Fenders Up Or Down When Underway

[Thiswan]

Having hired for many years I've never lifted the fenders when underway and replaced before mooring I've always left them where they are, recently I've seen videos  of craft with the fenders up and not just for a photo, is this correct  thing to do or it it too fussy for hire craft.

[Maxwellian]

Now where is griff when you need him!

[grendel]

it really is a matter of choice, but it does look a lot neater to have them up underway, and when we are on the lads week, a lot of michael is extracted for anyone washing a fender while underway. (of course you check your own are all ok before bringing this fact to light).

[tonplus]

I always leave mine down, but them I'm right common me !

 

[BroadAmbition]

Now where is Griff when you need him!

Present and correct Mr Treasurer Sir.

As are 'B.A's fenders whilst underway

Griff

[RumPunch]

Motor onto broad, solo sailing, fenders down.

Drop mudweight, set the sails, lift the outboard, and bring fenders inboard before lifting the weight and sailing off. End of sailing reverse procedure, perhaps kicking one set off as I walk forward to deploy the mudweight.

Motoring up river ? Well I'm not going to be stationary to bring them in, so they stay down

[BroadAmbition]

Fenders Down whilst underway?

Griff

 

 

[unclemike]

thats ok but when the crew has mobility issues and can't bend it's easier to leave them down

[Chelsea14Ian]

I agree underway it looks better up,but as chameleon with mobility issues leave them down.My first mate (Marina),oddly is not a friend of water.Also sadly some on the river act like a magnet.

[Baitrunner]

At sea obviously they come in. 

On the rivers they stay out. As others have previously said the attraction to other boats is high and trying to get the crew (singular) to adjust a fender is an argument waiting to happen hence I have a rather large supply of fenders. Of course they should never drag in the water. 

as for hire boats. Many have them permanent fixed so can’t be adjusted or brought onboard. So leave as is  and cruise around and enjoy yourself and if people don't like you having your fenders down, so what? 

[ranworthbreeze]

We have ours down on Ranworth Breeze apart from the spare fenders in their racks, we do however adjust the fenders ropes so they do not drag and lower them down when coming in to moor.

Regards

Alan 

[Smoggy]

On the rivers lifting them everytime you leave a mooring is just 'playing at ships' the same as neatly coiling lines on the foredeck, they only work when they are down and walking along the sides of the boat underway just adds to the chance of a dunking, on the sea they need to be safely stashed, I tuck mine up on the decks behind the guard rail stantions as they can't go anywhere from there till kicked in but many frown upon that as well.

Some just take it all too seriously, nearly as bad as the wearing of captains hats.....

[MauriceMynah]

What is proper is not always what is practical. Solo cruising on the broads really needs them down. Think on this scenario...

You are solo cruising and decide to moor at Reedham quay. The fenders are up and the tide is ebbing fast. What do you do and how do you do it? (don't forget that you will have to take special care as the decks are covered with fenders and their attached strings!)

[rightsaidfred]

1 hour ago, chameleon said:

thats ok but when the crew has mobility issues and can't bend it's easier to leave them down

Boating is supposed to be for pleasure and paramount to that is safety, underway nobody walks about outside on our boat until we come into moor and even then only from the stern area, safety over snobbery every day.

Fred

[grendel]

lifting them does require you to employ a crew to do that, solo cruising I have to admit they stay down, its similr to laying out your mooring lines in preparation when you depart, when solo things require more planning ahead.

[WherryNice]

I think leaving them down is fine as long as they aren't dragging in the water, that just looks sloppy to me. However having them up can look jolly smart on the right boat and I dont feel any negativity toward those that like them up, its a personal choice and which you prefer will depend on what it is about boating that you enjoy.

[TheQ]

Motorboating  Down, adjusted so they don't drag.

Sailiing, up, as every time you heel,  you'd drag fenders..

 

[MauriceMynah]

To be perfectly honest I don't give a twopenny doo-dah if my fenders are dragging or not. Life's too short

[Thiswan]

There's an invention to be made here an automatic fender position adjuster. Don't laugh they'll catch on like Bow Thrusters! next year everyone will want one. I think I'll apply for the position of "Can Of Worms Opener"! 

Really didn't know about lifting Fenders until I saw Rascal's video on Broad Ambition!

[vanessan]

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

To be perfectly honest I don't give a twopenny doo-dah if my fenders are dragging or not. Life's too short

Anyway, when you’re cruising along you can’t see your own fenders! (And I’m not particularly bothered what anyone elses are doing.)

[TheQ]

2 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

To be perfectly honest I don't give a twopenny doo-dah if my fenders are dragging or not. Life's too short

Motorboats If you leave your fenders dragging then they get very dirty and are a pain to clean..

Sailing if you leave them dragging, then you are loosing speed. Also if you forget they are down when you tack, you can come to an abrupt halt against the quay heading...(bashing the bit without a fender)

[Lastdraft]

I think this is an ex RN discipline as is cheesing down mooring ropes. I wouldn’t be suprised to see Griffs crew stood in line when entering and leaving his wet shed. !   Done plenty of that stuff in my time, but pleasure boating on my own boat ? ........ nah. 

[Chelsea14Ian]

What gives me a laugh, is when you see a boat far from being ship shape.Lots of fenders,all different sizes and colours.

[addicted]

When we hired a boat on the Canal du midi a few years back we  were amused to note how easy it was to distinguish a privately owned boat from a  hired one  - the former was arrayed with fenders by the score , and very wisely so. We always cruise with fenders down and they have saved us from a scuff many a time when another boater  whose helming skills lack much to be desired has come a little too close for comfort.

 

 

Carole

[Malanka]

We used to have ours deployed at all times, if folks remember they were huge round things good for fending the Queen Mary. We even retained the deployed chin balls of massahoosive proportions to protect us from the magnetic effects of wooden hulls.

 

This meant that coming into moor stern on in a tight squeeze they usually fouled something or got caught up so weren't actually being used effectively. They were so big you couldn't move on the decks as they completely blocked it, so they stayed down.

Now we have new slimline fenders and have removed the twin chin ball stations altogether we fit into smaller spaces. They do still sometimes catch another boats fenders (sorry Doug) *  but not often.

We have retained three huge white sausage fenders to deploy in the chin area to deflect the magnetically attracted bow and stern thruster equiped boats (Lodon Marina Broadlander 35 2018 spring holiday) that manage, despite all the modern aids available, to continue to helm in confined spaces using full forward and full reverse only. The usual excuses being, it's an accident mate therefore not my fault (go figure that one in a court), or it's OK its only a boat! Facepalm for that one