Where/How do you attach fender lines?
- Thread starter Ward H
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I use these in the stainless steel version on the fender lines...
easy clip on and off the life line or go around a cleat or winch and clip back on to its own line... my forward fender hangs from a shroud, clipped on with a trigger snap above the shroud guard... very fast and easy fender deployment.
easy clip on and off the life line or go around a cleat or winch and clip back on to its own line... my forward fender hangs from a shroud, clipped on with a trigger snap above the shroud guard... very fast and easy fender deployment.
I use a clove hitch, quick to attach and retrieve and easy to slide fore and aft and adjust height for various docking layouts...
That and a cleat hitch are two knots all my crew get to learn to tie on my boat...makes them feel all nautical and stuff....
That and a cleat hitch are two knots all my crew get to learn to tie on my boat...makes them feel all nautical and stuff....
I tie a quick release clove hitch to my life line. Sometimes I just tie clove hitch around one of my Gennie winches. I used 1/4" three strand nylon line for most of my fenders. It's a lot easier to splice than braid.
I like using the quick release clove hitch because I can tie it with one hand and spill the knot with one hand. I've never lost a fender yet. In fact, I've found a lot of fenders through the years washed up on the shore while beach combing.
The first picture illustrates the quick release clove hitch and the second pic illustrates a round turn with a quick release half hitch. I use these two hitches quite a bit to tie off my tarps. I use braid for my tarp lines and just tie them to the grommets of the tarp.
Most of the time when I need to tie off a line under tension, I'll take a round turn around whatever I want to tie the line off to, and just tie two half hitches over it to secure it. The round turn prevents the half hitches from binding which makes them easier to untie.
I like using the quick release clove hitch because I can tie it with one hand and spill the knot with one hand. I've never lost a fender yet. In fact, I've found a lot of fenders through the years washed up on the shore while beach combing.
The first picture illustrates the quick release clove hitch and the second pic illustrates a round turn with a quick release half hitch. I use these two hitches quite a bit to tie off my tarps. I use braid for my tarp lines and just tie them to the grommets of the tarp.
Most of the time when I need to tie off a line under tension, I'll take a round turn around whatever I want to tie the line off to, and just tie two half hitches over it to secure it. The round turn prevents the half hitches from binding which makes them easier to untie.
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On my own dock I tie the fenders to the pilings and the fender itself is at the dock edge. On a boat I tie to whatever is located where I need the fender, may be a cleat, shroud, stanction base or lifeline. I'd considered a midships cleat on my boat but the (barefoot, flipflop, sandal) stubbing potential outweighed the convenience. My chainplates are mounted to the hull so nothing to shield a cleat from a wayward foot.
Clove hitch for me too and I might back it up with a couple half hitches.
Clove hitch for me too and I might back it up with a couple half hitches.
I don't believe these are options on a O25. The cleats are not at the widest part of the boat (none at midship) and the toe rails are solid with no way to clip on a line. While I don't like hanging fenders from my lifelines, I prefer to hang them from the base of the stanchions so that if there is a strong pull on the fender it will at least be focused on a securely attached base rather than on the lifeline.
Two thing that bother me about our small ODays, no midship cleats and solid toerails (although my toes would probably say otherwise).
I added simple clips to the fend lines, so I can easily move them without tying or untying knots. Great for singlehanded sailors and for the "oh, I forgot, I'm near the slip and they're still not attached" times. Yup, never happened to you, but just last week, when I was close to my slip...
Exactly.... and when sailing with a crew, using a clip is still easier than trying to explain how to tie a clove hitch every timeI added simple clips to the fend lines, so I can easily move them without tying or untying knots. Great for singlehanded sailors and for the "oh, I forgot, I'm near the slip and they're still not attached" times. Yup, never happened to you, but just last week, when I was close to my slip...
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I put a pair of these on the 2 stanchions closest to midship on both sides of the boat, and for 99% of my purposes, they work great!
www.sailgbg.com/boatsaver.htm
www.sailgbg.com/boatsaver.htm
Good point about having to explain a clove hitch. Those BoatSavers that Rocket1 uses look interesting and would please the Admiral greatly!
The Fend Fix clip available from Sail Care looks like a good option for hanging fenders from railings or lifelines. http://sailcare.com/fendfix.shtml I have never used these, but it would be easier than explaining a quick release clove hitch to crew...
I considered something like a jackline down my Harpoon, since it's a low, open boat, and then tying on to the jackline. What I wound up doing was using these suction cup straps with gunwale type fenders, but then again, it's a low, open boat much like a bass boat. http://www.wholesalemarine.com/pc/K...at+Fender+Straps+with+Suction+Cup+Mounts.html These suction cup mounts would not work on non-skid. For my Harpoon, just on the inside of the seat I have smooth gelcoat, so they work well enough for a raft up.
Brian
I considered something like a jackline down my Harpoon, since it's a low, open boat, and then tying on to the jackline. What I wound up doing was using these suction cup straps with gunwale type fenders, but then again, it's a low, open boat much like a bass boat. http://www.wholesalemarine.com/pc/K...at+Fender+Straps+with+Suction+Cup+Mounts.html These suction cup mounts would not work on non-skid. For my Harpoon, just on the inside of the seat I have smooth gelcoat, so they work well enough for a raft up.
Brian
Hey guys!
If you can tie a clove hitch, you can tie a quick release clove hitch. All you need to do to tie it is to not bring the bitter end all the way through. Just leave a loop or a bight in it.
When you want to untie the hitch, just pull on the bitter end and it will spill the hitch.
You guys must do the same thing when you reef your Mainsail. You gather the bunting of your mainsail and tie a series slipped reef knots to hold it in place, right? A slipped reef knot is nothing more than a square knot with a loop or bight left in it.
You can make a slipped knot out of a half hitch, clove hitch, or a square knot by leaving a bight in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAUCmnOV1kI
This hitch is so easy that you can do it with the thumb and fingers of one hand. It only takes one hand to spill it. You can slide the hitch on the lifeline without having to untie it.
To tie this hitch, just throw the fender line over the lifeline and come up on the right side of the standing part and bring it back up and over the lifeline to the left of the first turn and finish it off by leaving a loop instead of bringing the bitter end all the way through.
The last picture shows my sail stop which is nothing but a short line wrapped around the mast and over my mast winch, with a slipped reef knot tied in it. The line is secured to my mast winch bracket with a thin twine. This is what keeps my sail slides from falling out of the mast track.
If you can tie a clove hitch, you can tie a quick release clove hitch. All you need to do to tie it is to not bring the bitter end all the way through. Just leave a loop or a bight in it.
When you want to untie the hitch, just pull on the bitter end and it will spill the hitch.
You guys must do the same thing when you reef your Mainsail. You gather the bunting of your mainsail and tie a series slipped reef knots to hold it in place, right? A slipped reef knot is nothing more than a square knot with a loop or bight left in it.
You can make a slipped knot out of a half hitch, clove hitch, or a square knot by leaving a bight in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAUCmnOV1kI
This hitch is so easy that you can do it with the thumb and fingers of one hand. It only takes one hand to spill it. You can slide the hitch on the lifeline without having to untie it.
To tie this hitch, just throw the fender line over the lifeline and come up on the right side of the standing part and bring it back up and over the lifeline to the left of the first turn and finish it off by leaving a loop instead of bringing the bitter end all the way through.
The last picture shows my sail stop which is nothing but a short line wrapped around the mast and over my mast winch, with a slipped reef knot tied in it. The line is secured to my mast winch bracket with a thin twine. This is what keeps my sail slides from falling out of the mast track.
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I don't like the idea of hanging stuff off the life lines and was wondering if it was just me. Looks I am not the only one.
Knots will work but not for my guest crew who want to help out.
I like the SS Trigger Snaps and the Boat Savers. Think I will give both a try.
Thanks for all the great suggestions.
Knots will work but not for my guest crew who want to help out.
I like the SS Trigger Snaps and the Boat Savers. Think I will give both a try.
Thanks for all the great suggestions.
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