Many people think that the correct way to tie on a fender is to use a clove hitch. It’s true that this is a very easy knot to tie and it looks pretty. It is easily undone for adjusting or removing but this is the very reason why it’s so unsuitable for tying a fender.

The only way you can be sure that your fender will not come undone is to either tie it on with a bowline, which looks awful and is hard to adjust, or use a round turn and two half hitches. This classic knot may not look as elegant as a clove hitch but it has the advantage that it stays done up.

The clove hitch is fine for hanging a fender as decoration but if it needs to work as a fender it will probably come undone. As soon as the fender squeezes up against the boat next door a lot of force is put on it and unless it is tied on properly there is a good chance that repeated actions will loosen the knot and you will lose a fender. Bad for two reasons, one because you have lost a fender and two because your boat is no longer protected!

Last week we had a bit of a blow here in the South of France. In the marina someone measured 82 knots! The carnage afterwards was quite something to see. Many boats sank or were damaged. Sails became unfurled and destroyed themselves and often the boat next door.

Wandering along our pontoon in the morning I found no less than 6 fenders floating free. My fenders were tied on with round turns and two half hitches. I didn’t lose one fender. Yet after every blow I always find rogue fenders floating about.

The doubters can argue until they are blue in the face, all I know is that no fender has ever been lost that I have tied on with a good old round turn and two half hitches.

ventspleen.com

There are two trains of thought concerning fender socks. There are those who do not like them because they believe that dirt builds up on them and then damages the finish on the hull. There are others who believe the opposite.
As far as I am concerned there is no doubt that fender socks are not only useful, they are essential if you want to protect your top sides from chafe. My experience is that fenders with socks on do considerably less damage than fenders without but there are many reasons why you might consider socks for your fenders.

For a start, they can make a bunch of ugly, stained fenders look great. Nothing looks worse than a boat with tatty fenders. A boat with fender socks just looks better. It is a sign that you care about your boat and that is important because other people will treat your boat with more respect when they are coming alongside. No one cares when they are coming alongside a tatty old boat but they do take more care when your boat is clean and tidy.
Fenders get hard with age and when they get hard they can do a lot of damage. I have seen a fender eat through a cover and the wood behind it because it was old and hard as rock. By covering your fenders you are protecting them from the sunlight so they will last longer and stay softer.

There’s more. Without fender socks, fenders can make a lot of noise on a windy day when they are swinging about and ‘bonking’ against the hull. With fender socks they are much quieter. Fenders without socks often squeak and squeal when up against another boat or the quay. Fender socks do away with this annoying problem.

If you are selling your boat, a set of clean matching fender socks will show the potential buyer that you care about your boat and don’t mind spending money on it. It will make the boat look so much better and make it worth more. Some even go to the effort (and cost) of having their socks embroidered with the name of the boat. The only advantage to this that I can see is that no one is likely to steal them, unless of course the thief’s boat has the same name as yours!

Benjy
Ventspleen.com

New boats are coated with a thin gel coat or paint so they are much more vulnerable to abrasion. The fender protects the boat from damage during mooring and docking, however the material of fenders traps grit and dirt. Therefore, constant rubbing of bare fenders on top sides can cause abrasion and significant damage to the gel coat or paint.
Boat owners and crew need to prevent this damage which is unsightly and costly to repair. The best way to protect your boat’s topside is boat fender cover which is easy to use and inexpensive to buy. Procover assures 100% customer satisfaction with high quality covers for all sizes of boat fenders. High quality fabric provides super protection for the boat paint and gel coat.