How to Make Knotted Boat Fenders
After a boat owner's house, the biggest investment is almost certainly the boat. Whether that boat is a 15-foot day sailer or a 50-foot yacht, it needs protection between itself and the pier or other boats that it is tied to. There is no better way to provide that protection than with fenders and, with a modicum of skills in marlinspike seamanship, the boat owner can have a working fender with a proud nautical look.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 5-foot lengths of hard-laid 3-strand nylon line, 2 inches in diameter
- Duct tape or splicing adhesive for splicing
- 24-inch wooden fid
Instructions
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1
Tie a single carrick knot. This will provide a stable base and anchor the two line parts together, as well as provide a decorative finish to the butt of the fender. Tag the end of each line with tape, labeling them as Line 1, Line 2, Line 3 and Line 4, then pull the single carrick tight
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2
Fold Line 1 over Line 2; fold Line 2 over the top of Line 1 and across Line 3; fold Line 3 over the top of Line 2 and across Line 4; fold Line 4 over the top of Line 3 and through the loop formed by folding Line 2 over Line 1. This process is the first step in forming a series of stacked Chinese pillow knots, which will form the body of the fender.
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3
Pull tight to form a Chinese pillow knot. This knot absorbs the force of a bump by yielding along eight axis and maintains its shape without any external support or maintenance except for fresh water rinsing.
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4
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 10 times to form a fender 8 inches in diameter and 24 inches in height, a size generally sufficient for most circumstances; if used in conjunction with a fender board, it will provide substantially more protection when the vessel is tied next to a pier.
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5
To form a double lanyard by which to hang the fender, join the ends of Lines 2 and 4, and the ends of Lines 1 and 3 together, with two short splices.
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Tips & Warnings
Splicing adhesive provides a good alternative to duct tape in splicing. For an even more "nautical" look, use sailmaker's seizings instead of either tape or adhesive.
When working nylon rope with a fid, remember that the rope may yield suddenly causing the fid to slip and cause injury.
