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In Firecadet's thread on fenders, a comment was made about not using colored fenders for fear the color would rub off. I thought I'd start a new topic, as not to hijack Firecadet.

Do colored fenders mar the hull? I have never heard that before. My previous set up was a white hull with black fenders I never had a problem. If that is the case, I would think if you have colored hull then the white would leave white marks too?

What say you? Has any body had personal experience with this?

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

My experience is that the fenders rub off some of the coloured gel coat, rather than the other way around; my white fenders in contact with the red gel coat turn pink in places by the end of the season. ( ...and the seats take on a pink tinge where they have been in contact with the red cockpit cover)

Graham

Been using black fenders for 2 seasons now. No problems so far.

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Rob
2007 Four Winns 180 Horizon

The gel coat is going to rub off long before the rubber from the fenders do (at least the new designs of fenders).

I rubbed a giant streak on the side of the 318 pulling into my slip because it was an old fender - and it was dirt and build up that was the streak - not the rubber from the fender.

Worst case scenario - use fender covers. Ultimate in protection.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

1.) Colored Fenders do not mar the hull. The dirt and grime on them do.

2.) The covers offer no better protection from marks than the fender itself.
It is the same dirt that accumulates on the fender itself which also can
and does accumulate on the covers as well. The covers need to be taken off,
cleaned, then dried before re-use. The fender can be quickly wiped down and
used immediately.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I have to disagree with this completely. The fender covers help prevent hull-abrasioning that the hard rubber surface of a fender can cause on gelcoat. That's why you see the scuffs on a side of a boat where the fenders are - but with fender covers, you don't see them! surprise surprise. On a white boat, less noticeable. On a classic color band boat - very noticeable

When the fenders are rubbing tight (like when you are rafted next to someone for a period of time, and you aren't in water that is glass flat), the softer fender covers will 'slide' around more - where the raw fenders will SQQUUEEEEEEAAAAAKKKK and rub. FYI - that squeak is NOT a good thing.

As for protection from dirt and debris -- the fenders without covers provide no absorbtion of any of the dirt particules. At least with the covers, some of those dirt particles are absorbed into the cover.

For many people, it's not a big deal. Those many people would rather buff out the scuffs every year.

I used covers all last year on my H240... rafted up regularly. Classic color band black. How many scuffs did I buff out at the end of the season when I went to sell the boat. One - from a fender that didn't have a cover that I was using as a temp because I was tied up to a guy with fenders the size of a hot dog.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Matter of preference from your point of view. I have no covers on my fenders, with no scuffs to buff out each year. We raft up almost every weekend.
Also, the covers fade over time, and are an additional cost over and above the fender itself. The slipperyness of the covers can cause them to easily pop the fender out from between the boats when large waves come through, the Squeeeaaak ! of the fender causes no damage, and also tells you they are all in place and doing their intended function, protecting the boats.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Perhaps it's fair to say that fender covers work nicely when the boat is unattended in your slip, whereas uncovered might be better when rafting up. The regular motion of rocking in the slip definitely causes trouble with an uncovered fender. I had several U-shaped scuffs compounded out because of this. No repeats when a cover was used on the fender. But then there's something to be said for rearranging the fenders and lines to avoid the trouble in the first place. During a raft-up the squeaking does reinforce that the fenders are working. But since the motion is only during a short time it's less likely to leave scuffs.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I have used black fenders with no problem for a little over 2 years; H240 stays in the water from April until the end of October.
240m Joe
Lake Norman, NC

Based on my experience with a black hull boat, I COMPLETELY agree with Courgar on this. Simply my experience with a trailer boat that was religiously inspected for fender rash/dull spots.

I think what happens is the fender covers keep the fenders in better condition. When a fender gets scratched (say from a stainless rub rail screw or dirt) it then is more prone to be abrasive. But the covers seem to prevent dirt and the like from maring the fender to begin with. That's just my thought but I firmly believe they do help slow the process of dulling the gelcoat.

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

I believe that was my comment you were refering to from Firecadet's post. I've had no experience with this happening myself, but when I was contemplating which fenders to purchase for the boat 2 different boating friends of mine both warned me not to get colored fenders or let anyone with colored fenders tie up to my white boat. Both had previous experience with colored marks on their hull because of this, that's why I raised the point on the other post. I wanted black fenders in the first place myself, but they both talked me out of it. I figured rather then run the risk, I went with the white taylor made's with the black tops. For the most part I've only experienced a few small marks as a result of being rafted up. Nothing so far that I haven't been able to buff out with some wax. I guess I should have asked all you guys first.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

I have used colored fenders for years, Dark blue. As mentioned above, its the dirt on them that leaves any mark.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
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