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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Ugly Ugly Ugly [:(]

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StSimon
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/12/2006 : 17:36:30

Does anyone know a surefire, yet easy method to re-whiten these old fenders? I am considering covering them but don't want to go to the expense.

I was thinking of putting them in the washing machine with a gallon of bleach. I have heard of some auto product called Wesley's Bleach White. Someone told me to try some Mean Green Cleaner.

Who out there knows for sure what the best or easiest or, better yet, a combination of best AND easiest way to revive these puppys?

Fair winds,

Andy, Breakin' Wind, 1984 C25 SK SR

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2006 : 18:02:44

Looks to me like only one of them is of a size suitable for a Catalina 25 and it's the worst of the bunch. Toss 'em and buy three good ones from Defender or other marine store with good prices.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2006 : 18:29:26

Try Soft Scrube. Cheers.

Edited by - on

John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2006 : 19:10:11

Bleach White works wonders for tires, I would give it a shot!

Edited by - on

Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2006 : 19:41:37

I had one fender that looked like that recently. During a raft-up it picked up some kind of deck joint compound from an old C&C that was along side. The stuff looked a lot like pipe thread sealant. Anyway, I squirted some WD-40 on it and the goop came right off. I was surprised to see how it removed all the other grime around the spot I was working on. So, I sprayed the rest of the fender, wiped it down, and it looks like new.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2006 : 19:48:11

WD 40 is amazing and nearly always helps in any situation. I just bought disfender from Defender (no pun intended)

[url="http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|321174|30250|321909&id=594909"]bow stop fender[/url]

Edited by - on

StSimon
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2006 : 20:50:07

Good stuff everyone. No one liked the washer idea?

Al, I'm not sure you can tell the scale from the photo. I've used these for years and they work fine. When I get rich I promise to buy new ones.

BTW Al, I read your bio. I too am ex Army. CW2 Huey driver. My Dad retired as a Colonel with 24 years in the Corps of Engineers. Why I mention this is my Dad got his Masters in Civil at Michigan Tech and then taught ROTC there later. I'll bet you've driven by our second house often. My memory is vague but after you crossed the bridge the road curved right and then made a horseshoe to the left. We lived at the top of the horseshoe. I think I heard the house turned into a frat house later. Good memories of climbing those rocks and playing on the railroad bridge over the canal as a kid.

Where do you sail?

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2006 : 07:49:16

You might try toilet bowl cleaner to get rid of the organic stains then wipe them down with Goof Off or acetone followed by a good rinse. If that doesn't work...pitch em'.

When using the toilet bowl cleaner, paint it on the fender then let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes to give it time to work its magic. After it sits and with the toilet bowl cleaner still wet, use a green scrubby on the fender.

Edited by - dlucier on 09/13/2006 08:27:07

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2006 : 08:37:44

I noticed a comment about some of those fenders not being adequate in size . You can never have too many fenders and size isn’t always important (INSERT JOKE HERE). Especially when you are rafting off at a larger venue (Erie Islands for example) and you don’t know exactly who (or what) might tie off to you or where you might actually be located for the night or what the conditions might bee. Those small ones make for a good sideways fender when you are tied off as the bar on the T across one or two finger docks or when you have an oddly configure piling on a dock etc. If the fender still holds air…(don’t buy the ones that don’t have a valve on them)

As for cleanliness: In my opinion, fenders are meant to get dirty that way your boat doesn’t. However, I also haven’t had the need for a fender in over 3 years (one is hanging on the dock but isn’t used) so having an unsightly on in the dock box or sail locker (or in my case 8 of them in various sizes) doesn’t create an eyesore in my case.

I’d try cleaning what you have, if they are still good and just dirty and won’t come clean throw it in your local junior sailor used boat stuff sale, throw it in your dock box or throw it in your sail locker. The day you throw them out is the day you’ll need 12 of them. Then go buy 2 or three nice ones and buy the covers for them too. They you just have to pitch the covers every couple of years, or at least wash them, and the fenders should stay relatively clean.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2006 : 09:10:35

Before putting my fenders on the dock for the season, I give them a quick coat of wax to help repel dirt and grime. I also avoid white fenders (I use smooth, blue Taylor fenders).

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2006 : 11:19:59

You probably already have a cleaning agent that will work.
I use environmentaly friendly cleaners, and find that if it works to clean a boat, it will clean a fender.

My favorite fender is a big orange ball that I move around to the point of greatest impact.

I'd never throw a fender away if it still held air. They're great for all kinds of things, boating and otherwise. I recently used four old fenders when I hauled my OB in the back of my pickup. Kept it from sliding around.
Duane's advice about the valve is spot on because a punctured fender is easy to fix.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2006 : 12:51:27

A couple of thoughts. For our regular slip we stopped using those fenders and instead use three round fenders on a line that are always in the water. No need to put up and take down fenders each trip. Way easier. For the times that we need the regular type fenders (rafting, for instance) I bought blue ones. They look cleaner much longer than the white ones.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2006 : 14:48:23

Good point on the Blue Fenders - I have one that is as dirty as it can get and it still looks pretty darn clean. A new piece of line on it and you'd probably never know it was 5 years old

Edited by - on

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