Do-It-Yourself Fender Boards

Fender boards are practically a necessity when lying along side pilings. They are designed to ride outboard of two fenders, protecting a larger section of the topsides than the two fenders could provide alone.

Without fender boards, no matter how you position and secure your boat and fenders, the movement of the tide and the boat will invariably displace the position of the fenders relative to the pilings. The result? Dinged and scratched topsides.

The simplest form of fender board, as illustrated at right, is adequate for most . All that is required is a three- to four-foot length of 2x4,2x6, or 2x8. As a guide, I would use a 2x4 for a 20footer, a 2x6 for a30-footer, and a 2x8 for a 40-footer. On a larger boat, you may want to use a slightly longer board-perhaps as long as six feet. Any longer than that, however, is likely to take two people to handle, and to be a nuisance to store.

For the simplest type of fender board, you can purchase standardframing lumber, which may be one of several species of spruce, pine, or hemlock. Make sure that it doesn't haveanylarge knotsinthemiddleof the board which could cause it to break under heavy loading. A hardwood like oak or ash will take more abuse, but the extra weight can make it a handful for one person to handle.

Drill a hole slightly larger than the diameter of the suspension or drop lines (say a 9/16-inch hole for a l/2-inch line) through the larger dimension at either end of the board, about six inches from either end. Then round the ends of the plank and chamfer or round-over all the edges.

The drop lines should be long enough to suspend the plank down to the waterline from whatever stanchions or cleats you plan to use. After threading the lines through the holes, tie a figure-8 stopper knot at the bottom of each line, and the boards are ready to use.

Because of the abuse fender boards are intended to take, painting or varnishing them may be a waste of time. And, because you want a fender board to be as gentle as possible to your boat, complications like metal hanging straps or eye bolts are best avoided.

You can use your fender board with conventional round fenders, or you can purchase solid rubber cushions made specifically for attaching to 2x4 or 2x6 boards. In my experience, the rubber cushions do not give the board quite as much standoff from the hull that a large round fender will, but because they are permanently attached to the fender board, there is no risk that they will pop out of position, allowing the board to rub against the topsides.

The one embellishment you might wish to consider, if you have the time and inclination, is a laminated fender board. This board is composed of three layers of fir, hickory, or ash with the layers separated by l/&inch strips of wood. The spacer strips are epoxied in at either end with the object of creating a leaf-spring effect. Although I don't imagine that a laminated board is much more effective than a length ofsolid 2x6, it will certainly look more impressive than a piece of framing lumber. Only you can decide which sort of board would satisfy you.

Do-It-Yourself Fender Boards