Where do you place your docking bumpers?

[robert843]

The cleat locations on these boats really are terrible. Right now I place one on the middle cleat and one on the rear grab handle as the front and rear cleat are to far back and forward to really do any good with a bumper on them. I think I'm going to add a third bumper to use on the front grab handle or possibly add a cleat on the rail in that general area but figured before I go drilling into the fiberglass to do so that I would try and see what you guys are doing.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

My fenders go at midship cleat and aft cleat. No need for one at the bow unless you are a crazy docker or have an odd shaped dock! I use a 1/8" para cord to hang my fenders that way I have room to use the cleats for dock line also.

When tied up properly the bow won't be near the dock, only the straight portion of the boat will be in line with the dock.

Placement also depends on what type of dock you are at. A floating or water level dock only needs fenders hanging vertically on the side. A piling dock will need you to rotate the fender horizontal and usually tie it to 2 points in order to hold it in the areas where the posts are.

 

[jawsf16]

Try tying one on the grab handle abeam the rear seat in the cockpit. It works well for height and replaces the terribly low to the water line stern cleats...

 

[Gym]

I use the midship cleat and the aft bimini support. This gives me two fenders at the widest points of the boat.

 

[Britboater]

Agree with the opinion that the cleats are in an awful position, but with the rear lines of the boat, I don't see an alternative.
Every docking situation is different, but on a flat pontoon, I attach one fender to the middle cleat and another to the rear one. But the fenders do need to be as high as they can go meaning the fender is as close to the cleat as possible.

 

[Ajax]

I find the small diameter bumpers do little to help. Step up to the large size, takes up more room in storage but benefits of extra protection at dock out way that.

 

[txav8r]

The cleats are really for dock lines and the cover...not for fenders. As you have discovered, the cleats don't help. The 230 model boats had a significantly more curved hull and the 3 fenders were not as needed except for approach to the dock to protect the bow. When you were docked, that fender would be 3 feet away from the dock!

The 240 hull is MUCH more flat bow to stern, and a third fender can be very helpful. I place my fenders on the midship cleat, the cockpit aft grab handle, and the aft end of the bow grab handle. It gives as much protection as you can get. But the boat will still ride on either one, or two, of the fenders if your tight against a dock. If you tie loosely, it will protect all the surfaces as the boat moves from wave or wind.

 

[Ajax]

T

The cleats are really for dock lines and the cover...not for fenders. As you have discovered, the cleats don't help. The 230 model boats had a significantly more curved hull and the 3 fenders were not as needed except for approach to the dock to protect the bow. When you were docked, that fender would be 3 feet away from the dock!
View attachment 31628
The 240 hull is MUCH more flat bow to stern, and a third fender can be very helpful. I place my fenders on the midship cleat, the cockpit aft grab handle, and the aft end of the bow grab handle. It gives as much protection as you can get. But the boat will still ride on either one, or two, of the fenders if your tight against a dock. If you tie loosely, it will protect all the surfaces as the boat moves from wave or wind.
View attachment 31629

this is the same set up I use on my sx210. Well described.

 

[Matt Phillips]

On my 230, I place fenders at the location indicated above, however, I use Fender Tenders (http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Fender-Tender-II-pair&i=34014&r=view) and clip the rear ones to the grab handle, and the mid-ship ones go over the window frame at the seam. I will also use a pair of fenders without Fender Tenders on the bow handles when approaching a dock, but then as soon as it's tied up, I remove them (they are just an insurance policy).

All my fenders are 6.5 x 23". To make things easier on my crew, I use four white and two blue. White without Fender Tenders go on the bow. The white with Fender Tenders go at the stern, while the blue ones go mid-ships. I find this makes it very easy for people to "help put out fenders" and it's easy for me to verify the fenders are in the correct location.

When leaving the boat in the slip covered, I then tie the white fenders to the mid-ship cleat and also to the tower support. Due to the length of my dock vs. dock cleat location vs. boat cleat locations, I don't need to use the middle boat cleats to keep her in just the correct position on the dock.

 

[robert843]

Thanks for the replies! I currently use mid cleat rear grab handle and I will be doing the above as well adding one to the front grab handle. I do currently use the 6.5" fender and I agree they are great but do take up space but pretty sure I wouldn't want to go any smaller.

 

[jawsf16]

Eight inch Big B fenders are the way to go!!

 

[subysti]

I mounted the perko fender mounts. That way I can put the fenders where I want and the cleats are left open for dock lines. I've used these on all my boats. Work great. Easy on and easy off.

 

[sysinu]

View attachment 31643
I mounted the perko fender mounts. That way I can put the fenders where I want and the cleats are left open for dock lines. I've used these on all my boats. Work great. Easy on and easy off.

I use something very similar to this, the Taylor made ones are what I use. Same fender locations as others mentioned.

 

[SCSTWG]

Agree the cleats are terribly located for fenders, but for dock lines they are fine. I have an AR, so I make use of the tower to hang the fender at the center of the boat. I could use the cleat, but the tower is easier to reach. In front and back I use the grab handle. Docking is not my strong suit, so I use (3) fenders every time I come in.

 

[sysinu]

Agree the cleats are terribly located for fenders, but for dock lines they are fine. I have an AR, so I make use of the tower to hang the fender at the center of the boat. I could use the cleat, but the tower is easier to reach. In front and back I use the grab handle. Docking is not my strong suit, so I use (3) fenders every time I come in.

What knot do you use on your tower to secure the fender? I'm all about easy on easy off, and I haven't found one that is predictable for the tower (without making something that can be a mess to undo).

 

[GiddYupJoe]

What knot do you use on your tower to secure the fender? I'm all about easy on easy off, and I haven't found one that is predictable for the tower (without making something that can be a mess to undo).

I use a clove hitch knot to tie the fender off on the horizontal cross bar on the tower. Easy on and easy off.
http://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/clove-hitch/

 

[Shuck Water]

@sysinu I've used these for years for securing fenders on the tower and windshield. Super easy on and off.

http://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instrum...&qid=1451999761&sr=8-1&keywords=Fender+tender

 

[SCSTWG]

I use a clove hitch knot to tie the fender off on the horizontal cross bar on the tower. Easy on and easy off.
http://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/clove-hitch/

I also use a clove hitch knot which I find easy to put on and take off, but as others have mentioned, there are a number of quick release widgets out there if you are looking for something faster. Many people who always boat at the same place will use these devices and label the fenders to have the perfect length each time. I like that idea, but we dock at a few different places that each require unique placement. I also use 8.5" fenders instead of 6.5"......but I am anal about keeping the boat as ding free as possible. Most of my boating is done of a very nice lake that has a town dock with about 15 slips. I am amazed how many people I see come in with no fenders and then tie off while they go to lunch and the boat slams the dock the entire time. I am talking about high-end boats like MasterCraft and Chris Craft.

 

[msavold]

One other twist I've found works... if the dock has "exposed" pilings something like this (caution: amateur graphic alert!)

where the boat will rub against the piling (ARGH!) rather than the edge of the dock, is to tie the top of the fender to, say, the midship cleat and using another line tie the bottom of the fender to the stern cleat - so that the fender hangs pretty much horizontal rather than vertical (which would end up doing you no good in this scenario). I've been known to lash a bunch of fenders together, end to end, to form sort of a "fender line" along the side of the boat... Crazy? Excessive? Perhaps - but no barnacle induced gouges on the sides as a result.

[Edit... text graphic didn't work when posted so I added this Paint gem - CAD file to follow...]

 

[GTBRMC]

One other twist I've found works... if the dock has "exposed" pilings something like this (caution: amateur graphic alert!)
View attachment 31833
where the boat will rub against the piling (ARGH!) rather than the edge of the dock, is to tie the top of the fender to, say, the midship cleat and using another line tie the bottom of the fender to the stern cleat - so that the fender hangs pretty much horizontal rather than vertical (which would end up doing you no good in this scenario). I've been known to lash a bunch of fenders together, end to end, to form sort of a "fender line" along the side of the boat... Crazy? Excessive? Perhaps - but no barnacle induced gouges on the sides as a result.

[Edit... text graphic didn't work when posted so I added this Paint gem - CAD file to follow...]

You have a promising future in graphic design!