Boat Fender Tips: How To Raft-Up Boats The Right Way

There will probably come a time in your life as a boat owner that you’ll need to raft up your boat side by side to another.

It can be a little nerve-wracking tying up your boat so close to another one, but if you do it the right way, everything will be just fine.

In this video, we’ve got Capt. Mark “Hollywood” Johnson from FloridaKeysFunFishing.com to show us how to properly use a boat fender to raft up to another boat.

You’ll learn:

• How to position the fender so that it stays in place
• The best knots to keep your fender secure to your boat
• Alternative options to using a boat fender

And much more.

Watch the video below to learn how to raft up your boat to another using boat fenders.

How To Raft Up Boats With A Boat Fender [VIDEO]

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When it comes to keeping your boat safe while rafting up, the most important thing is to try to raft up next to a boat with a similar gunwale height.

The next most important thing is making sure the fender is positioned correctly.

For instance, if the fender is too low, the rub rails will extend over it and rub against each other, potentially scuffing or damaging each other.

On the other hand, if the fender is too high, then it might get pushed up on top of the rub rails and again they’ll be rubbing up against each other.

Another option instead of a boat fender is to use an anchor ball.

Anchor balls achieve the same goal as boat fenders, but are just a different shape and have a few additional applications, such as allowing you to release your anchor if you have to go chase down a tarpon.

And finally, to make sure your fender is secure to the boat, use a figure-eight knot with a locking half hitch to tie up to your boat cleat, and use a couple of half hitch knots to keep the line secure to your fender or anchor ball.

Conclusion

When you’re rafting up your boat to another, try to match gunwale heights and make sure to position your boat fender correctly.

If it’s too high, it might slide over the gunwales, and if it’s too low, it might slide under them.

Have any questions about using boat fenders?

Let me know in the comments below!

And if you’re in the Florida Keys and you want to go fishing with Capt. Hollywood and his crew, you can get in touch with them at FloridaKeysFunFishing.com.

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• Two Knots Every Boater Must Know To Tie Up To The Dock (VIDEO)

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