Proper Fender Placement

Proper Place to Tie up a Fender

  • To the Rail

    Votes: 18 17.1%

  • To a Cleat

    Votes: 42 40.0%

  • Does not Matter

    Votes: 45 42.9%
  • Total voters
    105
  • Poll closed .
AKBASSKING

AKBASSKING

Active Member
Apr 13, 2008
4,649
SE Alaska Summer/Columbia River winter
Boat Info
1988 Yacht Fisher
Engines
Twin 375hp Cat 3208 T/A
OK I was reading my Sea Ray Living magazine and I see this guy tying his fenders to the rail (page 51).

Now I have always thought the proper way to tie up your fender was tie it to a cleat.

Right wrong?
 
+1 for using the cleats to hang the fenders from. :smt001
 
Tying to a rail is certainly easier, but if you ever get a hard pull, I rather my line be on a cleat.

Don
 
My cleats on the stern would be of no use (placement) for a fender. The cleats by my cabin windows would be fine but I use them to moor my 270 to my slip. My boat came with adjustable bow rail hangers that work great for me. My boat does not rub the dock/fenders while in my slip unless a rope breaks. When rafting up I use my cleats to mount fenders when possible. Bending a bow rail would be no fun, Mike.
 
It depends on how low I need them to ride. If they need to be at rub rail height they go on the rail.
 
I use the rail except for the stern. By using the rails you can put the fenders where they are needed, your limited if you only use the cleats.
 
I'm with Ken. I prefer to use the cleat but have used the rails on occasion to hit the right spot. The "best place to tie a fender off is on the dock:)
 
I only use the rail if I need a fender half way up the bow where no cleats exist. This is typically only during a raft up when I am tied to a boat significantly longer than I am. Any other time the fender is tied to a cleat.
 
Am I the only one that has fenders that lock in to clips on the side of the boat?
 
BlewByYou88 said:
Am I the only one that has fenders that lock in to clips on the side of the boat?
Click to expand...

I considered them and I do like them. Only problem for me is I do so much rafting up with different boats, there are not 4 or 6 places (only) I need fenders. Depending on what boat I am tied up to my configuration changes every time with respect to height and location so those would not work well for me.
 
sfergson727 said:
I'm curious now that you mention it. Are the clips thru-bolted? I ask, because if they are only screwed into the hull with fasteners, then that's not enough. Unfortunately, because I know dedicated hangars would be handy, screwed in clips would be much weaker than the bow rail, and obviously a cleat.

I suppose they would work for still water, but I sure wouldn't want to depend on them for rafting or in tidal/wake prone areas. Unless of course, they are thru-bolted.
Click to expand...

This is something I will have to inspect when I get home. I don't believe they are, may have to add more work to my list. They have been on there for 20 some odd years and are stil holding strong.

Never had an issue with placement either, they always seem to be just right.
 
To the rail. I have no other choice. Here we do not have side piers and we must protect our rub rail from the two flanking boats. Moreover almost no tide, so one less problem!

P1010157.JPG
 
In any and all raft ups I have to use the rail. I don't need any in my slip. I have to use the rail when I am locking thru..
 
I actually only have used them in my slip with this boat. My slip is a little snug and to prevent the boat from hitting the poles I hang two fenders off the sides. I attach one end to the stanction & the other to the rail with the clip on adjustable holders. This has worked well for 2 seasons so far as the fenders actually hang horizontal and kind of roll up & down the pole!
 
I have used the rail also, but picked up a gadget at last years boat show called "fender grip" works excellent I leave them attached to the fenders for when I need them
 
I have two spots I usually hang fenders (we raft up very often). One is the handrail at the aft end of the salon. very sturdy and through bolted. The other is the midship side cleat. This gives good distribution. SRs are not particularly high freeboard boats so sometimes I need to set that midship fender a bit higher - that's when it goes on the the bowrail...of the other boat :grin:

In the home slip, the boat is set in such a way as to obviate the need for fenders. When transient-ing, they'll go in the spots described above and pictured below.

100_1280-1.jpg
 
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