Warps and fenders
Some owners have bulletproof ground tackle and anchoring arrangements, yet still skimp on the kit needed to ensure the boat is safe when berthed alongside.
Even summer storms have the potential to turn what might normally be a well-sheltered pontoon into a cauldron of disturbed water with damaging waves. This is an even bigger problem when tied to a concrete quay in more remote harbours.
A plentiful supply of large fenders minimises the chances of sustaining damage – both minor and expensive – when berthing in a tight space, especially in a strong crosswind or awkward tidal stream. Equally, they will protect the boat in its home berth. Yet all too often I see boats with a scant collection of halfdeflated and undersized fenders.
Equally, mooring lines of a thickness that allows for a little chafe make a huge difference to tying up safely anywhere that’s not perfectly sheltered. Four separate lines cover bow and stern lines (equal to the boat length), springs (1.5 times the boat length), plus an extra pair of longer warps (twice the boat length) for shore lines when rafted that can also be pressed into service for other purposes if necessary.
In the past, these would have been nylon thanks to the material’s natural stretch. However, in recent years this has become more expensive, so polyester is more often used. Ideally they should be of a construction that allows for stretch, rather than that used for pre-stretched lines that are produced for halyards and sheets.