When should I put fenders out on my boat?

Put your fenders out before the final approach to a berth, lock or another boat, while you still have clear water and time to prepare. When leaving, keep them down until you are clear of nearby hulls, piles and pontoons, then bring them aboard before increasing speed.

Prepare before the approach

Check which side you will berth on and what the fenders will bear against: a low floating pontoon, a high quay wall or another boat's topsides. This sets their position and height. Fenders at the wrong level offer little protection.

Prepare in a sheltered patch outside the marina entrance or a clear stretch before the berth. Slow down, allow for wind and current, and leave the helm enough room to hold position while the crew works. Avoid sending someone forward just as you turn into a narrow fairway.

• Known berth: rig the berthing side before entering the confined approach.
• Unknown berth: prepare both sides if space is tight or the marina may change your allocation.
• Locks and rafting: have fenders ready before joining the queue or approaching the other boat.
• Single-handed: rig fenders and prepare mooring lines in open water before committing to the approach.

If the approach becomes rushed, go round again. Fenders reduce damage from gentle contact; they cannot make a fast arrival safe.

Match height to contact points

Alongside a floating pontoon, position the fender's body across the pontoon's outer edge or rubbing strip, where contact will occur. Keep its lower end clear of the water where practical, but give protection at the contact point priority.

Against another boat, set the fenders to separate the hulls at their widest likely contact points. Check that rubbing strakes cannot ride over the fenders and catch each other as the boats roll.

For a typical cruising boat of 9 to 11 metres, start with three cylindrical fenders on the berthing side: one around maximum beam, one forward and one aft, where contact is likely. Cylinders roughly 20 to 25 cm in diameter and 60 to 75 cm long are a common starting size. Heavier boats and exposed berths need larger fenders or more of them.

Secure the lines to suitable strong points, such as cleats or properly supported stanchion bases, rather than relying on a long span of guardwire. Follow the fender's intended orientation. Hallberg-Rassy's guidance for the models covered here specifies that the filling valve should point down.