Big-box carabiners are the ultimate clip-ons
Issue 92 : Sept/Oct 2013
I’ve tried a number of arrangements for connecting the fenders to Wind-Borne, my 1985 Hunter 28.5, but none have been all that satisfactory. Most recently, I used plastic clips on the lower lifelines with the fenders dangling over the side. There were two problems: the lines would chafe because they rubbed back and forth on the toerail, and clipping and un-clipping was a pain, occasionally resulting in dropped fenders — into the water while under way, of course! (On the bright side, my 12-year old grandson and I have enjoyed “fender-overboard” rescues.)
I’ve also tried tying the fender lines to the holes in the toerail, clips on the stanchions, and who knows what else with less than full satisfaction. But after considerable thought and shopping around, I believe I now have the perfect solution: carabiners.
With this arrangement, the attachment is very secure, there is little or no chafing, removal and re-attachment are easy, and it’s cheap! I found the aluminum carabiners at my local Lowe’s store for a buck each. And here’s the cool part: I used two red and two green . . . for obvious reasons!
Ferman Wardell began sailing an 11-foot Styrofoam Snark on a 30-acre lake in North Carolina. After sail-schooling at North Carolina coastal Camp Sea Gull, he owned a 12-foot Scorpion and a San Juan 21. He now cruises and races Wind-Borne, a 1985 Hunter 28.5, on Lake Norman near Charlotte. Ferman has sailed extensively in the Caribbean and enjoys maintaining, repairing, and “improving” his boat.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
