Ep 13 - 18' Sailboat Build – DIY Rope Fenders

[Downeast Thunder]

This is the thirteenth episode of the 18’ sailboat build and shows how you can save a boat load of money by fabricating your own Rope Boat Fenders. What is this? A rope boat fender is placed between your boat and a dock to help protect the boat hull from scratching, marring, chafe, and other damage from wind and wave action while tied alongside.

Typically, you’ll see plastic boat fenders in use at most marinas, however they can be quite expensive. Making your own boat fenders from old, worn rope (or new manila/natural fiber rope) can save you lots of money and give you something to do during the winter months if you happen to live in a northern climate such as Maine, like I do.

Re-purposing old discarded materials will save the most money and keep yet more material out of the landfills. I had some new, never used line on hand that I tried initially, simply because I had it on hand. I soon discovered new nylon/Dacron line is too slippery to hold tight knots when making a rope fender. If you use this type of rope, it must be old, used & frayed rope in order for the knots to hold tight. If you wish to use brand new line, I’ve discovered Manila/natural fiber ropes hold quite well and it can still be much less money than buying new plastic fenders.

Note that you do not have to make a fender making jig to make a rope fender – it’s only if you wish to make a number of them in a uniform size. In addition, you can make larger diameter and longer fenders by using more strands of rope but using the same procedure and also by using larger diameter rope.

Here's the video: