DRAGONFLY Trimarans User Forum

I am not sure this is a general as opposed to a specific DF28 issue but maybe someone else has found a simple solution to my problem.

Setting the fender at the bow of the amas when folded out (eg before entering locks) with even a little swell seems a rather acrobatic and wet exercise. The bows of the 28 are rather long and thin.

So far I delegated my 12yo youngest son to this task . On Saturday he was at the helm, roles were inverted and I started seeing the need for some solution allowing to attach the fender near the bow without going further than the front aka.

I was planning to attach 3/4 fenders at approriate intervals along one line which would go from the bow to the stern of the ama. I would pull the resulting necklace of fenders to the bow with a line on a block attached to the eye on the bow of the ama.

Does this make any sense to you? has anybody found any better solution other than a water loving acrobatic chimp?

I find they would not be very useful because they easily get pushed forward and on the wrong side of the ama.

EarthBM wrote:I find they would not be very useful because they easily get pushed forward and on the wrong side of the ama.

Thanks Earth, I saw the problem you mention. Even more so with the last fender towards the stern of the ama which I hang from the back stay purchase. It regularly jumps inside.

Still between the eye at the tip of the bow of the ama and the one at the end of the front aka there is no possible attachment for a fender. Yet in getting close to the concrete walls of locks one needs to defend the front part of the amas (at least if he does not full tryst his skills in getting close completely parallel).

In my previous mono I had a substantial teak+stainless steal moulding along the sides and lieing along a wall or the vertical poles you often have outside of locks in Holland was never a danger for the gelcoat. But the thin rubber lining along the top of the amas of the DF gives me less comfort hence the need to be well protected by fenders. I might be compounding my fears as a novice both on tris and locks but I thought more people would have come across difficulties in setting fenders when the boat is folded out. Still curious to see what solutiuons have been found.

When fastening a fender forward of the aka I tighten the barberhaul with a knot on the back side of the aka. Then I use the barberhaul as an attachment for a ball shaped fender. If you want to protect the bow may be something like this can be used: http://www.oceanfenders.com/scheda.php? ... chiave=%25