Sale of Inflatable Round Fenders With Delivery
We offer you to buy the best inflatable round fenders for yachts and boats with delivery throughout Europe in the shortest possible time. In our catalog you will find current prices for round fenders, their photos, specifications and reviews.
Don't know what size fender to choose and how many fenders you need for a boat? Our marketplace team will be happy to help you resolve these issues and advise you before buying.
What Are Inflatable Round Fenders Used For?
Sailing and motor yachts and catamarans, launches and boats can be damaged not only in the sea, but also in the port in the following situations:
- maneuvers when mooring bow-to, side-to or stern-to;
- more complex mooring: for example, both side-to and stern-to;
- docking at a berth or pier;
- docking near other boats side by side;
- maneuvers after weigh anchor;
- passing through narrow lock chambers.
In order to prevent damage to the sides, bow and stern in the situations listed above, special shock-absorbing and damping devices are used called fenders. They can be made from different materials and have different design features.
The most common models are inflatable cylindrical and spherical fenders, made of marine polyvinyl chloride by the method of rotational molding.
Unlike cylindrical models, inflatable round fenders can be used not only to protect the sides of the vessel from damage when mooring to a pier or lagoon. They also do an excellent job of protecting the sides, like other models, with proper quantity and size.
In addition to side protection, spherical fenders perform other functions.
- Effectively protect the bow of the yacht when mooring bow-to. For bow protection, they are tied closer to the bowsprit or stem on both sides of the boat.
- Prevent damage to the stern when mooring the yacht stern-to, as is customary in most ports and marinas in the Mediterranean basin.
- They are used as a mooring buoy when organizing dead weight anchorage;
- They are used as a signal buoy for various types of underwater activities - scuba diving, spearfishing, searching for drowned and underwater objects, exploring depths, etc.
When performing the main protective functions of various parts of the boat, inflatable round fenders act as shock absorbers, bumpers and dampers. This means that they take on the main impact force, which is evenly distributed over the entire protection area. As a result, for each individual point, the impact force is reduced. At the same time, the shock-absorbing property of the inflatable model is activated, and the vessel bounces off the berth wall or the side of the neighboring vessel.
But at the same time, the distance from the “obstacle” decreases, since the damping effect is triggered: the energy of the waves is extinguished, reducing the amplitude of the ship’s sway. This happens with each new blow, which eventually becomes very weak and does not pose a danger to a moored yacht, a neighboring vessel or a pier.
If the docking or mooring site is subject to strong tidal waves, round fenders with more reliable parameters than for normal mooring and mooring conditions should be selected.
Inflatable round fenders go well with other types of dampers - cylindrical, flat, etc. That is, cylindrical or flat models can be used to protect the sides, and spherical fenders can be placed on the bow and stern.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Inflatable Round Fenders
As with any type of marine equipment, there are advantages and disadvantages to different types of fenders. We’ll tell you the good news right away: round or pear-shaped fenders have the only drawback. When inflated, they occupy a significant volume, much larger than cylindrical and even more so than flat fenders.
But since we are talking about inflatable models, this drawback is easily eliminated. Just keep the fenders deflated during sailing trips, if the lack of space on the yacht does not allow keeping them inflated.
All other characteristics and properties refer to the benefits of inflatable spherical fenders:
- the possibilities of direct use have been expanded - these dampers are effective for protecting not only the sides, but also the stern and bow of the vessel during mooring;
- multifunctionality - use as a mooring or signal buoy;
- the shape provides an increased cushioning and damping effect, providing an exceptionally high ratio of absorbed energy to the reaction force;
- opportunity to save on the purchase of fenders for a large vessel (commercial, fishing, etc.), since there are fewer round models on board needed compared to cylindrical or flat ones;
- they are made of a special polymer (PVC) by rotational molding, which provides an equal wall thickness, which prevents ruptures when inflated;
- the material of manufacture is impact-resistant, resistant to decay, prolonged exposure to moisture, salt, ultraviolet rays; plankton and algae do not spread all over its surface;
- round models not require special care and special equipment;
- long service life without deformation and fading.
This type of fenders provides a softer mooring due to its shape. The round fender, when in contact with the wall of the berth or the side of another vessel, rotates a little, which reduces the direction of the impact force.
How to Choose Round Fenders
In order for all the above advantages of inflatable round fenders to apply during active use, the products must be correctly selected for each specific boat. In this case, attention should be paid to the diameter and height of the model.
You should know how to choose inflatable round fenders for boats of different lengths. Here are the basic principles of the ratio of the diameter of spherical fenders and the length of the ship's side to determine the required number and size of dampers.
- For every 130-150 cm (4-5 feet) of boat length, there should be 5 cm (2 inches) of fender diameter.
- Regardless of the length of the side, the number of fenders should not be less than three.
- The number and (or) diameter of dampers should be increased if mooring or docking takes place in regions with strong tides, storms and winds.
Also pay attention to the manufacturer and the popularity of its models among practicing yachtsmen. Of no small importance is the website, which puts up inflatable round fenders for sale. Reliability is evidenced by the presence of products from several manufacturers with a large selection of models in size, design and price.
How to Store
Before choosing any kind of inflatable round fenders, make sure you have a place to store them. Therefore, we offer the most optimal inflatable options, especially if your yacht is not large and literally every square centimeter of space counts.
In this case, after going out to sea, you can simply deflate the dampers and put them in the locker. They can be quickly inflated using a simple car pump-compressor connected to the on-board circuit.
If you don’t have time to mess with the compressor, or you don’t plan to make long sea crossings, then you can store the fenders in special baskets fixed on rails or the cabin wall. Another alternative is folding mounts and staples, on which the retracted fenders are fixed in place using ropes.