Fender Locks?

[farwellbooth]

I'm thinking about screwing on some fender locks to get the lines off my cleats. The existing cleats are the retractable type on a 22 ft. sundeck and there just isn't a ton of real estate for both fender lines and dock lines. I think it would be much quicker to fender up too when coming in to dock. It's a Sundeck and doesn't have any railings to attach fenders to. I'd have to drill a bunch of holes in the boat of which I'm not crazy about and I'd want to find some nice looking ones. I think Cobalt boats do this. May make my first mate Wife's life easier too. If I do this, where should I put them relative to the existing cleats? I've attached a fender lock for reference.

Thank you, appreciate the input.

 

[Bob & Sue]

Nice looking fender locks where or who sells them?

I would mount 3 of them on each side 1 on the bow curve in case a wind or wave blew you into the dock while docking the other 2 near the existing cleats if they are in the right position to protect the boat from the dock.

 

[farwellbooth]

http://www.osculati.com/en/cat/istituzionali/contatti.aspx

I'm sending the US distributor in Florida to see if these are even available. I Goodled fender locks and quite a few options are available in the images.

 

[1956olds]

Are you going to need epoxied backers for those? Mabey look and see if searay has a area with existing backer blocks on your boat.

 

[farwellbooth]

I never thought of additional backing for the fender lock... Is there that much pull on the fender where I'd need backing? I wasn't even going to put bolts on the other side for as some of the areas are difficult, if not possible to get to (the bow area). Obviously I don't want to put these on to rip out.

Many thanks

 

[Bob & Sue]

If the area is cored there's no need for it, I have downriggers mounted on the cored hull with no backing plate just washers that's the way LUSR does it. The only stress you might get from a fender is if a wake or wind was to get the fender caught under the dock in my opinion.

 

[dpmulvey]

In a perfect world, there is no vertical pressure on a fender. We don't live in a perfect world. In a raft up boats are going to move by wakes or by folks transiting swim platforms. Strap or tie them to a bow rail and be done with it. Those locks place a lot of pressure on a single point of contact. Plus, you've just limited your placement points.

 

[estoltz]

In a perfect world, there is no vertical pressure on a fender. We don't live in a perfect world. In a raft up boats are going to move by wakes or by folks transiting swim platforms. Strap or tie them to a bow rail and be done with it. Those locks place a lot of pressure on a single point of contact. Plus, you've just limited your placement points.

OP said he didn't have any rails to attach to.