Dock Bumpers

mjgates · May 5, 2010

I am getting a wet slip to use on the weekends while down at the campground. It will only be docked on the weekends while I am there. I pull it out and park it when I leave. I will be in the same slip all year, with the option of keeping that slip year to year, however, I do not own this dock, so I don't want to put a lot of money into dock bumpers for the front and sides of the dock. Does anyone have any suggestions on some homemade dock bumper ideas, or what can be used that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I see a lot of people have a material that is nailed (has to be stainless steel or I would think it would rust) in a wave pattern where the material is waved out about 2 inches or so. I found that material, but it was roughly $70 for every 18' of dock. This dock is fairly large in size for a lake dock. Much longer than my 21' boat, and it would take several hundred dollars using this material. More than I want to spend for a weekend dock I don't own. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Shamus O'toole · May 5, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Just put out some fenders and be done with it.

Home Cookin' · May 5, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

You do understand that you want to moor the boat so that it doesn't hit the dock? And use fenders just for boarding/loading? This is true even with a floating dock.

How best to moor it is driven by many variables: tide, current, prevailing and storm winds, wakes and waves. The best answers will come from your neighbors at the pier.

dockwrecker · May 5, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Your regular bumpers and a proper 4 point tie off should be good for mooring, but the majority of the damage occurs getting in and out of the slip. I kept my boat in a slip seasonally for six years and installed a pair of dock roller balls (still not cheap) in the back. The local Forest Service that I leased the slip from had no problem with this, and also allowed dock boxes as long as they were removed at the end of each season. Is this a long term slip arrangement? If it is, I'd go ahead and at least do the rollers, they're well worth the investment.

Thajeffski · May 5, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

What are u guys talking about mooring.... I tie my boat up to the dock with one rope clipped to the nose, one spring line to hold it from going forward and one line to the finger dock. that's it... facing nose in.

DYLBOSS · May 5, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Thajeffski said:
What are u guys talking about mooring.... I tie my boat up to the dock with one rope clipped to the nose, one spring line to hold it from going forward and one line to the finger dock. that's it... facing nose in.

Ditto. Where did the mooring topic come from? Sounds like he just wants to dock, in which case the fenders option all the way. Easy, cheap, done.

Home Cookin' · May 5, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

why else would someone alter the pier if he wasn't mooring to it? He said he kept his boat tied there on the weekends.

Philster · May 6, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Tie bumpers onto the dock/pier so that they lay flat... parallel to the water.

When you return and want to dock, they will keep you off the pier... and they are not permanent, so no damage to the dock.

Here is an example of one tied to a piling (it's actually made to be velcroed on/off).

http://www.dockgear.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=899&idcategory=24

If you could nail something on, you just use decking hardware / exterior grade screws....the same stuff the pier/dock is constructed of. It varies, depending on the type of wood/composite, etc. Galvanized will last a season, even if the decking is high-copper content.

mjgates · May 6, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Thanks for the responses. I will be mooring over the weekends with a 4 point tie and I do have fenders. I just like the fact of having something softer than wood around the edges. I put it up at my old dock that I was at for 6 years, but knew I would be there for several years. I have considered doubling carpet over and putting it around the sides for 1 seaon. I could get that from carpet scraps for free. Just looking to see if anyone else had any other cheap ideas. I will most likely use this dock long term, but since this is my first year in this location, I want to give it a year before sinking any money into it other than cleats.

jaxnjil · May 6, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

there is a house boat in a slip down at powell that is lined with old tires.

not my idea and looks pretty tacky but if you can live with the black marks on the light colored hull, it works

Philster · May 6, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Still stumped as to why bumpers can't be used. K.I.S.S.

jaxnjil · May 6, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

cost for enough bummpers to line inside of dock????? mabe???????

The_Kid · May 7, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

I've seen some folks use old fire hose nailed on with galvanized roofing nails in a wave pattern.

ziggy · May 7, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

at my grandads/dads summer cabin in the 60s and 70s we used cut up tires and nailed them to the dock as fenders. we also cut up a few foam type ski belts and life jackets and nailed them to the dock too. pretty ugly and engineered looking. but they did do the job and didn't cost a dime.

Home Cookin' · May 7, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

the occasional bump against a wooden dockisn't going to hurt your boat in the first place, and trying to line the whole slip is entirely unnecessary. At most, cover a few feet where you typically pull close to load and unload. As I said, otherwise, your boat shouldn't be on the dock in the first place; mooring lines take care of that.

mjgates · May 7, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Home Cookin' said:
the occasional bump against a wooden dockisn't going to hurt your boat in the first place, and trying to line the whole slip is entirely unnecessary. At most, cover a few feet where you typically pull close to load and unload. As I said, otherwise, your boat shouldn't be on the dock in the first place; mooring lines take care of that.

I think I'm going to go with just fenders for now. Just being there on the weekends, and it being out of water when I'm gone, the water level at a lake should stay pretty consistent, so the 4 way tie should hold it away from the dock without water level changes.

klab010 · Oct 23, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

i know this post is old, but does anyone use pool noodles around the dock edges + boat bumpers?:redface:

Bob's Garage · Oct 24, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Pool noodles are not UV protected and will degrade rather quickly, as I have discovered. However, a noodle, protected from the sun by boat trailer carpet will last a long time and is very resilient to compression, making it a perfect and cheap way to line a dock.

Good idea. And they come is a variety of sizes and colors, LOL.

Fireman431 · Oct 24, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

Why all the discussion for something this simple and inexpensive?

(4)-8" boat fenders are $45 plus shipping on eBay. Who wouldn't spend $50.00 protecting the finish on their boat while docking for over a year? Run it out over the long haul...

I spent $100 for (4)-10" fenders to dock my boat in the slip. They have been there for 3 years now (not a scratch) and they're still going strong.

100/36 months = $2.77 per month (so far) to keep the damage away. You could do it for half of that.

Stachi · Oct 24, 2010

Re: Dock Bumpers

maybe attatch some noodles to the dock.....just a thought....

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