need boat bumpers?

[cbavier]

Re: need boat bumpers?

Thanks guys, this is good info. I love Wal-Mart prices, so I appreciate the tip.

Another follow-up question since someone mentioned "line". Can I buy regular rope/line at a Home Depot or Lowes, or do I need to buy "nautical line" at a marina or Fleet Farm? Thanks.

You will get several opinions so I'll be the first to share mine about
rope. Don't buy the three strand braided poly propeline line. It's
too stiff and difficult to work with. The multi strand poly propelene
works good. For anchor rope. You can also make the loop ends
with the multi strand poly propelene rope using the barrel end of an
ink pen. Something you should know too.
The coast guard requires that you have one,100ft anchor line and
one anchor on board. You need at least 1/2 inch rope for strength.
I prefer the braided nylon but it remains wet once used. Which is a
drawback but it is so much easier to work with. I use a one gallon
plastic ice cream pail and coil the anchor rope in it for storage.
Leaving only a small amount of rope and the chain to contend with.

 

[642mx]

Re: need boat bumpers?

I would buy the marine grade line (rope...whatever its called).

 

[projecthog]

Re: need boat bumpers?

Ya see the thing is if the LINE has job then its called by a name to fit the job. if it does not have a job to do then its a line, but there aint no ropes on a boat.

Dave

Then where did the term "show him the ropes" come from? huh?
It didn't come from ringside!
The term came from the sailing era, where everything was held together with "ropes" and one had to be taught what was what for which rope.
Rope lockers, anchor rope, masting rope, keel hauling rope, smokin rope...er no...not that one :redface:, rope dope (preservative) etc etc. you get the drift! lol

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: need boat bumpers?

Thanks guys, this is good info. I love Wal-Mart prices, so I appreciate the tip.

Another follow-up question since someone mentioned "line". Can I buy regular rope/line at a Home Depot or Lowes, or do I need to buy "nautical line" at a marina or Fleet Farm? Thanks.

Whereas I bought our fenders at Wal-Mart, I decided not to skimp on the dock line. You can't go wrong with a good double-braided nylon rope. It is easy to handle (won't irritate your skin), coils easily, holds knots well and has good tensile strength. And most of them already come with a loop at one end that you can easily slide through and back over your boat's cleats. You can get them in various lengths, commonly in 3/8" and 1/2" widths, at most sporting/boating supply stores. I recall getting ours on sale through Cabela's website.

I bought a separate line made especially for anchoring. The ice cream bucket mentioned previously is a great idea. Fortunately, our boat came with a small anchor locker up forward that holds our Richter anchor, chain and line, but for those without that space the ice cream bucket would work fine for the line.

IMHO, you won't regret investing a little more to get good line, and will instead appreciate your decision every time you go aboard.

 

[grego]

Re: need boat bumpers?

We have an "in ground" dock at lake,it does not move with wake. I drive a bass boat "deep vee". The fenders tend to ride up and end up back inside boat. I learned, long ago, that there must be a reason why there are gromets on both ends of fenders. I adjust fenders to height to protect boat, then tie another line to bottem gromet, then fish it under boat to the cleat on other side of boat and tie it off. This keeps fenders from moving AND! you can sleep easier. As far as "line goes" There are stretch and static, "local hardware store". Anchor line? I would use "stretch"line. if mooring "static",it does not pull knots down so tight, that you need tools to help untie. IMHO.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: need boat bumpers?

anchor rope

You may have confused this for the term, "anchor rode"

By the way I have some nice shore line for sale if anyone is interested.

 

[eeboater]

Re: need boat bumpers?

With a 18 foot boat, you should have room for at least 2 bumpers.

In my opinion, I value the finish of the hull of my boat too much to go without fender. The black line is a rub rail, not a fender. If you were in a lock, hanging onto the wall, its probably ok to go fender-less. But if your wife is sitting at the dock waiting for your return, all you need is one moron to fly past the ramp throwing wake at the stern of your boat and voila, scrrraaaapppeee you have a nice gouge in your gelcoat.

 

[cbavier]

Re: need boat bumpers?

Hey everybody on the lighter side of this serious conversation.


PONDERISMS

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Never take life seriously Nobody gets out alive anyway.

There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.

Life is sexually transmitted.

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

In the 60s, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there? I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its butt.

"Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle

 

[642mx]

Re: need boat bumpers?

The ponderisms are hilarious!

 

[special_kaye]

Re: need boat bumpers?

Actually, there are like nine ropes on a boat. Can't think of all the names but they're there. On a sailboat anyway. Plus, once a line is used to control a sail it's usually called a sheet.

Using three strand twisted line for spring ropes is actually a good idea. The double-braid takes up the slack harder and can pull a cleat. The Three Strand stretches a bit and eases the pulls. Same holds true for anchor lines. Add a little chop and you'll feel the difference very quickly.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: need boat bumpers?

I ALWAYS use fenders. I carry 2 of em on my little bayliner. much better than fiberglass repairs. Just make sure that after you leave the dock you pull them up immediately and dont "fly" them like a "sunday sailor".

I learned from ocean-going vessels and the old school navy guys, yes rope is rope til its cut, then its line. and yes, there are sheets on sailboats also...main sheet, jib sheet, etc.

get 2 dock lines with eyelets spliced on one end, and a "bitter" end on the other...makes it easier when you only have to tie one end at different lengths when you dock. well, thats what i do anyways.

 

[woodee148]

Re: need boat bumpers?

double braided Nylon is what you should use for dock lines and anchoring, I don't think there is actually a marine grade. If its called that then its just so they can charge you more! the purpose of the nylon is that it has stretch to it (as mentioned earlier) the purpose of the double braid is too prevent rotating under strain, kinking and unwanted knots and it does not go hard

as far as fenders go, its to each there own. On the lakes I'm at I would never even consider going without fenders, my boat would be a mess. however when i was in Florida (even though I tried) I never used my fenders once.

If you take a power squadron course you will learn all about the lines including all the right knots and where to use them. The course my wife and i just completed went into detail about nylon, Polypropylene and polyester as well as three strand line and double braid line. Lots of great information over and above the regualar safety stuff you would expect.

 

[special_kaye]

Re: need boat bumpers?

Fenders can also help you repel boarders. When the DNR, or FWC, or what ever water patrol asks to come along side, say, "Hang on a second, let me rig some fenders." They'll look like you ate their breakfast but it tells them you care about your boat and I've had them ask one or two questions, glance around, and take off pretty quick. No bother.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: need boat bumpers?

If you take a power squadron course you will learn all about the lines including all the right knots and where to use them. The course my wife and i just completed went into detail about nylon, Polypropylene and polyester as well as three strand line and double braid line. Lots of great information over and above the regualar safety stuff you would expect.

this is true, those classes are great. I learned most of my nautical terms, knots, navigation, etc. from being in Sea Explorers (basically older boy scouts on the ocean) when i was younger but my dad has learned the same info and then some from the power squadron classes. too bad some of the squadrons are closing or merging into larger areas only.

 

[special_kaye]

Re: need boat bumpers?

double braided Nylon is what you should use for dock lines and anchoring, I don't think there is actually a marine grade.

My opinion, I like the bounce the three strand will give. It's my opinion. Especially at anchor. A lot of the braided rope you find, especially discount rope, is actually a braided jacket over a parallel core. Not really double braid. Splice a couple different ropes and you'll see the different immediately.