Boat Fender Style and Size Guide

Boat fenders come in variety of styles and sizes. This table will outline each style and provide a table of manufacturer size recommendations. This guide should help you determine the the type of fender that is most suitable for your mooring conditions. These are general recommendations and you will need to consider the situations you are mooring in and use your judgment in selecting fenders that will provide ample protection for your boat.

 

Three styles are typically used as general purpose utility fenders, the Twin Eye style, the Center Hole style and flat fenders. Of these, the twin eye style is the most common, and the center hole style is typically heavier duty and used with larger boats. flat fenders are less common but store more easily and some are hinged to provide protection under special circumstances.

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Twin Eye Fenders: This style is characterized by the cylindrical shape with an eye or rope hold at either end. They are most commonly hung vertically from one rope hold, but can be hung horizontally with two fender lines. They come in a variety of sizes and are typically recommended for boats under 35' docking in protected moorings. Popular brands include the Polyform G-Series fenders, the Taylor Made Super Gard fenders and there are a variety of generic value priced brands.

 

Manufacturer Recommendations for Twin Eye Style Boat Fenders
Boat Size	Boater Sports	Polyform	Taylor Made
Up to 10'	Small	G1
10' to 20'	Small, Medium	G2, G3	5.5X20
20' to 30'	Large, Xlarge	G4,G5	6.5X22, 8.5X26
30' to 40'		G6	8.5X26, 10.5X30

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Center Hole Fenders: This style of boat fender is cylindrical in shape and has a rope hold running through its center. This allows the fender to be hung vertically or horizontally from a single fender line. Popular center hole fenders include the Polyform HTM-Series and the Taylor Big B line. both of these brands are medium-duty fenders. and are appropriate for most docking circumstances, including unprotected moorings, tying to pilings and against concrete seawalls or locks.

 

Manufacturer Recommendations for Center Hole Style Boat Fenders
Boat Size	Polyform	Taylor Made
20 to 30'	HTM1, HTM2	6X15, 8X20
30' to 40'	HTM3, HTM4	8X20, 10X26
40' to 50'	HTM4	10X26
50' to 60'		12X34

 

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Flat Fenders: Composed of closed cell foam with a protective wrapper, flat fenders don't offer as much stand-off (distance between dock and boat) but can offer a larger surface area. They can also be stored in a more compact area than a round inflated fender.


Contour Fenders: Flat fenders with a "hinge" that allows them to protect the top or stepped gunwales from contact with the dock which can be a benefit with low profile boats like bass boats and some ski and performance boats.

 

Recommendations for Flat Style Boat Fenders
Boat Size	Hull Hugr
15 to 25' Low Profile	Contour, Straight, HHS
15' to 25' Medium Profile	Contour, Straight, HHM
25' to 40' Medium Profile	Contour XL, HHM
25' to 40' High Profile	Contour XL, HHL

 

When it comes to commercial or heavy duty fenders, Polyform dominates the market with three commonly used styles. The F-Series boat fender is a heavy duty Twin Eye design offered in 12 sizes to fit boats from 20' to 120'. Popular with yacht owners as well as commercial operators, they are suitable for protected or open moorings, tying to pilings, seawalls or locks. The Polyform A-Series and LD-Series fenders fill a similar niche but are not as well suited for pilings. They are however, better for mooring to another boat (rafting) and will provide equivalent stand-off to larger F-Series fenders with a shorter overall length.

 

Manufacturer's Recommendations for Heavy Duty and Commercial Boat Fenders
Boat Size	Polyform
20' to 30'	F-1, F-02, F-2, F-3, A-1,
30' to 40'	F-4, F-5, F-6, A-2, LD-2
40' to 50'	F-6, A-3, LD-3
50' to 60'	F-7, F-8, A-4
60' to 70'	F-8, F-10, F-11, A-5
70' and Up	F-11, F-13, A-5, A-6