Balls or Cylinders for Fenders?

[Arthurc]

Currently I have (4) 12x34 cylinder fenders hanging horizontally but have noticed all the larger boats seem to use the ball style fenders. Also I'm not super confident they provide enough push off the dock. Thoughts on what is better? I was thinking about going with (2) 18" balls midship and (2) 23"s one forward and one aft to match the curve of the boat.
Im often stuck on the outside docks due to my beam so good fenders is a must.
Thoughts?

 

[Larry M]

I think a lot depends on what you're trying to fend off of. The "cylinder" fenders are more versatile since you can hang them horizontally if your need to fend off a pile and they work good with fender boards.

 

[rwidman]

If the fenders you have now are doing the job, there's no reason to change. If they are not, you need bigger fenders.


In my experience, it's not the cost of larger fenders so much as the difficulty in storing them when underway.


As for cylindrical vs. ball fenders, on some boats, the ball fenders might fit the hull better but where I live, cylindrical fenders seem to be more common. A cylinder will work on different dock heights without adjustment while a ball may not.

 

[FF]

The big boats will frequently be stern too . among other Big boats.

The balls work well to fend off the boats on either side .

The cylinders are most useful if you usually measure your boat in feet , not meters.

 

[psneeld]

Both are good but for different reasons.

Cylinders are versatile and keep the boat a reasonable distance from the dock . They also provide more contact area for less rubbing of your finishes.

Round are good for providing diameter for times that is required.

 

[Steve]

I carry, and use, both.

 

[Ski in NC]

I like cylinders. Don't have to be so picky on elevation. Depends on what you are rubbing against.

Cylinders work better rafting up to another boat with different shape. Or stretching horizontally against a piling.

 

[dhays]

On my sailboats I almost always used cylinders. When we bought are current boat, it came with 7 cylinders and 1 large ball. I have found that the ball is very useful for putting forward where the hull starts to curve towards the bow. It isn't as convenient to store, but we have it just sitting on the foredeck. There it can't go anywhere nor can it be seen from outside of the boat (otherwise my wife would be unhappy as to our appearance).

The ball was very helpful last night as we were rafted up next to a very old fishing seiner.

 

[O C Diver]

For me, large cylinders (15" × 58") horizontally tucked under the rub rail are the way to go for docking and rafting up. Under the rub rail keeps them trapped so they don't work there way out or up.



Prefer large balls for Locking. They seem to fair better being dragged up the lock walls, maybe less contact area and no ends to hang up.

Ted

 

[hfoster]

I carry, and use, both.

+1.

 

[AusCan]

Often a larger diameter ball is handy to use nearest to the bow where the hull is not as wide. The outer edge of the larger fender will be kept in line with the others.

 

[Comodave]

We have both. Use the balls when locking and the others most of the time.

 

[GFC]

We have five large ball type and 3 large cylinders and five smaller cylindricals. We mostly use the ball fenders when going through the locks, the cylinders when rafting up.

 

[Bigsfish]

Both have their proper uses, we carry both on our boat but we have twice as many cylinders as balls. That doesn't sound quite right but you know what I mean. LOL

 

[Nomad Willy]

Often a larger diameter ball is handy to use nearest to the bow where the hull is not as wide. The outer edge of the larger fender will be kept in line with the others.

I agree,
Fwd to aft, big ball, medium ball and then cylinders. Sometimes a fat short cylinder aft.
I like the big ball far fwd so I can make landings at a much wider angle. Much more flexability. Once the boat's tied up they can stowed but also come in handy swinging out in fwd gear w rudder pushing out the stern.

 

[markpierce]

We use five fenders per side. Three cylinder-types in the middle and round-types nearer stern and bow.