Do-It-Yourself Fender

[mackid068]

Right then. Mooring and tender makes the most sense. Seems relatively cheap and you avoid all the hassle of worrying about crashing into the piers.

[cyclops]

A good spot might be found where typhoon wind and waves are impossible to really get at the boat. The cost of a mooring site setup should be justifiable on paper.

[safewalrus]

British Naval system - wooden raft made out of large lumps of wood (not dainty stuff - big bits held together with bloody big chains!) tie IT to the pier then you come alongside the raft K.I.S.S.

WORKS A TREAT

[BillyDoc]

Running your mooring lines through some PVC pipe (schedule 80 or better) so that the stiff pipe holds you off from the pier. You would also need to tie off with spring lines to keep your fore and aft position. The pipes would have to be long enough to accommodate the tide, obviously, but could be crossed near amidships (for example) to give you a large swing and still allow you to get close enough to jump ashore. It's the same idea as the whip, but simpler (and stiffer).

If PVC isn't strong enough, use fiberglass tube or even iron pipe --- if you don't mind a little rust. Just remember to use a little chaffing material on your hull! Like, for example, a couple of rubber "plumber's helper" plungers on the hull end of your pipes.

[gonzo]

Tires linked to each other to form a mat may work. Maybe two or three deep and two wide.