Boat bumpers

rasbury

I don't see a lot of cruisers on the water around me but on you tube, I see a lot of them with the bumpers deployed all the time- which sounds like a good idea as i only have real storage for two. If they are hitting the water I'd think that a problem- so what do you all do? My typical boating day is a lot of docking and I only have two and seldom know which side I need them on until it's to late- resulting in some scratching.

Lake_Bum

I have three per side. I don't run down the lake with them hanging, but deploying them takes only seconds...

aero3113

I plan on keeping two up on the bow rails like @ChesapeakeChiller in this thread and two in my transom locker. I bought two fender grips, I think keeping two up front and two in the back will be the easiest way to use them. Many fender holders hold 2 per side on the bow rail, I would think it would be annoying to go up on the bow and have to bring one or two to the stern.

https://rinkerboats.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/comment/55266#Comment_55266

PickleRick

My bumpers are all adjusted to not hit the water. 

Ive forgotten to pull them back in many many times.  

Ive towed the boat home, 65 mph for almost an hour and realize i forgot to stow them.

PickleRick

I try not to look like this guy

https://youtu.be/OJsc-X1YZpc

rasbury

And you bring up another point @Lake_Bum as I have two cleats that are usable for bumpers and obviously that's where the lines go so I'm tying them haphazard to anything I can find...Bimini pole...bow railing which I don't like either.have not seen what you have pictured....

Willhound

I usually leave two per side out all the time using a strap like this. Can easily quickly adjust height if needed. Takes up very little room on the rear cleat so still room for a line too. The front I hang off the bow rail like shiwn and on a 270 can be reached by stretching a bit if you're tall and have long arms like me so adjusting up and down is no problem.

Lake_Bum

rasbury said:

And you bring up another point @Lake_Bum as I have two cleats that are usable for bumpers and obviously that's where the lines go so I'm tying them haphazard to anything I can find...Bimini pole...bow railing which I don't like either.have not seen what you have pictured....

@rasbury the type I posted, I don't think would be good for long term use, if someone is in a slip.  But they work perfect for just a temporary tie up to the dock, or daisy-chaining boats together side by side.  I cringe when I see people tie anything to their bimini poles!  Bad things can happen, and shade is KING. I save my cleats for ropes. 

PickleRick

Am i the only one with oversized cleats that can easily fit both fender(1/2 inch line) and 5/8 dock line?  

I also have adjustable quick release fender line holder but i never use them.

rasbury

I don't like tying up to the Bimini or the bow rails...but once I have ropes on the cleats I have no where else to go with then...

Willhound

Therefore the straps.

rasbury

Huh...will have to tack those down!

Ian

Cleats only, no rail or Bimini tie up.

We have 3 fenders on each side out all the time, 3 at dock height starboard and 3 port just above dock height for neighbor protection; none touch the water. The forward and mid hang from rails by those grey blocks - the line runs through, up and over and back through and locks - and easy to adjust as needed for port docking, locking or rafting, rear are on flat Velcro strap on rear cleat so dock line is accommodated well also. If we are going to open her up I flip over the rear into the cockpit and pull up the forward and mid and stick between rail and hull above gunwale. A spare sits in the storage well above swim deck, used mainly when locking to hang from rearmost cleat at the corner near swim platform for that initial surging that moves us around when locking up to protect that corner if she sways out a little more than I planned.

Michael T

Maybe @bry1429 will show you some of the gear he got with my EC 360: LOTS of Big B fenders with super soft fender covers (to protect hull sides from chafing) and also with super quick adjust fender holders. These were a savior when we would go through 10 or so locks a day all with different height lock walls. - the Admiral could raise or lower the fenders with one hand. I have posted pictures before.

rasbury

Our deal is, while I will take in these tips- we trailer so we are not in and out of the same slip. Most times we go out we do overnight but don't know which side we need what. And I do need a couple more



good neighbor status...thanks for the input and will take it in...

Stodge

I saw boats with fenders just above the waterline when we were in Canadian ports.  Then I noticed that the docks were almost always floating and sitting right at the water.  So it made sense to have them in place before docking since you knew where they should land. 

On plane I don't leave mine out.  Just beats up the boat.

Michael T

.......and going through locks the water height was almost always different. Sometimes you could pick the side of the lock to enter sometimes you were directed in by the lock master so we had to be able to adjust 5 fenders on each side quickly hence the rapid adjust fender holders.

Stodge

Michael T said:

.......and going through locks the water height was almost always different. Sometimes you could pick the side of the lock to enter sometimes you were directed in by the lock master so we had to be able to adjust 5 fenders on each side quickly hence the rapid adjust fender holders.

We took our 22 footer through 1 lock on the Cheboygan River and I was a nervous wreck trying to keep things where they belonged.  

Michael T

On one stretch of our trip from the winter storage to our home marina we had to go through 5 locks in a day. The worst were the houseboat rentals. I felt sorry for the renters who had no idea what they were in for. Huge windage and hard to control. The lock masters knew enough to put them in the locks first. Too many stories to tell of house boars slamming into the stone walls of the locks, running over the top of locks, getting hung-up in the side cables. I always gave them a wide berth. Two of the locks we went through - even when full the water - were two inches below the walls of the lock. Any mistake and you were over the stone wall and onto the sidewalks that ran along them. In 2014 I saw a guy put his Rinker EC 360 right over one of those walls, slide back into the lock sideways, panic and reverse blowing both his Bllls off when hitting the other stone wall. He was actually crying. I was due to go in next.....I kept thinking thank God for Axius......and lots of adjustable fenders. LOL.

bry1429

Michael T said:

Maybe @bry1429 will show you some of the gear he got with my EC 360: LOTS of Big B fenders with super soft fender covers (to protect hull sides from chafing) and also with super quick adjust fender holders. These were a savior when we would go through 10 or so locks a day all with different height lock walls. - the Admiral could raise or lower the fenders with one hand. I have posted pictures before.

When it came to fenders Michael did not skip any details. He outfitted the Black Beauty 360 with 10 BIG B fenders, matching black soft fabric covers and quick line adjusters. He added extra cleats for easy access of additional bumper install. Pictures are of stock images. 
Does one of those pictures bring back memories Mike ?

bry1429

P.S-
She is still on the Market

Michael T

@bry1429.....yes all good memories from the Admiral and my ownership and from the way you and your Admiral took care of her and even found some up-grades. It is now, IMO, the best equipped EC360 class cruiser available anywhere. Someone new is going to be very lucky and very happy. It really is a beautiful boat. I have said this before but shortly after pulling into marinas while on extended cruises people would gather around the boat - particularly at night with the underwater colored light show and Satellite sports on the cockpit T.V. I was never short of complimentary beers! LOL.

mattie

Love Big B fenders. Those must’ve been 10”x26” size. The covers worth getting?

Michael T

IMO yes, stops the fenders/bumpers from chafing the gel coat - but IMO get the more expensive ones. @bry1429 has used the ones I bought and will have an opinion too if he has the time.

P.S. as you can see from @bry1429 screenshot of the Fendergrip you can press the black "button" to release or reel-in the fender lines. The Admiral could alter the length of five fenders in minutes while approaching a dock or while in a lock......and alter them from being in the lock while it was filling-up to when we reached to top and needed protection (which varied from lock to lock) from the lock walls - usually stone and not gel coat friendly!

Dream_Inn

@mattie the covers are fantastic!  If you get really good ones, they last a long time.  I have similar to what's in the picture with my boat name embroidered.  I took them off my last boat, which I sold in 2012.  Yes, they've lasted that long.  & all 4 are used almost every weekend.

Michael T

@shawnmjr I had it happen when I tried one the first time but I was "playing" with it on the dock so no rescue needed. Friends that have them have placed a loose knot in the end of the line, that solved the problem. If you wanted to re-locate them just undo the knot.

mattie

Impact Boat Fenders - these look cool. Prob stick to my Taylor Made Big B's.

Might be nice to have a couple flat fenders like this tho...

https://www.impactfenders.com/product/bendable-boat-fenders/

mattie

These are sweet too. 

Phender Pro - fender cleats. Frees up the factory tie off cleats.

http://bigskyprecision.com/PhenderPro.php

They use these on a lot of the wakeboard boats, Nautiques etc.