisal looks right on a tad boat.

 

Brian from Nb Alton who is on this forum makes lovely fendersall hand made in sisal with no bits of old tyre etc as a core which can be found on cheaper ones.they will also last longer if looked after than the cheaper ones.and protect both your boat and whatever you may have hit better!

 

Personally I would try to source my ownat least that way you know what you will be getting..to give you some idea I paid in the region of £300 for 2 tipcats and a fancy button for the stern of my boat. I would go for rubber side fenders however.but I only use them when moored..but thats a whole new thread!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Thanks for the mention Gareth :-), I do try & make fenders to suit a variety of boats & budgets.

Go to Brian on Alton, you know it makes sense

Thanks Jim, hope that fender of yours is getting some use :-), hopefully catch up with you & Sarah next year

Just to offer an alternative view...

 

Yes, there are cheap and expensive fenders. The material they are made from makes a difference, as does the construction of the cores of the bow and stern buttons. Then, the way they are tied makes a difference. I know of one fender maker that makes fenders that they sell themselves to a good standard. And they will knock out a fender for a chandlers to sell cheap using different materials and standards

 

£160 for a bow, stern and six side fenders sounds OK to me, but then I haven't bought a fender for a long time

 

Richard

Yes, I make a range of fenders to suit different markets cores / buyers, with different boats & budgets. At the end of the day it's horses for courses, or you pays your money you takes your choice. When purchasing fenders you need to consider or ask how are the cores constructed & what rope are they covered in?

 

Cheers, Brian

Edited December 18, 2013 by NB Alton

[steelaway]

Over the years I've decided you only need fenders when you moor up for the night.

Eventually I scrounged two 16" small motor cycle tires, hung in the appropriate place between boat and arm-co were pretty perfect.

Go cart tires are also handy and they are also free.

 

Alex

[sueb]

We invariably had second hand fenders. You would be surprised how many changed them when they got dirty or because they were the wrong colour.

[blackrose]

Over the years I've decided you only need fenders when you moor up for the night.

 

Speak for yourself. Over the years I've decided I need fenders in all sorts of places. Being single-handed I've been glad to have fenders down as I approach an open Thames lock which is half full of plastic boats. They don't always have them ready or even know how to use them.