What are Boat Dock Bumpers?
A dock bumper (also known as a dock fender) is a shock-absorbing product attached to your docking station. These dock bumpers help protecting your boats from damage, scratch, or impact. Whether you are a seasoned boating professional or an amateur, you are going to hit the dock with your boat at some point or the other.
If you have a dock bumper installed, it will be able to take the pressure and cushion the impact of the heavy boat. If you do not have one installed, you will end up damaging the boat as well as the dock.
While dock bumpers play a key role in preventing physical damage, it’s also smart to think about financial protection through recreational insurance. Standard homeowner’s policies often exclude dock-related incidents, especially those caused by weather or water-level changes. Adding specialized boat dock insurance can give you peace of mind and help cover costly repairs or replacements.
Boat dock bumpers are used to protect your boat and dock from damage caused by contact or movement. Here is a general guide on how to install boat dock bumpers:
- Measure the area where the bumpers will be installed to determine the appropriate size and quantity of bumpers needed.
- Choose the type of bumpers you want to use. Options include foam, rubber, or PVC.
- Determine the best location for the bumpers on the dock. They should be placed along the edge of the dock where the boat will come into contact with it.
- Mark the location for the bumpers with a pencil.
- Pre-drill holes in the dock if needed, depending on the type of bumpers you are using and the material of the dock.
- Attach the bumpers to the dock using the appropriate hardware, such as screws or bolts.
- Test the bumpers to ensure they are secure and effective in protecting the boat and dock from damage.
It’s a good idea to consult the manufacturer’s instructions for specific installation instructions for the type of bumpers you are using.
Protect Your Boat by Installing Dock Bumpers
This is why when it comes to boating, most experts recommend spending a long time selecting the best dock bumpers. Even when you have your boat’s insurance in place, the thought of repairs and damages can be too hard on an emotional level.
In this resource article, we speak to several experts in the boating and sailing industry. We ask them what are some important things that should be considered when installing dock bumpers.
List of 5 Things to Consider when Installing Boat Dock Bumpers
1. Material of the Dock Bumpers
Buyers today are spoiled for choice when it comes to the different materials that dock bumpers come in these days. You have options that range from PVC to Vinyl, Foam, and Rubber.
Depending on the nature of your requirements, you can select the material. PVC lasts a long time, whereas foam even though it provides great cushioning does not last long.
2. Size of the Dock Bumpers
When it comes to choosing the size of your dock bumpers, you need to consider two main things- the size of the boat and the area of the dock. If the boat size is big, you would need dock bumpers that can provide cushioning to a heavy load and mass. If the dock is high, you might need bumpers at various levels everywhere where the boat comes into contact with the dock.
3. Shape of the Bumpers
Dock bumpers come in all shapes and sizes. You can have yacht bumpers in the round, cylindrical, sausage, hole-in-the middle, and so on.
Experts recommend that round and cylindrical dock bumpers are great for smaller vessels. For bigger boats, private luxury yacht, and vessels, experts recommend using hanging fenders that work to protect all the pilings and fender areas of the boats.
4. Number of Dock Bumpers you need
As a general rule of thumb. Boating experts are of the opinion that you should have one bumper to cover ten-inch of the boat.
For example, if the boat’s docking area is 40 inches, you would need at least 4 boat fenders to help safely dock it. The higher numbers also help in dividing the weight and pressure of the boat equally at multiple points.
5. Price of the Dock Bumpers
There is no doubt that the price of the boat bumpers influences purchase decisions. If you are someone that loves their boats, you would want to ensure adequate protection by adding as many boat fenders as possible.
You would also want to go for dock fender that are in PVC and provide the best support and pressure resistance possible. This will be expensive.
In addition to installing dock bumpers for physical protection, it’s crucial to consider recreational insurance to safeguard your investment. Standard homeowners’ policies often exclude coverage for docks, especially against perils like freezing, high winds, or flooding. By adding boat dock insurance to your policy, you can protect against these risks and avoid significant out-of-pocket expenses in the event of damage.
The Bottom Line
Many people spend heavily on buying the best vessels on the sea but skim on adding accessories and protection that are going to protect their boats. Buying and installing the best dock fenders is as important as getting the right boat.
No matter how skilled of a boats man you are, you are going to land in the docks with some pressure sometime or the other. The weather or a strong gust of wind at the wrong time might just make the docking bill a bit difficult.
This is where dock-bumpers play such an important role in protecting your assets. If you have any other questions that you would like to answer, let us know in the comments section below.
