Swim platform fender

[paulga]

I adjusted the dock lines length so the swim platform does not touch the dock by wind, somehow it still did. What fenders do you use for the swim platform?

 

[Comodave]

It is really difficult to get a fender to stay in between the platform and the dock. I usually set a line that will fetch up tight just before the platform hits the dock. We have a swim platform extension on our boat so that is how we get on and off the boat 99+% of the time.

 

[Bacchus]

Add a fender / bumper to the dock or try one of these...

 

[paulga]

Add a fender / bumper to the dock or try one of these...
View attachment 143125

Do you have a link?

im looking at this one: https://defender.com/en_us/taylor-made-transom-fender-56090?utm_id=150072902321&utm_campaign=19735474061&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_content=649671815414&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhfipBhCqARIsAH9msbk0pzBcPXyXO2ukmeiUWwmpUpnWRJ6H-lxqW9v1bE2rd4j3HhniCH4aAnRFEALw_wcB

 

[Bacchus]

Here you go...
https://www.amazon.com/Freeboard-Fo...ocphy=1022735&hvtargid=pla-456137292174&psc=1

I've seen your possibility used on swim platforms as well

 

[SteveK]

I adjusted the dock lines length so the swim platform does not touch the dock by wind, somehow it still did. What fenders do you use for the swim platform?

Is that your boat swimgrid or another?
It looks like you are stern tied with an angled dock. Spring lines stretch so I would move forward a foot or so. Then the side hull fenders will work. Or go in bow first.

 

[SoWhat]

I have tried both of the fenders designed specifically for swim platforms. They might be OK if you are always at the same dock. Many docks have protrusions at varying heights so I now just hang 2 large fenders off the stern. I can adjust them if necessary.

 

[paulga]

Is that your boat swimgrid or another?
It looks like you are stern tied with an angled dock. Spring lines stretch so I would move forward a foot or so. Then the side hull fenders will work. Or go in bow first.

Moving forward would protrude out of the slip a bit. The slip and the boat are both 40'.

 

[paulga]

Yes, maybe setting up two fenders is the solution

 

[porman]

https://www.taylormadeproducts.com/products/fenders-and-buoys/boat-fenders/transom-fenders/

 

[BruceK]

Some boats attach a fender to the boat rather than the dock.

 

[Osprey69]

I am thinking "fendered" or not, I would not want my swim platform touching anything. There is a lot of leverage and torque potential there and can do some damage.

 

[rslifkin]

I am thinking "fendered" or not, I would not want my swim platform touching anything. There is a lot of leverage and torque potential there and can do some damage.

Agreed. I don't want to see mine within a foot, preferably 2 feet of a dock behind it (either angled near the corner or behind). Keep in mind that lines get stretchier and sometimes looser when wet, so even if you're tied so it can't touch normally, it may hit in the right combination of wind and rain.

 

[Brooksie]

I put a length of large white gunnel rub rail around mine and never a worry since. I'm on a mooring so not dock/float but dinghy I'm protecting from.

 

[Taras]

Taylor makes some hardy rub rail cushions that attach to the Dock instead of the swim platform. I've uses these twice and have found this to be a better permanent solution. Fenders move a lot and may or may not stay in place.

 

[Jeff F]

Agreed. I don't want to see mine within a foot, preferably 2 feet of a dock behind it (either angled near the corner or behind). Keep in mind that lines get stretchier and sometimes looser when wet, so even if you're tied so it can't touch normally, it may hit in the right combination of wind and rain.

I might be tempted to use a low stretch line for the forward spring. Agree that there should never be contact.

 

[Comodave]

I might be tempted to use a low stretch line for the forward spring. Agree that there should never be contact.

I use double braid for that so it won’t come in contact with the dock. Fenders are really hard to keep in between the swim platform and the dock. Any movement sometimes can roll them out. With the edge of the swim platform being so narrow it doesn’t give the fender much surface to sit in contact with. Also as mentioned above there can be a lot of stress on the corner of the platform. Better IMO just to keep it off the dock with lines.

 

[paulga]

everytime when I observed, the swim platform never touched the dock. it became windy today and I noticed the boat is moving more frequently back and forth as I worked from slip. I even heard the swim platform hit the dock once. The dock has a cushion lining but that is higher than the swim platform.

I added two dock lines that hopefully could better hold the boat from reaching the dockwood. but almost certain when the wind became crazier, hit is still going to happen.

Bow in first, the swim platform would protrude a lot outside of the slip, because I don't want to stick the pulpit onto the dock where people walk on. In this marina the next slip length is 50.. so there is not a 45 available which would be ideal.

so I'm going to add a fender. at least it should reduce the impact in the next hit.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Best to have the fenders between the boat and the dock and big enough that the swim platform will never hit. I use 6, 4 balls aft and 2 bigger balls up front. The boat is never going to hit the dock -

 

[paulga]

Best to have the fenders between the boat and the dock and big enough that the swim platform will never hit. I use 6, 4 balls aft and 2 bigger balls up front. The boat is never going to hit the dock -

do you have a photo to illustrate the placement of these balls?

 

[Comodave]

Maybe something like this on the dock?

Flat Boat Fender for 10' to 20' Long Boats
Item # AM64NR

 

[paulga]

Maybe something like this on the dock?

Flat Boat Fender for 10' to 20' Long Boats
Item # AM64NR

not sure if the dockmaster allows slip users to install this on their dock.

I'm thinking to just move the boat forward a foot so the stern will be further away from the dock, in addition to hang one or two fenders on the platform. of course the pulpit will stick out even more. hopefully it's not an issue during the winter season.

 

[Comodave]

I am lucky since I am my dockmaster I can do whatever I want to do…

 

[Delta Riverat]

You can sort of get an idea here.

The 2 little yellow balls are between the dock and the stern of the boat right on the lower rub rail. I added 2 bigger balls forward (not in pics) later and they needed to be bigger as the bow curves inward. With (6) 3/4" dock lines, I have pushed-pulled the boat in the slip and confident that nothing short of a hurricane is going to cause any part of the boat to hit the dock.

 

[paulga]

taylor-made-transom-fender-56090 arrived. The package is so heavy I realized it's supposed to be stored onboard and only put on at time of docking. so the package went to return. I pulled the boat forward by 1 ft and now there seems to be a safe clearance.

 

[Comodave]

taylor-made-transom-fender-56090 arrived. The package is so heavy I realized it's supposed to be stored onboard and only put on at time of docking. so the package went to return. I pulled the boat forward by 1 ft and now there seems to be a safe clearance.

That will work…

 

[DW1979OA]

How about using a line to spring the stern away from the angle portion of the dock. Doesn’t look like it would take much to pull it away if a dock clete is available

 

[paulga]

that was already done when I started the thread. two lines each from one stern cleat to the dock cleat on the startboard side. the lines seem to keep her further from the that angle. however, wind would drift the boat backwards. and under the prevailing wind from the starboard side, the two stern lines would have some giving over time. so the boat still would come very close to the angle.

after adjusting the boat forward by 1ft, she seems to be keeping away from that angle so far.