boat fenders

[Stump]

I remember reading this somewhere so I used the idea. I bought a pool "noodle," cut it into thirds, put some left over rope through the center hole, tied a knot (figure eight) on the end and then wrapped the foam with duct tape. 3 fenders for under $2.00. 8)

Didn't have any on launch day and banged up the sides a little from the dock. :roll:

I do so like being "frugal." :wink:

[BobSmalser]

20' of any used line you can spare....a 12" length of thick black plastic water line or garden hose....and an hour or so of wall knotting followed by a crown knot.

Make a bight in the rope center....lash it....unravel the rope....wall knot it around the pipe and finish with a crown knot then tuck the ends in.

Can be done with 3-strand or 4-strand rope of any flavor...but it's easier if the rope stays tight when hitched or knotted.

[kydocfrog]

Man, I'm going to go look up wallknots. Those are great!

DocA

[Brad Lustig]

40' of any used line you can spare....a 12" length of thick black plastic water line or garden hose....and an hour or so of wall knotting followed by a crown knot.

Now THAT is salty looking!

[Dave R1]

Here you go Doc.

http://www.scoutxing.com/knots/wall_knot/wall_knot.htm

[tdrown]

I've made two of those, with the funnoodle thing inside the fender. I have a photo sequence of the first one I made here: http://tyler.drown.org/fender.html

You can see my two rope fenders in these picture from Ocean City, MD. Please be aware that they are down and I am sailing, I know I'm not supposed to do that. Also ignore my bad sail trim, that was the first time I tried the clipper rig, that's why the foremost sail is down in the second picture.

[Stump]

Very cool guys!!! 8) going to have to try that!!

[Charlie Jones]

Be warned though- those salty rope fenders will DESTROY paint rubbing between the boat and a dock. Particularly using manila or sisal. Soft nylon separated into three strands then knotted might not be so bad, but even nylon is susceptible to picking up sand and grit in the strands and that will do a pretty thourough sanding job on a painted hull also.

But I love the looks of them and have used them myself- probably will again in the future also

[capt jake]

rope fenders will DESTROY paint rubbing between the boat and a dock.

I love the look also, but at about $6 at Wally World, the real things are pretty cheap.

[Guest]

If I recall correctly, those rope fenders came along when work boat finish and utility launches were the norm, and before poly paints and Bob Smalser. :wink:

[BobSmalser]

Rope fenders made of cotton line won't hurt your paint...but they rot and I used polypropylene synthetic manila. But that doesn't hold its knots well and the next ones I do for the runabout will be of white nylon.

[kydocfrog]

Question for Tdrown:

Nice picture; I gather that is the lengthened mast you refer to on your website. What did you end up with as a final mast length, and is you bowsprit design length or longer?

Thanks

DocA

[tdrown]

On the mast I think I went with a 5' stub before the tabernacle, instead of a 4', so I think that would make the mast about 13'. (I just bought a VHF antennea, and the 8' was cheaper than the 3', so I went with the 8', but I may end up returning it because it is going to be rediculous and it will probably look silly too).

I can't say I remember how much longer my bowspirit is. I think maybe only 10".

The third fender in the picture is another funnoodle cut and just wrapped in cloth. I wish I had a closer picture of the second rope fender I made. It's a lot nicer and better made. I think I made if from 50' of cotton clothing-line rope, maybe it was more. The toughest part is keeping the length of the strands the same (so they last for the entire fender) and doing the knot at the top (which is tough when you don't have the length for it. Other than that, they are easy to do, I think I watched a movie while I made mine.

A web site with a how to on Rope Fenders is here:

http://www.floatingbear.ca/RopeFender.HTM

[Bud_Wilson]

A big AMEN to Charlie Jones. they will make you cry and say bad things. If you make some give them to some sob you really don't like as a gift.Got it? Now if I get more than 20 of them in the mail I will put them on for sale or swap. Y'ALL COME Cap'N Bud. :wink: