The great fender debate begins

Post by **Legacy** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:22 pm

Albin makes a lot of dark colored hulls. Besides regular cleaning and waxing, fenders are critical to keep the hulls nice.

I have a black hull and getting new fenders this season. What are the best to use? I dock bow in and tie up on my port side to a finger pier. I affix 4 fenders to the finger pier and they stay in place for the season. Do I get black ones, white, white with cloth covers, orange balls, etc. I hear the cloth covers collect salt and they become abrasive.

Thoughts welcome.

Thanks.

Rick
1998 Albin 35TE
"Legacy"

Post by **Pitou** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:23 pm

Premioum Polartec Fleece fender covers are offered through Maine Point in Southwest Harbor, Maine. I discovered these when out on a Saberline. Their fender covers are as plush as the best fleece you have ever owned. They make them in all colors and for all size fenders including inflatable mooring balls. Thinking of having them make one for my 12" dock wheel.

Anyway just put a fresh water hose to them when washing your boat down to get out the abrasive salt. If attaching to the dock just set above the waterline. I used them on my last boat and now the navy ones with my '02 Albin 28te

http://mainepointfendercovers.com/_wsn/page2.html

Post by **Elizabeth Ann** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:58 am

Fender covers are fine, so long as you wash them once in a while. We do ours about once a month.

Post by **jleonard** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:20 am

My first mate makes covers for ours out of cheap white terrycloth towels. We wash them, but when they get too grungy we just chuck them and make new ones.

Post by **Elizabeth Ann** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:49 am

You said you dock bow in and tie up on the port side to a finger pier - is there any poles on your starboard or any other space limitation?

The other alternative is dock whips - we have these too and they work real well so long as you don't mind your boat being pushed off about 2-3' and having to pull the boat in to get on/off it. In storm I find we need the fenders as extra insurance.

Post by **Mariner** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:14 pm

We hang our fenders from the boat, not the pier, and keep them hung just above the water. This way they stay clean and do not damage the hull. No covers necessary.

Post by **Legacy** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:21 pm

Appreciate the ideas. The distance between my boat and the sailboat next to me is literally less than a foot so whenever there is current or wind, it's a very tight squeeze. This limits the options. Some of us with such tight quarters have the fenders mounted on the dock just out of the water. According to the marina owner, when the marina was built, boats were significantly narrower. (With a multi-year wait for larger boats, I also suspect he can squeeze a few more boats in with narrow slips.)

Rick
1998 Albin 35TE
"Legacy"

Albin Owners Group

Albin Owners Group

The great fender debate begins

The great fender debate begins

Thanks for the ideas