What is this fitting?

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What is this fitting?

Postby Nephroid » Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:55 pm

Does anyone know what these fittings are for? I have a '74 DSII and there are two on each side of the rail. The one pictured is just aft of the chainplate on the port side. The second is further aft about halfway to the stern cleat. They seem to correspond to a molded channel in the fiberglass so I assume they are factory.

Were they for oarlocks, perhaps?

chainplate.jpg
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Re: What is this fitting?

Postby jalmeida51 » Mon Sep 14, 2020 9:12 pm

attaching fenders, A plastic washer slides into the fitting. The line of the fender is attached to the washer
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Re: What is this fitting?

Postby GreenLake » Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:15 pm

Interesting, even with a "closed" set of boat models like the DS, you never finish learning something new.

You can probably fashion a piece of aluminum that would replace the plastic washer if you can't get a matching part.

There are those of us that use fenders, and those that don't - depends on where you sail / how you use your boat.

If you do (want to) use fenders, make sure that if you suspend one from these points that they would work for the places you want to dock at. I keep running into docks that don't have side walls (just a platform high enough for the stern to swing under / or partially swing under). For those, you need "low freeboard" fenders that are L shaped, so they protect your boat if it tries to hit the dock from below. (For extreme cases you may have to use a cat's cradle and suspend your boat between docks, because if a wave / wak raises your boat into a dock from below it can be a much harder impact than being pushed side on).
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Re: What is this fitting?

Postby jalmeida51 » Mon Sep 14, 2020 11:24 pm

You can buy the plastic washer from West Marine but you can't buy the fitting. I believe Taylor makes this system.

John
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Re: What is this fitting?

Postby Nephroid » Mon Sep 14, 2020 11:53 pm

Thanks for the info. I too learned something new today.

I did some googling and the ones made by Taylor seem to be an exact match to the ones on my boat.
They can be found on Amazon by searching #1010 Traditional Boat Fender Lock and Peg Set you can also just purchase the #1009 Locking Peg for about $7 each.

So far I haven't found a need for fenders where I sail but I'm thinking of taking my DS out on The Bay before the end of the season and some fenders may come in handy.
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Re: What is this fitting?

Postby tomodda » Tue Sep 15, 2020 12:58 pm

Man, and here I thought that was a very small bottle-opener! Anyway, I used to put out fenders and now don't bother, leave them home. The "lip" of the boat (hull-deck joint) is further out than anything else and well protected by the rub-rail. Regular fenders hang below the deck overhang and don't reach the dockside at all. I supposed if you used the big ball-type fenders they'd be useful, but where would you put them? The only time I've ever really needed fenders was rafting up to a bigger boat, and that was just to avoid scratching his paint. So we just rigged out a few of HIS fenders, especially cuz his deck was 3 feet above mine. It was a 60-foot catamaran, good times!
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Re: What is this fitting?

Postby GreenLake » Tue Sep 15, 2020 7:30 pm

A DSII doesn't have the same nice rubrail as a DS1.

Even with a DS1 I use fenders regularly, but not every time.

I launch from a dock that has a nice vertical wall of wooden planks and is protected from any wakes other than those of other boats being splashed. For tying up to prep for launch, I don't bother with fenders on a DS1 (and might not bother with them for a DSII).

The same style dock if exposed to passing powerboat wakes would result in a lot of slamming and I would use any kind of fender from 3.5" up. I would probably set up a 5.5" one a the widest part of the boat (suspended from the horn cleat on the cuddy as more secure but possibly from the chainplate/stay). And then tie bow and stern so the boat pivots. For a longer tie-up, I would add at least another fender at the stern, and pull the stern line a bit tighter.

Some docks have a nice vertical wall. Some swim low on the water but have the walking surface come out a few inches. Those can be challenging as that part can make contact with the boat, even if the fender touches the support structure below. In some cases, the height is such that the stern could make contact if raised by a wake. For those situations I like "low freeboard" fenders that are L shaped (their top is horizontal). As such, they always hang over the rubrail (and not tucked in below it), so you gain the extra inch or two of rubrail overhang.

On a busy dock (many wakes) I might tie two of these (one at the stern, one at the jib fairlead) over the rubrail and my largest "cylindrical" one at the chain plates.

More challenging are the docks where you just have a thin walking surface supported by posts, with ample space for the DS to dive under the dock. (All, or only the stern part). With wakes present the boat can not only dive under the dock, but slam against it from below. The only thing that works in that situation is a line to a pole or dock on the opposite side that keeps the DS off the dock you are tying to. I then tie front and stern so the boat ends up parallel to, but offset from the dock. There's enough slack in the system that you can pull the bow or stern towards the dock to step off temporarily, but the equilibrium will always keep the boat away from the dock even with wakes present.

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Picture on the left shows a dock where I would use a L shaped fender in the rear and a wide cylindrical one at the chainplates. Dock's low enough to not allow the DS to dive under and presents a pretty good surface for fenders. Not much wake there, so even two 3.5" ones hung so they sit on the rubrail (not below) might work in the crunch. (However, if they sit that high they can be pushed up if there are waves/wakes).

The picture on the right shows the kind of dock that no amount of fenders alone will work on (although the picture doesn't show any, that spot is near a bridge opening and can get lots of wakes). Appears I had the line to the opposite side tied to the foredeck cleat - better to use the cuddy top cleats for better balance).

Both situations shown were from occasions where I stayed in sight of the boat while docked. Otherwise, I would have taken the sails down or secured things further.

Additional images showing various short term tie ups. All with remaining in sight of the boat. Usually some lines are used more like springs, to fix the fore-aft position and some across to hold the other end of the boat against the dock (and fender(s)). One shows sideways pull on the bow eye - that's not recommended, if leaving the boat, tie a line to the foredeck cleat instead.

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Re: What is this fitting?

Postby Nephroid » Wed Sep 16, 2020 3:15 pm

Thanks, Greenlake! The context and pictures are really helpful. I was worried that my DSII’s previous owner was absent the day the handed out rub rails.

Fortunately most of my local docks are of the plastic floating type, and gas engines aren’t allowed; both have made fenders unnecessary but as I start to venture out further and potentially make more day trips, I’m likely to encounter more varied docking situations, wake and tidal exposure. Always good to be prepared. At a minimum I can use them to practice my man overboard drills with the crew!
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Re: What is this fitting?

Postby GreenLake » Wed Sep 16, 2020 7:03 pm

Now, there you go.

Altogether, I think I've managed to tie up at about 10 different docks with my DS, and, if memory serves, even one time alongside another boat. Over the years, my collection of fenders has been growing, I swear, they are turning that cuddy into a veritable breeding ground! I have another boat that just has the hard lip where hull and deck meet, and no space for lots of gear, and even the most benevolent dock does leave marks. Wish fenders were an easy option for that one.
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