Does anyone have ideas on what to use for dock bumpers? I don't want to spend the money on real bumpers so I'm looking for homemade alternatives. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
If you can get your hands on some used fire hose, it makes good and fairly attractive bumpers. The guys at the local fire station could probably get you some. You can fold it back and forth, tacking it in between folds to make a nice cushion. If looks don't matter, old tires are very good, or you can cut old tires into sections and nail them up there, just not too pretty! Good Luck!
One other idea, if you can get down by the docks and pick up an old piece of 3" or 4" diameter rope, tack that up there, and it would give your dock a nice"nautical" look.
Don't know what your set up is or what boat you have. The above are good home made alternatives. But, IMO, I'd rather spend the money on appropriate bumpers as opposed to repairing dings, scrapes, etc on the boat and rub rail. That is if none of the alternatives mentioned above were possible. Just my two cents. Good luck.
On the Army Corp lakes down here they have made the use of used tires a big No No. The Fire hose is a good Idea and one my dad used in the 60's and 70's the fire dept's have to replace hose every few years as they are prone to dry rot. Look on Ebay and you may find the made for dock bumpers at a reasonable price and you won't be fixing dings and scratches in your boat.
We used to take 2 - 2x6's and glue/screw them into 8' "L" shaped sections. We'd then cut 4" high-density foam to fit the face and then staple outdoor carpet over the whole section. We'd make 3, 4 or however many it took to line the slip. Just lie it over the slip edge and screw in place. You could rattle your boat into your slip like a pinball and never worry about a ding or scratch.
Not sure what your environment is like. In a lake environment, you'd have to re-carpet every 5 years.
Are you talking about bumpers to mount to your own dock, or bumpers to hang off your boat for either your dock or other's?
If you your own dock you can buy bumper by the foot.
Or buy used bumpers at boat salvage and yard sales, or pick up free ones in the river after a storm. I got 5 new big ones for $2 each recently.
How about mooring your boat so it doesn't hit in the first place? that's the preferred method. of course, then you have to buy rope.
