Page 41 - Des Pawson "Des Pawson's Knot Craft" 2 edit.

KNOTCRAFT 2009:Layout 1 23/10/09 12:17 Page 40

Button Fender

And a few words on narrow boat fenders

HE NARROW BOATS FOUND on our canals have developed
Ttheir own special pieces of ropework. Working in and out of
so many locks the fenders evolved into a distinct style and shape.
On the bow is usually a button fender about 300mm diam and
about 200mm deep, usually with a hitched cover. This fender is
used to gently push open the lock gate. On the stern of the
motor ‘Butty’ there can be a long fat sausage shape fender, about
600–700mm long and about 250mm diam at the centre, taper-
ing off each side and called a tip cat. This protects the rudder
that sticks out behind the main hull. If one tip cat is not enough
then there can be a second tip cat or another button; there can
even be 2 tip cats and a button, a very handsome arrangement
when fitted properly with just a little upward tilt. Some boaters
prefer to have a single button, which may be a little longer
(300mm) than that used at the bow.
Side fenders tend to be rather on the long thin side (175mm
diam by 300–400mm long) because in many of the canals, there
is very little room between the boat and the side of the lock or
tunnel wall.
As with all fenders it is very important to make up a good,
solid, well shaped core. The tip cat is constructed very much like

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