Message 63 of 64
Posted by member Tony Weald on Saturday 22 April 2017

Yes Nigel a good fit resulted. If you ask they will probably remember my order, just beforeChristmas. Ends seem fine with leather collars. Ive got a photo of the boat prior to launch I will try and upload.. Good luck with fitting wire in rope, I struggled just getting the old one out! I would have preferred a man made rope similar to those used on the Dutch steel boats (Linsen?) but needed to get back in the water Another idea was rubber rendering but I didn't want to drill the hull for fixings.

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Message 61 of 64
Posted by member Tony Weald on Friday 21 April 2017

Hi Nigel. We have just gone through the same evolutions for our Mariner 25. I cut some card circles as templates in 10 mm steps and tried against the shape in the hull as it is difficult to measure the old rope diameter accurately. From memory 90 mm was the best fit (may have been 100). The only place I could find locally was Chatham rope makers in the dock yard. Talk with the people there very helpful. They made the rope around the existing wire for £530 (ouch). Have now fitted. I hope it lasts.....Tony

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Message 59 of 64
Posted by member Simon Kidd on Monday 16 May 2016

Looks great Rob, nice finish!!

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Message 57 of 64
Posted by member Rob on Saturday 14 May 2016

Hello Marie There is no problem with using my written account of my experience in using the Polyhemp in our September issue of the Hardy Owner magazine. All that concerns me is, although I attached the fender to the boat, the method I used, I suspect was not the best, although it worked. Also I need to add to explain the whole process, which I could add to what I said in this post. I am more than happy for someone to explain the best way to attach the polyester cord. The coir rope fender was previously replaced in 2009 by the previous owner. The fact it was coming away from the boat and I had to use nylon ties speaks for itself. Yes, please contact me by email and I can arrange a time to talk. Hope to see you on the Medway, although I can't make the Medway Festival. regards Rob

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Message 55 of 64
Posted by member Rob on Friday 13 May 2016

Hello Marie I have just added a picture of the Polyhemp rope fender from Rope Services UK. As stated in a previous post of mine it arrived back to me in 13 days, they gave me polyester cord FOC and were helpful. It looks good to me and feel it will last as long as a coir rope fender. I think the fitting to a Navigator is quite different to a Pilot. As a previous person advised. I tensioned the fender with a Spanish windlass, marked with tape where I need to put the cord through the fender. I then loosened the fender so I can twist the rope to thread the cord through. On the Navigator from the bow, you have a series of two holes about 15mm apart where after threading to cord though the ropes and around the wire core, I used a locking slip knot secured with a few half hitches. I tied each section of two holes separately. Then towards the centre of the boat there are four pan head bolts (about 15cm apart) above the gunwhale and a washer and nut below it. I think there was once a lacing eye here. As I had to finish the job that day, just secured the cord above washer with a knot then tied each one individually round the wire core of the rope fender. After this I tensioned the rope fender as before and tied to each securing point with thicker polyester cord. Although what I have done works, it is time consuming. I am sure there is a quicker way and equally effective way to do it. I think it may be best to do separate articles for fitting a rope fender to a Navigator and a Pilot as the Navigator is fitted below the gunwhale and Pilot is fitted to four lacing eyes below the gunwale. I think the other Hardy's that have a rope fender will be similar to one of the boats. I will be going to the top of the Thames, then back down to the Thames and Medway tideway and round the coast a little. That is the plan. See you all on the water.

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Message 53 of 64
Posted by member Ken Elliott on Tuesday 3 May 2016

Hi Guys. I spoke to Ken in J. Mc Cready and Sons. Belfast. this week and he said he might order some Polyester rope of the correct diameter if there was enough interest in making up some fenders. Price to be decided later ! He has to buy 220 meters. A lot of fenders. I,ve to ring him next week to see if he will order it. Tel. No. 028 9023 2842 Anyway just another possibility. Ken

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Message 51 of 64
Posted by member martin smith on Thursday 17 March 2016

This is the photo I thought I had added! Martin

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Message 49 of 64
Posted by member Patrick Cleary on Wednesday 9 March 2016

Hi Gerald, Thanks for the information about the leather shroud, it will be very helpful. The original leather shroud was missing on my fender and was replaces by plastic pipe. Thanks again and happy boating in the coming season. Cheers, Pat.

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Message 47 of 64
Posted by member Patrick Cleary on Tuesday 8 March 2016

Hi all, I have had to replace the rope fender on my Family Pilot this year, it fell apart when I took it off the boat. I tried McCready's in Belfast but they were out of stock of suitable rope and I was told that they wouldn't be getting stock in unless they had enough orders to be worth their while. As I had read a previous post about ropeservices uk being a reasonably priced supplier I decided to make contact with them. I ordered a Polyhemp replacement as it is supposed to be hardwearing. It cost £190 which included postage of £12 to Northern Ireland. The rope arrived quickly and I am very pleased with it.The person I spoke to,Steve, was very helpful. I haven't fitted the fender yet as the boat needs buffed and polished first. The problem I have is the leather shroud was missing on the old fender and I would like to know the thickness of leather required. Many thanks in advance, Pat.

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Message 45 of 64
Posted by member Gerald Lewis on Monday 7 March 2016

Following a very helpful exchange of correspondence with Rob Chalcraft, I recently took the plunge and ordered a replacement Polyhemp Fender from Rope Services UK. The completed rope (wound onto the existing wire core) has just been delivered back to me and I cannot fault the quality of the product nor the service that I received. Turnaround time from sending the core off to getting the finished fender back was just over two weeks and the total cost was £176.00 - which included £11.00 of postage that I incurred sending the wire core up to County Durham. The Polyhemp is slightly lighter in weight than the old (coir) fender and should be much better at repelling water. Only time will tell whether Polyhemp will prove to be as durable in working conditions as coir - but at roughly half the cost, I am willing to take the risk. I have yet re-attached the new fender to 'Liberty' - but, when I do, I'll try to post some photos of the finished article. Regards, Gerald.

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Message 43 of 64
Posted by member Gerald Lewis on Tuesday 2 February 2016

Hi Rob - and thank you for your very helpful reply - I will be in touch with Rope Services later this week. With regard to your question about the eye-straps / lacing eyes, on my 1989 vintage Pilot there are four fixing points port and starboard spaced evenly along a 5ft section of the fender line between the bow and the start of the wooden support lip. Each fixing point consists of a 45mm long eye-strap screwed directly into the hull using short (10mm) self tapping pan-head screws. The rope fender is secured to the eye-straps using long nylon cable ties, threaded through the strands of the rope, around the wire core and then out again by the same route. It is important not to fasten the ties around the strands of the rope itself as this results in chafing and fraying that will dramatically shorten the life of the fender. I have seen some a couple of Hardy Pilots moored close to my own boat with extra eye-straps and ties added to support the fender further aft - but if the fender rope has been correctly tensioned and the support rail is firmly fixed and in sound condition, I don't think that these additional fastening points are really needed. I can send you a couple of photos of the fixing point locations and the type of fixing used if you want to get in touch via the Memberships Secretary outside of the forum pages - I have tried posting them here but the server doesn't seem to want to accept them for some reason. Good luck - and thanks again, Gerald.

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Message 41 of 64
Posted by member Gerald Lewis on Wednesday 27 January 2016

Rob - In answer to your question about a supplier of lacing eyes for your rope fender, I would suggest trying J Clarke Marine - website http://www.jclarkemarine.com/ Clarkes supply a wide range of marine fittings and fasteners - including both lacing eyes and eye straps - and in the past I have found them to be very helpful in tracking down replacements or suggesting alternatives for some of the more obscure fittings on my late 1980s Pilot. I would be very interested to hear what you think of your Polyhemp Fender when you get it back from Rope Services. Were they able to match the 55mm dia three-strand construction of the traditional Hardy coir fender for you - as I couldn't see any Polyhemp on their website larger than 36mm dia? If you are able to post some photos of the finished article it would be much appreciated. Good luck with your re-fendering project. Gerald.

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Message 39 of 64
Posted by member Rob on Wednesday 20 January 2016

Hello all I have just sent my stripped fender rope wire off to have a Polyhemp rope put on it. The suppliers (Rope Services UK) have said they will supply the 2 or 3mm diameter rope that attaches the fender wire rings, which are at each end of the wire to the boat. I have sent them a sample. Also, does anyone know where I can source the "lacing eyes" to attach the fender rope to the boat. This is where the rope is secured all the way round the boat, except the stern. I am sending a sample for this as well to the rope supplier but am asking this incase he can't supply it. Thanks for the post GoHardy. Thanks Rob

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Message 37 of 64
Posted by member Gerald Lewis on Thursday 7 January 2016

Thanks Marie, You are a star !! Kind regards, Gerald.

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Message 35 of 64
Posted by member hardy editor on Thursday 7 January 2016

Hi Gerald, I phoned the Chatham Ropemakers this morning to check prices with them and they have not changed the price of their Hardy 20 fender since we first spoke to them in 2012, which is good news. They are however no longer supplying the Polysteel heart version, just the Coir one with a steel heart. I think they wanted to simplify matters their end. Anyway, the price for this fender is £304.85 incl VAT. Just another thing of note - when organising a replacement fender, DO NOT throw away your old Hardy fender. Apparently some members have done this. The idea is to supply the Ropemakers with your old fender, so that they can re-rope the wire heart for you. Often, although the rope has perished, the wire itself is fine, and can be re-covered. I will contact SSCS next when I get a moment, but originally, the Ropemakers and the SSCS prices were about the same. Also, take in to account a delivery charge, unless you can pop in to collect. It is worth a visit to Chatham for any reason I think as it is such an interesting place. Their direct number is : 01634 823890. Speak again soon, All the best, Marie

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Message 33 of 64
Posted by member hardy editor on Wednesday 6 January 2016

Ahoy Gerald, And a Happy New Year to you. You may remember when we last covered this topic in the Hardy Owner magazine, I had tried an experiment on my own Family Pilot with a polysteel heart (instead of a wire heart) fender. That was quite a while ago and my fender is still holding up fine. This fender was purchased from Chatham Ropemakers, who will also recover your existing wire heart fender if you supply it to them. I have not spoken to Chatham recently, but their fenders compared well both price and quality wise with those supplied by Seabed Scour Control Systems, who are the people who supply Hardy. The Hardy 20 fenders are around 41ft9inches long and vary in diameter between 55 and 60mm. Usually with a wire heart - PVC cover - stainless steel thimbles - leather shroud. A couple of years ago SSCS would have also added around £35 delivery to the cost from Norfolk to the London area. This has probably increased, but worth a check. Both these suppliers were the best value for money that I could find at the time, as previously the only way of obtaining the original fenders was through Hardy Marine, and this made it a bit more expensive. Good luck and let me know how you get on. SSCS : Email info@sscsystems.com Telephone +44 (0)1493 443380 Chatham: www.master-ropemakers.co.uk tel: 01634 823890

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Message 31 of 64
Posted by member Ron Clarke on Wednesday 10 December 2014

Thanks for the update Robert. In your earlier e-mail you refer to a clamp, what is it, as I can't recall seeing anything like this attached to my rope. Ron

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Message 29 of 64
Posted by member Ron Clarke on Wednesday 10 December 2014

Many thanks Robert for your addition to this topic. I expect to place an order for a new rope fender in the next few days and your article is another source that's obviously worth looking at. There are a couple of securing points on each side of the boat. Can I ask what you're using as a fixing point on the boat? Ron

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Message 27 of 64
Posted by member Ron Clarke on Saturday 22 November 2014

Hi Paul, Your comments on an alternative solution are worth thinking about although I'm not convinced that I'd like the 'new' look. I might try and pursuade my wife to fund a new rope as she has more money than me.

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Message 25 of 64
Posted by member elander on Wednesday 12 November 2014

Ron, not tried it myself but a company Juststainless.co.uk do a 25mm web eye strap which looks like it could fit the bill ..... Only about £1 each as well! Best of luck, let us know the final solution, Neil

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Message 23 of 64
Posted by member Neil on Friday 30 May 2014

Thanks Past Time, that gives me enough to give it a go!

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Message 21 of 64
Posted by member Neil on Monday 19 May 2014

Hi to all, a newbie since late last year and now my first post. I have a Pilot which came without the leather 'scupper protection' - I now have some leather but I am interested in how the original was joined - overlap? Butt? Back-to-back seam? And glued? Stitched? Riveted? If anyone can provide a picture of an original it will probably be worth a thousand words! Thanks in advance, Neil.

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Message 19 of 64
Posted by member Roy Procter on Saturday 22 February 2014

i had to re-secure the rope fender on the forward section on my Pilot 20. This was because the fender was trapped below the edge of a pontoon and when the boat rolled slightly, such as when getting on and off, the rope was pushed down. It was tied up to the stanchions until repair could be effected. With the boat out of the water for the winter, it was found that the rope fender was tied to small lacing eyes that are pop riveted to the hull. Some of these were broken or pulled out the rivets. With the rope slackened, it was dropped down clear of the bow support. The broken lacing eyes were removed and replaced by new ones. These were secured to the hull with sealant and bolts through the hull with nuts and washers done up on the inside. (it is possible to get at the appropriate places from inside. I put the washers and nuts on the top of the carpet trim. They are not obvious.) Tying up the fender with cord is difficult to get tight. I used small plastic cable ties which are much easier to thread and tighten up. (Pull with pliers!) Then snip off the excess end! Roy Procter.

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Message 17 of 64
Posted by member Mike Lofthouse on Sunday 9 February 2014

Thanks Marie. I'm sure that your replies and that very comprehensive advice will be much appreciated by all of us facing necessary, or even just cosmetic, replacement of our fenders. Feel prepared to tackle it now. When I get around to sourcing the new rope of course! Mike

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Message 15 of 64
Posted by member Ron Clarke on Saturday 8 February 2014

Hi guys, Reading the replies from everyone prior to my e-mail makes for very interesting reading as the fender on our boat is starting to look as though it might have to be replaced in the next year or so. I have a couple of queries regarding the fender on our boat. Is the coir fender actually held in place under its own tension, or are there fastening points on the boat that secure to the wire in the fender? My other query is one that I'm sure most other Hardy owners will have come across, and that is the growth of algae that I seem to get on the fender during the winter period where the rainwater runs through the scuppers. Is it just a question of cleaning it off each spring or is there some product that I can treat the fender with. Alternatively I have considered wrapping a length (12") of plastic, PVC, or leather around the fender to protect it. Any ideas?

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Message 13 of 64
Posted by member Ernest C Brazier on Sunday 19 January 2014

What a fabulous and immediate response from Marie to my fender problem. Grateful thanks Marie for so much information I now feel confident to go ahead. Will let you know how things go. Ernie Brazier

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Message 11 of 64
Posted by member Marie O'Connell Hardy Editor on Sunday 19 January 2014

Ahoy Everybody. First of all in response to the request to see the ‘white fender’ as used by Nicholas – we have a shot of it in the new New Years/January 2014 edition of the Hardy Owner magazine, (page 23) which members will be receiving within the next few days. In addition to this, we ran an article (April 2012) on rope fenders after I replaced my old original coir one with a new version using a polysteel ‘heart’ instead of the wire. I am conducting an experiment with this to see how it goes. It will be interesting to see how it fares as regards tensioning. The original Hardy Marine rope fender on my Hardy Family Pilot was 41ft 9 inches in length (sorry old money!!) as verified by the receipt. My fender was produced by the Master Ropemakers at Chatham Dockyard in Kent. It is also possible for your old fender to be renewed using your existing wire heart, and that way the Ropemakers can ensure that you get the correct length, and the tensioning issue should not arise. Obviously, traditional Hardy coir rope fenders can be supplied by Hardy Marine (Windboat Hardy Motor Boats) but the Ropemakers af Chatham are cheaper, and it is satifying I think to able help to support them in this tradition, so that they exist for many more years to come. Try and visit them if you can, especially if you have never seen rope being made – it is amazing - the Master Ropemakers have been at Chatham for more than 400 years and have produced ropes for Royal Navy Ships, including HMS Victory, HMS Gannet and The Cutty Sark. The Ropemakers produce many varieties of rope, ranging from Chatham Hemp (Flax), Synthetic Hemp, Manila, Coir, sisal, Delphin, Staple White/Black (other colours on request), and Blue polypropylene. As I’ve already said, my fender is a bit of an experiment and so only time will tell, but I will let you know what happens. Nicholas had his ‘white’ rope fender produced in polyester by a ship’s chandler in Belfast, who charged him £130, which is pretty good going all the same. Obviously, there is quite a variation in prices, depending on what rope you have and who produces it for you. For your information: The Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TG 01634 827 812 http://www.thedockyard.co.uk/ http://www.master-ropemakers.co.uk/ Alison Leonard - Sales & Administration Executive enquiries@master-ropemakers.co.uk Traditional Hardy coir rope fenders with a wire heart can be purchased directly from Hardy Marine. http://www.hardy-marine.co.uk 01692 408 700 sales@hardymarine.co.uk I hope this helps Good luck and all the best Marie HOC Editor.

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Message 9 of 64
Posted by member roger beese on Thursday 12 September 2013

Are we able to see a photo of the white fender

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Message 7 of 64
Posted by member Cracker Too on Wednesday 10 July 2013

O'Pray & Sons Ltd. A riggers firm in Hull charged £117.36 for a Synthetic Fibre Rope fender for a Bosun in 2010. Used the wire core of the original fender. Fender still in place, and looking good after a few wind against tide Humber passages!

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Message 5 of 64
Posted by member Thor Preisler on Monday 8 July 2013

Hi Nicholas, I'm new to the forum and just noticed your post. I have a Seawings 234 where the rope was so bad that I have had to remove it completely. As I'm based in Ireland perhaps your solution above could also work for my boat. Could you tell me which Chandler in Belfast you used and I'll give them a visit. Hope you are enjoying the fine weather with your new rope fender. Thor

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Message 3 of 64
Posted by member Nicholas Duffin on Tuesday 9 April 2013

I will do that shortly Simon. At present the Hardy is not looking very photogenic as I am name changing and numerous other jobs! Regards Nicholas

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Message 1 of 64
Posted by member Nicholas Duffin on Saturday 6 April 2013

I took my worn out coir fender to a local ship chandler in Belfast who makes ships hawsers and lifting gear etc. and asked him to copy it in white polyester. It was ready next day, cost £130. Seriously cheaper than from Hardy and it looks great. Regards Nicholas Duffin

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