Install dock fenders, edging, rollers....?

[landlockedsailor]

Just bought a place at the lake and it comes with a covered boat dock. (Am i lucky or what?) Would love to drift into the slip without having to throw out boat fenders each time. So how should I prep the boat slip to handle my pontoon? Thanks!!!

[Bamaman]

Go online to Google "Boat dock bumpers" and click on the advertisers at the top.

They sell a full line of products to put inside or on a boat dock to keep your boat from getting scratched. I used to use old 4" fire hose scrunched up, but it's hard to find and expensive.

If you have a lake house, you are blessed. I've had a pontoon boat 27 years, and have never owned a bumper.

[landlockedsailor]

Google is always my first search. I'm looking for advice from experienced boaters, not so much a sales pitch from vendor sites. Thanks!

[jimrs]

Try a lift for the toon. I only use my fenders when we raft up out on the lake. My lift keeps my boat from hitting the sides or anything as I come in or out.

[Bryden24shp]

Hi Edie!
I just got back from vacation and saw your email for the EzFenders. I mounted 4 on the inside poles of my slip, and leave 4 old bumpers hanging from them when I use the slip. When we take the boat out, I remove the bumpers and toss them in the my dock box. I also took 2 EzFenders and mounted then on the inside of the the two poles at the back of the slip. I put a yellow chain with 2 PadLocks through the ends of the chain and through the EzFenders. I drape the chain about about 2 feet across the top of water, with a No Tresspassing sign in the middle of it, to block entry into my slip, from the "DockFockers" that like to "Hibernate" in your slip, when your boat is out of it. I know of several people who will submerge a log chain about a foot under the water, so when the "DockFockers" come into the slip, the chain will bind up between the transom and lower unit, sticking the boat in the slip. So the water patrol can catch the idiots. I'm not that brave! But the $250.00 fine, along with the embarassment of getting caught with the boat in the slip, waiting for the slip owner to unlock the chain, so they can get out, will hopefully keep them from trying it again.
Anyway, I appreciate the email and replied back!
Thanks!
Bryan

[screwball]

I bought 8 fenders at WalMart for about 10 bucks a piece. I leave 6 of them tied to the docks on either side of my slip. The slip already had rubber 'wheels' at the corners. The other 2 I keep on the boat for the gas dock, or courtesy dock at any of the 'watering holes' up and down the river. Our house is on a private Marina so we don't have any transient foot traffic, or worry about theft. When we leave the river I usually take the boat out and store it in my garage, one of the reasons I bought an 18 footer.

Another hint, I've got a couple of collapsing boat hooks. When we pull back into the Marina it is really easy to 'grab' one of thcleatses with the boat hook and 'pull' the boat into the slip, rather than driving it in.