yacht fenders

HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE

Fendertex Fenders are highly customizable, allowing you to perfectly match the color scheme of your boat. Just about every component of the Fendertex Fender you can customize somehow. For example, you can change the color of the fender cover, whips, and D-ring, while also having your boat name or logo knitted into the cover.

Want to see what your custom Fendertex® Fender will look like? Build your custom fender by clicking the button below.

Explore our exclusive collection of custom-designed Fendertex fender covers, meticulously crafted by talented designers in the marine industry. Elevate the aesthetics and protection of your vessel with these unique, high-quality fender covers that blend style and functionality seamlessly.

10 COLOR OPTIONS

Fendertex Fenders and all optional accessories are available in ten colors, grey, dark grey, black, navy blue, royal blue, burgundy, red, orange, beige, and green.

CUSTOMIZABLE COVERS

Fendertex Fender Covers are highly customizable. Any design, logo, or boat name can be sewn onto the cover in any of our ten standard colors. Having your design knitted into the cover rather than embroidered helps with durability and keeps the design from fading.

COVERED D-RINGS

One of the numerous optional accessories offered is Covered D-Rings. This option helps protect your boat from potential impact from the exposed stainless steel D-Rings when handling. Standard and custom color options are available.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR FENDER

COLLAR STRAP EMBROIDERY

Choose colored stitching to make your Fendertex Fender unique. Embroidery can also be added onto the collar retention strap and long side straps.

DESIGNER COLLECTIONS

Browse our collection of custom designed fendertex fenders by designers in the marine industry., pyi - go to homepage.

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14 Different Types of Boat Fenders

Posted on July 13, 2022

Boat fenders are one of the easiest and most effective methods of protecting your boat . They give your boating neighbors peace of mind while saving you money from any impact on the hull. The purpose of boat fenders is to work as cushions that absorb the shock caused by bumps against other vessels, pilings, and docks, thus eliminating damage to your water vehicle.

If you’re in the market for a set of high-quality boat fenders, then it’s important to understand the various types available on the market. Keep reading to learn more!

Related: Boat Accessories that Makes Boating More Fun and Safe

Types of Boat Fenders

There are numerous boat fender types that you can purchase, each with different applications, functions, and shapes. These include:

Arch fenders were developed to improve the performance of cylindrical fenders with a better energy/reaction force ratio. Given the improvement over the traditional cylindrical fenders, arch fenders can be used for numerous watercraft applications. The arch shape was engineered to dissipate stresses at various points on the fender evenly.

Like the cylindrical fender, this version is simple to install and offers the benefit of being maintenance-free. While arch fenders can be utilized across a variety of applications, they are most useful for small-to-medium-sized watercraft.

Ball fenders look exactly as you might expect, like a ball! While this fender type is inflated with air, the outer shell is constructed from durable PVC and a strongly reinforced eyelet. The ball fender boasts exceptional point of impact protection and can easily roll to transfer the point of contact alongside the hull.

Ball fenders are best for maneuvering across tight spaces or while navigating through locks, where little room for error exists. Ball fenders are also incredibly versatile and are used to mark anchor locations.

Cone fenders are an upgrade to the Cell type fender and can be used across multiple water applications, including in high tidal variation locations.

The cone fender features a shorter height which drastically improves the material handling capabilities of vessel/deck cranes. This maneuverability improvement helps to save on significant project costs.

Given its geometric shape, the cone fender can deflect more while absorbing additional energy from all directions. Doubling energy absorption while maintaining a reaction force is achieved by utilizing back-to-back cone fenders. To add reaction force, cone fenders usually feature large panels, which lower the hull pressure.

Corner fenders are simply constructed 45-degree shaped models that are used on docks to protect incoming watercraft from being slammed into the shore. Most are compression-molded, and some have additional steel inserts depending on the boat types that are docked.

Cushion fenders are a terrific addition to all vessels because they feature excellent storability, due to their flat surface, versatility, and low slippage possibility.

This fender type is constructed from foam and often covered with nylon for additional protection. You find cushion fenders on vehicles that must navigate through tight spaces, but also on slipways, cranes, and locks.

The only major disadvantage to this fender type compared to a traditional fender is that they are incredibly lightweight. This means birthing during a storm or fierce winds could cause them to fly right off the boat.

Boating professionals advise that during intense winds, it’s best to add a water-saturated sheet to hold it in place so your watercraft maintains protection.

Also, PVC fenders tend to be a more durable construction, so they will likely last longer.

6. Cylindrical

Cylindrical fenders are one of the more commonly used options that mitigate damage and ensure linear and safe berthing for various vessel types. This boat fender type is an economical solution that protects most berthing structures with a simple installation.

7. D Fenders

D fenders can be used on small jetties as well as watercraft. The most common manufacturing method is using extruded solid rubber with a weather-resistant EPDM compound.

Double D fenders also follow this manufacturing process and are typically available with steel inserts. This fender type is easy to install when the surface is cleaned and free of debris from previous fenders that may have sat in this location.

8. Floating Rubber

Floating rubber fenders are built from solid rubber and are considered a newer protective watercraft component. This type features excellent compressive deformation, energy absorption, easy installation, a simple ability to sail, and a low reaction force. The floating rubber fender can adapt to quick tide changes to be used on docks.

The most common floating rubber fender types include foam fill and pneumatic. The major differences between these two designs are application, price, materials, and structures.

9. Foam Elastomer

Foam elastomer fenders are built from a closed-cell central Polyethylene foam core, which is surrounded by a Kevlar or nylon reinforced Polyurethane skin. The performance is comparable to pneumatic fenders without losing their function when the skin is punctured. This is because the foam elastomer core cannot deflate.

Long fenders are the most used boat fenders because they can easily be deployed horizontally or vertically from lifelines, railings, or cleats, and are easy to manage. There are two types of long fenders: center cord and two-eyed. Center cords are used for vessels with frequent docking situations, so the additional roll is required to bring the boat along the dock.

Both options feature two attachment points for horizontal placement.

11. Keyhole

Keyhole fenders offer high-quality protection to ferries and tugboats due to their load-absorbing capabilities, along with a typical profile. As a result of their design, they are also one of the most versatile options available.

12. Solid Rubber

Solid rubber fenders have a lengthy history and are available in a variety of anti-collision components. This boat fender type functions by managing the compression, rotation, and shear forces, which are dependent on the shape and structure. Designs can include cylindrical, rectangular, fan-shaped, drum-type, cone-type, and D-type.

These solid rubber fenders offer the benefit of high reaction force and energy absorption, durability, longevity, easy maintenance and installation, and low cost. The versatility of the solid rubber fender transcends boats and is also used for protecting docks.

Square fenders can be used on small jetties as well as various water vessel types, including ships, boats, and tugboats. This boat fender type has excellent resistance to ozone aging and UV rays since they will be exposed to the environment around the clock, which can cause degradation, and to seawater resistance.

14. Tugboat

Tugboat fenders are constructed from high abrasion-resistance rubber, which gives them excellent resilience properties. Therefore, they are most used by tug and small port craft owners. This fender type is compression molded using a thermic-fluid-heated high-pressure mold. The result of this design is excellent seawater resistance.

Historically, tugboat fenders were only comprised of rope as the padding, but material engineering has greatly improved this design over the years.

What is a fender?

Boat fenders are inflatable protective bodies that prevent scratches and damage to the boat’s hull as you navigate through a marina, while moored to a piling, or with boat-to-boat contact. Fenders come in different shapes and sizes depending on the boat and application.

How many fenders should a boat have?

Your watercraft can never have enough fenders. However, space is limited around the perimeter of your vessel, so the question is always raised: do I have enough fenders on my boat? The general rule is for boats 10 meters or less, two fenders on each side are sufficient, with one or two as replacements when necessary.

Boats over 10 meters in length should have 3-4 fenders on each side with one or two replacements. The side fenders must be placed accordingly for proper docking, but sometimes you need additional fenders to offset strong wind pinning your watercraft to the dock or a rolling swell. For this reason, it’s advisable to have more than one fender type or shape available.

Where can I store fenders?

Since most boat fender designs consume a significant amount of space, it’s impractical to store them. However, since safety is always the number one priority on board, these should not be overlooked because of space requirements. Having too few extra fenders on board is as bad as having none. That means the railing and deck are the ideal places to store them.

Fender baskets constructed from stainless steel are available on the market and can easily be mounted on the boat railing bars. With so many fender holder types, they can also be mounted on the stern, where they are unlikely to interfere with space. When fenders must be kept off the deck, they can either be stored in the cabin or in a back storage container.

What is the amount of pressure required by a fender?

Ball and longer fenders have a lower volume and, therefore, require a lower internal pressure ranging from 0.15 to 0.2 bars, which depends on the size and circumference of the fender.

A good rule of thumb is fenders should never bulge while being pumped up and you must be able to press the fender without resistance. Experts always recommend testing fenders for the optimal pressure before use.

A moderate amount of pressure loss is typical and it’s normal to have to re-inflate fenders since insufficient pressure decreases protective qualities. On the other hand, too much pressure hardens the fender, thus reducing its cushioning effect.

How can I clean my fenders?

Once the boating season has ended, you will immediately notice the amount of punishment your fenders have experienced. Whether they are marked up with abrasions or just dirty, they require a thorough cleaning.

That means you must not wait until the winter to clean them. Instead, you should clean them periodically throughout the boating season and do a thorough cleaning before placing them into storage.

The best cleaning solution for dirty fenders is water and soap first, followed by a boat-specific cleaning solution. The water and soap will eliminate surface-level dirt and grime, while the cleaning solution will eliminate the deeper particles.

Xquip has a wide range of fender systems to protect the platform when mooring the tender to the yacht. All our fenders are designed to excel in the highest levels of reliability, portability and safety.

We produce carbon pilar fenders and foam fenders for berthing tenders alongside the yacht. The pilar fenders ensure that the tender will not go up or under the platform and the foam fenders are a complete edge protection for platforms.

Xquip’s pilar fenders are all made of autoclaved carbon fiber, this ensures that the fenders have an optimal strength-to-weight ratio. Made to protect the platform for the heaviest tenders and still light weight enough to be operated by a single person. Our assortment of pilar fenders have been designed to be tailored for the most prestigious and complex yachts.

The solid core foam fenders are made from a high-density foam and Hypalon fabric shelling. Only the best manufacturing methods have been taken in consideration during the development of these fenders. Our solid core fenders will be custom made to fit your platform. Even though each foam fender will be custom, the same Xquip foam production techniques will be present.

We guarantee the right fitment for your fenders. Guiding you through the fender project with engineering advice and technical support making the purchase of fenders accessible during any phase of the yacht’s life.

Please visit the product detail pages or contact the Xquip sales representative now for more information and outfitting possibilities!

MATCHING AESTHETICS

Our fenders uniquely match the aesthetics of your yacht with its timeless design and customisable finishing options. Whether you like the see the the fender in raw carbon fibre under an impeccable high gloss clear coat, or painted in the colour of your yacht, we are able to match our products to the aesthetics of your yacht.

CUSTOMISABLE DECK FITTINGS

We provide various customised deck fittings with each fender that are designed to fit the specific deck layout and construction of your yacht.

FENDER TECHNOLOGY

A high degree of form freedom is possible for the soft area of the fender as it is milled from high density foam. Due to this process it is also possible to deboss the ships logo or name into the foam. To prevent the foam from tearing apart it is covered with a tough polymer skin.

Pilar fender for yachts up to 15 tonnes.

Essential Fender

Pilar fender for yachts up to 12 tonnes.

Roll Fender

Rolling pilar fender for yachts up to 12 tonnes.

Transom Fender

Full platform protection

M30 fender decksocket

Single pin pilar fender decksocket.

M12 decksocket

Fender decksocket for securing transom foam fenders to the deck

Fender decksocket 120mm

Fender decksocket for securing pilar fenders into the deck.