Attwood SoftSide Dock Edge / Bumper - 45" White (93537-1)

The Attwood SoftSide 93537-1 is the dock bumper that goes on a residential or club dock and just stays there. 45 inches long, 8.5 inches wide, 6 inches tall, white, and molded as one continuous piece out of an UV-stable polymeric that's soft enough to absorb a hull impact but firm enough to keep its shape under steady contact. It screws to the dock through four 5/16-inch holes molded into the back, and that's the install. No air valves, no foam to compress, no inflatable parts to fail.

The reason boaters keep buying these instead of cheaper inflatable or vinyl-wrap dock bumpers is what doesn't happen to them. Attwood's polymeric formula is rated against splitting, chalking, cracking, and crushing. That matters because a typical dock bumper sees three types of failure: UV degradation that turns the surface chalky and brittle, freeze-thaw cycles that crack the material, and impact deformation that takes a chunk out of one section and leaves the rest looking ratty. The SoftSide handles all three. We've sold these to lake guys in the Northeast and to Florida slip owners and they hold up the same way.

The shape is a curved profile that catches a hull at the rub rail height on most center consoles, bay boats, ski boats, and small cruisers. The 6-inch height is enough to absorb a real impact without bottoming out, and the 8.5-inch width spreads the load along a meaningful section of the hull instead of concentrating it. The low-profile soft top edge is the small detail that separates this from cheap stamped bumpers. You won't trip over it walking the dock, you won't scrape your shins stepping aboard, and a fender hung from your boat won't get caught underneath it.

Install is straightforward. The four mounting holes are 5/16 inch and pattern out evenly along the back. On wood docks, pre-drill the holes to avoid splitting the dock board, then run stainless wood screws with washers. On aluminum or composite docks, pre-drill, deburr, and use stainless self-tapping screws with sealing washers. We strongly recommend stainless steel hardware, ideally 316 series for any saltwater exposure. Galvanized hardware will streak rust down the bumper face within a year on most coastal docks. A drop of marine-grade thread sealant on each screw helps if your dock sees real wave action.

Spacing matters more than people realize. For a typical 24-foot residential boat slip, run two 45-inch SoftSide pieces vertically on the inside face of each piling for impact protection where the hull hits, and a third horizontal piece along the dock edge where the boat lays alongside. For a longer slip or a side-tie dock, run the SoftSides end-to-end along the entire dock edge with about a quarter-inch expansion gap between pieces. The plastic does expand and contract with temperature, and butting them tight in winter means they buckle in summer.

Climate notes. The white color holds up better in extreme sun than dark colors do. We've heard the same from owners in Florida, Arizona lakefront communities, and Texas Gulf marinas. If you're matching a darker dock aesthetic, the trade-off is faster UV fade. White stays bright for years.

For commercial or rough-service docks where steel-hulled boats hit the bumper hard and often, this isn't the right product. The SoftSide is built for residential and recreational use, where the impacts are bumps and brushes from fiberglass and aluminum hulls. Heavy steel commercial traffic will eventually shred any polymeric bumper. For that use case, look at heavier-duty rubber or composite-reinforced commercial bumpers.

The 45-inch length is the most popular size in the SoftSide family. Attwood also makes shorter sections for end caps and tighter installs, and corner pieces for wrapping the corner of a dock board cleanly. If you're piecing a long run, mix lengths to land each joint over a dock support rather than between supports.

The shape is a closed-back hollow profile, which means cleaning is just a hose-and-soap job. Algae, bird droppings, and waterline crud rinse off the smooth polymeric surface without much effort. A soft brush helps if you let things go a season. Don't use harsh solvents like acetone or strong chemical cleaners, because they can degrade the plastic over time.

One important thing this bumper does not replace: boat fenders. Hang real fenders from your boat when it's in the slip. The dock bumper takes the heavy work, the fenders take the constant rubbing during wind shifts and wave action. Together they protect the hull. Skipping fenders and relying only on the dock bumper will eventually leave a wear mark on the hull where the bumper rides.

Made in the USA. Limited lifetime warranty against the kinds of failure that kill cheaper bumpers in two seasons. Same-day shipping before 3 PM ET on in-stock units.