GL: Using Fender Boards on the T-Tom and Tennessee

[allen]

This is a most interesting discussion, particularly as I expect to be doing 
the NY canals again in May.

We went through in 2006 and used fender boards, but experienced none of the 
problems mentioned.  We were on a 42 foot sailboat, though and had two crew 
actively holding off the wall at all times with boat hooks.  Maybe the shape 
and keel of sailboats makes for a different experience?  Also, due to the 
mast protruding ahead, we were perhaps more sensitive to yaw than 
powerboats.

At any rate, the boards did protect our fenders and never got hooked on 
anything -- or even came close -- although, as mentioned there are chunks 
missing out of the walls in some locks that could easily swallow small 
fenders or conceivably catch a board if pressed against the wall.  I think 
large balls would be mostly unaffected,

What I get out of all this is that some boaters are much more active locking 
through and others let the fenders do all the work.

It sounds to me as if the use of large ball fenders may be the best 
solution, although I continue to wonder about dirt, grit and abrasion as 
they rotate from the wall to the boat surfaces.

Maybe some are fussier than others about the sides of the boat?  Or am I 
worrying for nothing?

> My small contribution on this topic is that I think both Fred Wehner 
> (Tug44)
> and Rich Gano are correct.  In my experience, fenderboards represent a
> moderate liability on the NYS Canal System and even more so in the 
> Canadian
> Canals, but may be useful and safe on the Tenn-Tom.  The reason is that 
> the
> NYS Canal System Locks, the big St. Lawrence Seaway locks, and the CoE 
> Locks
> on the East Coast and Okeechobee Waterway all have ropes that hang down 
> from
> the top of the lock walls.