Fender line length

eastont

eastont

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I bought a, new to me, 3607 Carver aft cabin. It was used as a cottage for the previous 5+ years and there are no fenders as they were on the dock.

So, I've purchased 6 new fenders 8" X 20" and I'm trying to be prepared for the spring. Does anybody know what length I should make the fender lines?
 
Don S

Don S

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Re: Fender line length

Long enough so the fenders will just touch the water, yet give you enough rope to tie the fender to whatever you tie it to.
 
T

TilliamWe

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Re: Fender line length

8" diameter is a bit small for that boat. 8.5 is the absolute smallest you'd want to go, I would think.

Don's got the line length issue covered. That way, if you need them a little higher (but still below your rub rail) you can just pull the lines up a little.
 
eastont

eastont

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Re: Fender line length

TilliamWe said:
8" diameter is a bit small for that boat. 8.5 is the absolute smallest you'd want to go, I would think.

Don's got the line length issue covered. That way, if you need them a little higher (but still below your rub rail) you can just pull the lines up a little.
Click to expand...

Ya think 8" is a bit small.....the only other option, at the boat show, was 12" which I thought was way too big.

On my current 27' Carver , I have 6" and they seem to be working okay.
 
emilsr

emilsr

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Re: Fender line length

Too late now I guess, but I'd go with either 10" or 12" fenders on that boat. Yes, they look HUUUUGE, but they need to be. Am using 8" on our 26' sport boat and that's about right.

Fender lines usually come in 5 or 6' lengths. That's plenty unless you need to tie off deep in the cockpit somewhere.
 
tpenfield

tpenfield

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Re: Fender line length

Yea, I was looking at some fenders this weekend . . . I have a 33 foot boat and would need about 12" in diameter. I had 8" for my 24 foot boat and they were OK, but not great.

It looks like big fenders are pushing about $50-$100 a piece :eek: Fortunately, I have 3 of them, so hopefully that will suffice.

You will want to use your boat to check the length for your lines. It would depend on the amount of freeboard, plus the height of what you will tie them to on the deck, etc.
 
Don S

Don S

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Re: Fender line length

eastont said:
Ya think 8" is a bit small.....the only other option, at the boat show, was 12" which I thought was way too big.

On my current 27' Carver , I have 6" and they seem to be working okay.
Click to expand...

Since you already have them, try 'em out and see what happens. If you are putting all of them on one side, you should be fine. A lot depends on the wind and wave conditions you see at your dock.
 
H

Home Cookin'

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Re: Fender line length

The question of length of line reminds me of a saying supposedly by Lincoln: Every man's legs need to be long enough to reach the ground.

Write your name and phone number on your fenders. Most of mine came free with no numbers on them; I wouldn't still have them if they had.
 
tazrig

tazrig

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Re: Fender line length

You can never have big enough fenders, or enough of them. It beats hearing that sickening thud or scratching sound after you've just polished up your hull. Just don't forget to take them in once you're under way or you may well add to Home Cookin's collection. :laugh:
 
U

UncleWillie

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Re: Fender line length

How Long for the lines?

I suggest at least twice as long as the fender itself.
If you have eyes on the fender at both ends, this allows you to loop the line through the other eye when not in use to keep everything ship-shape.
It will also come in useful for the time you need to rig the fender horizontally instead of vertically.
And finally if you tie the line to both eyes, it serves double duty as a throwable PFD in a man overboard situation.
They throw a lot like a football and do not tend to fly in the wind like the official Type IV Cushion style PFDs.
 
eastont

eastont

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Re: Fender line length

tpenfield said:
Yea, I was looking at some fenders this weekend . . . I have a 33 foot boat and would need about 12" in diameter. I had 8" for my 24 foot boat and they were OK, but not great.

It looks like big fenders are pushing about $50-$100 a piece[/B] :eek:
Click to expand...

I guess you don't shop here in Canada....LOL...the ones I purchased usually sell for about $95, if I were to go to anything larger I'm looking at $150 or more each.
 
tpenfield

tpenfield

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Re: Fender line length

eastont said:
I guess you don't shop here in Canada....LOL...the ones I purchased usually sell for about $95, if I were to go to anything larger I'm looking at $150 or more each.
Click to expand...

Yup, total rip-off at any of the mentioned prices . . . it is just some formed plastic with an air valve.
 
U

UncleWillie

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Re: Fender line length

For a rough rule of thumb;
Size your Fenders for at least one inch of Fender for every 3 feet of boat.

Examples...
18 ft / 3 = 6 inch Fenders. (8 inch is Better)
30 ft / 3 = 10 inch Fenders. (12 inch is Better)

If in doubt, a little Larger will never hurt. (Except the Wallet!)
 
QC

QC

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Re: Fender line length

I'm just happy I can't find the word Bumper in this thread. Dangit, I did it :facepalm:
 
25thmustang

25thmustang

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Re: Fender line length

12" on my 34'er.

Keep in mind if your carver is an aft cabin, your stern most fenders might be secured much higher than a regular cruiser or flybridge boat, due to the aft cabin. I agree with above, give them enough to be just at the water. You can tie then higher if need be, and shouldn't need much more than that, even if hanging them horizontal.
 
QC

QC

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Re: Fender line length

For reference, these aren't long enough. Or even necessary. God I hate stuff like this :facepalm:

3K23Md3J55I85K55Fdd1m0de5ce48a37a152d.jpg
 
tpenfield

tpenfield

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Re: Fender line length

I make sure that the tie line is long enough to tie off the fender at various points along the boat's length, because that is what I find happens in practice. Sometimes you have a cleat to tie to, sometimes a railing, other times an interior railing, etc. So, I make my tie lines all fit the longest common denominator.
 
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