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08-10-2019, 10:40 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: La Conner, WA
Vessel Name: Agnus Dei
Vessel Model: 36' Shin Shing
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 276
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Fender covers
Hi All,
I have fender covers on a couple of the older fenders that came with the boat, the rest no. How many of you use them? Are they just cosmetic or do they protect the boat? Salt water.
Dave
__________________
GOD, Family, career
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08-10-2019, 10:59 AM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,185
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I don’t use them. They can hold dirt and grind it into the hull. I just keep the fenders clean. I use Spray 9 to clean them.
__________________
Boat Nut:
If you are one there is no explanation necessary.
If you aren’t one, there is no explanation possible.
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08-10-2019, 11:00 AM
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#3
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Guru
City: Gig Harbor
Vessel Name: Kinship
Vessel Model: North Pacific 43
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 9,046
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_E
Hi All,
I have fender covers on a couple of the older fenders that came with the boat, the rest no. How many of you use them? Are they just cosmetic or do they protect the boat? Salt water.
Dave
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I’ve never had any on my boats. I’m too cheap.
However, I would recommend that for fender covered in the PNW, that you buy them in a dark green color. They will end up that color eventually anyway. ;-)
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08-10-2019, 11:02 AM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,185
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My fenders are black.
__________________
Boat Nut:
If you are one there is no explanation necessary.
If you aren’t one, there is no explanation possible.
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08-10-2019, 11:03 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
City: La Conner, WA
Vessel Name: Agnus Dei
Vessel Model: 36' Shin Shing
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 276
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ComoDave... I love your Signature!!!
__________________
GOD, Family, career
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08-10-2019, 11:05 AM
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#6
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,185
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Thanks. I think it is true.
__________________
Boat Nut:
If you are one there is no explanation necessary.
If you aren’t one, there is no explanation possible.
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08-10-2019, 11:15 AM
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#7
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Guru
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,834
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Had fender covers that came with the boat. IMO, as mentioned previously, they hold stuff in the material that may abrade the hull coating. Certainly quicker and easier to clean a fender than a fender cover. I wax my fenders which really helps with cleaning them off. Only time I use a fender cover is when going up against a creosoted dock. Couple of trash can liners over the ball style fenders works great to avoid the creosote clean up.
Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
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08-10-2019, 02:40 PM
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#8
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Guru
City: Alexandria, VA
Vessel Model: 2000 Wellcraft
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,467
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My wife insisted on buying some one day. I put them on, and six months later, they were in shreds. Every nail, sharp edge, and splinter of wood on a piling seemed to rip them. West Marine specials.
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08-10-2019, 03:22 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: SF Bay Area
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 34' Tri Cabin
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 12,569
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I've had same dark blue covers [from West Marine] on my fenders for 10 years. Still in pretty darn good condition.
When at berth I spray them with nozzle on a pressure hose while they hang off side of boat. The pressure water gets the covered fended twisting very quickly on its line. So... as it winds its line up tightly in one direction and eventually slows to a stop... I simply reverse the side of fender to which I apply the pressure water stream. Fender gets twisting back and forth so fast that centrifugal force throws off the water along with dirt and other contaminants [like spider webs]... sort of like the spin cycle in a washing machine!
Before having covers and maintaining fender covers by cleaning them as mentioned above... I used to spend quite a bit of time scrubbing clean my fenders at least once a year. Since putting on the covers and pressure water spraying them off - not once in the last ten years have I needed to scrub a fender clean.
One word of caution about cleaning fender covers like I do: Use only standard hose nozzle water pressure and not a pressure washer. I learned real fast that pressure washer will tear apart the fender cover's fabric.
Also, I noted in this thread where someone mentioned that fender cover affects the finish on their hull. I find no abrasion at all on our boat's gel coat. Matter of fact... for years before using cloth fabric fender covers I would too often need to buff out marks on hull from a dirty rubber fender itself.
10 years of reduced efforts and consistent OK looks for fenders has made me a believer in good quality cloth fender covers!
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08-10-2019, 04:32 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,834
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Art
I've had same dark blue covers [from West Marine] on my fenders for 10 years. Still in pretty darn good condition.
When at berth I spray them with nozzle on a pressure hose while they hang off side of boat. The pressure water gets the covered fended twisting very quickly on its line. So... as it winds its line up tightly in one direction and eventually slows to a stop... I simply reverse the side of fender to which I apply the pressure water stream. Fender gets twisting back and forth so fast that centrifugal force throws off the water along with dirt and other contaminants [like spider webs]... sort of like the spin cycle in a washing machine!
Before having covers and maintaining fender covers by cleaning them as mentioned above... I used to spend quite a bit of time scrubbing clean my fenders at least once a year. Since putting on the covers and pressure water spraying them off - not once in the last ten years have I needed to scrub a fender clean.
One word of caution about cleaning fender covers like I do: Use only standard hose nozzle water pressure and not a pressure washer. I learned real fast that pressure washer will tear apart the fender cover's fabric.
Also, I noted in this thread where someone mentioned that fender cover affects the finish on their hull. I find no abrasion at all on our boat's gel coat. Matter of fact... for years before using cloth fabric fender covers I would too often need to buff out marks on hull from a dirty rubber fender itself.
10 years of reduced efforts and consistent OK looks for fenders has made me a believer in good quality cloth fender covers!
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Your success may depend a lot on how you boat. When the fenders slide 10' up between your hull and a slimy lock wall, lots of crap can get ground into the fabric. Simply putting them up against a dock isn't much of a challenge.
Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
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08-10-2019, 04:33 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
City: punta gorda, FL
Vessel Name: Blue Bayou
Vessel Model: Hatteras 43MY
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 149
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Comodave
I don’t use them. They can hold dirt and grind it into the hull. I just keep the fenders clean. I use Spray 9 to clean them.
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This. Our boat came with fender covers with the boat’s name embroidered on them. I hate them; as Comodave said, they hold dirt, and with any protracted rocking of the boat, they grind that dirt into the paint, and it takes Finesse-it to get it off. The Admiral loves them. Naturally, we’re still using them, and I get to wash them once a month, which still isn’t really often enough.
__________________
Punta Gorda, FL
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08-10-2019, 05:14 PM
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#12
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Guru
City: SF Bay Area
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 34' Tri Cabin
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 12,569
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Quote:
Originally Posted by O C Diver
Your success may depend a lot on how you boat. When the fenders slide 10' up between your hull and a slimy lock wall, lots of crap can get ground into the fabric. Simply putting them up against a dock isn't much of a challenge.
Ted
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Correct, Ted! The fenders do not have anywhere near as much crud to deal with, as yours do.
Our berth in a double finger, floating dock is 16' wide. Tolly is 12'6". I always keep her tied off away from the fingers' edges. Fenders hang loose when at dock.
While at anchor the fenders work well for fending off our tow behind runabout; which we keep side tied. They also fend off visitor boats. So, they do get plenty of chance to rub against the hull. I never notice any abrasion due to their rubbing contact on the hull.
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08-10-2019, 06:02 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
City: FL
Vessel Model: Benneteau Swift 42
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 469
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Comodave
My fenders are black.
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+1 on that just ordered 4 new ones
I had covers last boat to cover old dirt marks that wouldn't clean up.
they were ok but can bother with them now
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08-10-2019, 06:29 PM
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#14
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Guru
City: Concrete Washington State
Vessel Name: Willy
Vessel Model: Willard Nomad 30'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 18,743
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I’m not vain enough to put blankets on my fenders.
That’s yacht club stuff.
__________________
Eric
North Western Washington State USA
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08-10-2019, 06:32 PM
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#15
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,185
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With our black fenders I have cleaned them once in the 4 years we have had them. The one time was after we go home and had gone through 75 locks. With normal usage we don’t get them dirty enough to need cleaning.
__________________
Boat Nut:
If you are one there is no explanation necessary.
If you aren’t one, there is no explanation possible.
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08-10-2019, 07:31 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
City: Hilton Head Island
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 291
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Well my fender covers were dark blue and matched the gel coat quite well for about a yesr. Then the sun did its magic
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08-10-2019, 08:50 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
City: Sneads Ferry NC
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 141
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I made my fender covers quickly & cheaply out of sunbrella. Never had any problems, nor did I have to replace them.
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08-10-2019, 09:21 PM
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#18
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Wifey B: May be stupid but I like them and it's a bit like sacrificial anodes. Cheaper to replace covers than fenders. As to grungy and grimy locks, we often use fender boards instead of our normal fenders.
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08-10-2019, 09:53 PM
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#19
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Guru
City: Adelaide
Vessel Name: Kokanee
Vessel Model: Cuddles 30 Pilot House Motor Sailer
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,218
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I have a disliking for fender covers.
Kind of like those terry towel toilet seat covers that were fashionable for some people.
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08-10-2019, 10:37 PM
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#20
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Guru
City: Concrete Washington State
Vessel Name: Willy
Vessel Model: Willard Nomad 30'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 18,743
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I used one once to cover a propane tank.
I was vain enough for that.
__________________
Eric
North Western Washington State USA
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