How to Choose the Ideal Marine Dock Fender
Sea has been a great navigation road ever since boats were invented. People travel by sea to reach long distance destinations like another city, country or even another continent. Although airplanes now provide a way faster and safer means of travel, boats are still commonly used nowadays. It is cheaper to travel by boat. Ships can also carry massive materials and equipment which is not convenient for airplanes. There are also cruise ships that allow people to enjoy their time while traveling to various countries. When there are boats, there are docks for these boats to stay when not in use. Docking a boat is a risk especially if it is a huge ship with a lot of momentum. The industry has developed marine dock fenders to reduce such risk. Dock fenders basically absorb the energy from a ship’s momentum in order to help a boat come to a stop without damaging the dock or the boat. If you own a dock, here are some tips on how to choose the ideal marine dock fender.
1. Size of the dock – The size of the dock will tell you how many boats it can accommodate as well as the number of marine dock fenders you need. A larger dock means more dock fenders while a small dock can be supported with just a couple of marine dock fenders.
2. Use of the dock – Is it for private or commercial use? If it is your own dock for personal use, you would need a dock fender to support your yacht or small boat. However, if it is for commercial or public use, you need to consider the various boats which could potentially use the dock.
3. Fender material – The most common marine dock fender is made of rubber. However, there are dock fenders made of different materials including plastic. Make sure you know the pros and cons of using a dock fender made of a particular material.
4. Fender dimension – This is basically the size of the dock fender. Do you need a long and thick dock fender? Or is a small dock fender sufficient for your needs? Do not choose a very large dock fender which is not suitable for your small dock because it could destroy the dock. A small dock fender is also inappropriate for large docks catering to huge ships since it cannot help absorb enough energy from the boat.
5. Salt resistant – Unless your dock is in a river or freshwater lake, which you only need to make sure the fender is water resistant, you also need to consider the salt resistant feature of the fender.
6. Energy absorption – This is one of the most important things you must consider when choosing the ideal marine dock fender. The dock fender must be capable of absorbing much time of energy as the expected energy from the boat expected to use the dock. This is to minimize potential damages in cases where a boat is approaching the dock way faster than normal.
7. Price – Lastly, you must inquire about the cost for each dock fender. You do not want to limit yourself to just one fender that you like because it is too expensive.
Remember to also pick the right manufacturer. If you can order marine dock fenders customized for your dock without spending too much, it would be best.