Boat's in the slip. Fenders off or on?

Do you leave your fenders on while in your slip?

  • Total voters
    120
Bridog

Bridog

Well-Known Member
Oct 4, 2006
4,961
Gulf Shores AL / Brick NJ
Boat Info
2016 19SPX OB
Engines
Mercury 150 4S OB
I have 3 fenders on each side of my boat while it's in my slip at the marina. What do you do? Most at my marina don't use them. Am I being "ghetto" I hope people don't look at me like I look at those guys who leave the fenders out "flapping in the breeze" while out on the water.
 
It all depends on your slip.
If you're boat is near another boat, or unprotected dock, then by all means, that's what fenders are for.
Also, if getting in and out of the slip is tight, they not only protect your boat, but your neighbor's as well.
If there's nothing near you, no need for fenders.
Our boats at our marina are rather tightly packed, and fenders are a must.
As soon as we leave the slip, fenders are stored away.
 
My floating dock setup is such that I don't need them. I have fingers on both side of my boat and the supports for the roof overhead are padded as well and that is the only thing the boat can hit. I have the boat tied up with six lines so it can't hit anything while we are moored.

If I didn't have fingers on both sides to protect me from dockmates, not only would I have fenders out I would also have a fender board on the open side of the boat....................and I wouldn't care what it looked like or what others thought either. :smt043
 
After being hit twice while sitting in my slip, my boat looks like the michelin man in the slip. I have fenders on both sides.
 
I have a finger pier on the starboard and another boat to port. There's no way to tie the boat away from the pier. So I have two fenders that stay on the pier and two that I put on the port side of my boat during docking and leave them there while I'm in the slip.

My old dock had four way tie, I could tie the boat away from the dock. No fenders there.

Keep your fenders clean, a dirty fender rubbing on the gelcoat can do a lot of damage while you're away.
 
We leave ours on because of the tides. When the tide is coming in at full steam the boat is being pushed into the side quite hard. We also have another boat that comes and goes on the other side so we leave two down on the other side the protect us from him.
 
I have 8 lines

2 fenders attached to the dock aft of the boat
2 fenders attached to the dock, low and about 10' from the aft end of the boat
2 fenders hanging from the boat horizontally, both forward sides
2 fenders hanging from the boat, both aft sides

Redundancy everywhere, Im in a tight slip (10.5' boat in a 11.5' slip) with a lot of wave action so I dont want to bump anything that isnt pillowy. I have it down to a routine and want no help when securing the boat, just get out of my way and enjoy the day.
 
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