Polyform A-0 Mooring Buoy | 8 in White PVC Fender

The Polyform A-0 is the smallest buoy in Polyform U.S.'s A-series, the round vinyl buoy you've seen on more docks and small boats than just about anything else on the water. It measures 8 inches across and 11-1/2 inches long, with a single molded rope eye up top. Sized for boats up to 15 feet, it's the right fit for jon boats, dinghies, small runabouts, and daysailers.

Most folks hang the A-0 over the side as a fender to keep the hull off a dock, a piling, or another boat. The rope eye takes a line so you can rig it vertical along the rub rail, which is how a round buoy protects best. It also works as a small marker or mooring float when you need something visible sitting on the water. White vinyl shows up well against dark water, and the round shape rolls a bit against a piling instead of digging in.

The rope eye is 0.6 inches across, so it takes line up to about 3/8 inch. That's plenty for a boat this size. We usually rig ours with 1/4 inch nylon for a clean vertical hang. Tie it off with a round turn and a couple of half hitches and you're set. Try to force a heavier dock line through and you'll be fighting it, so keep the line matched to the boat.

On anything past 14 feet, plan on two fenders a side so the whole run of hull is covered, not just one spot. One buoy in the wrong place lets the bow or the stern kiss the dock when the wind pushes you around. Space them where the hull is widest and where you'll actually make contact. For a 10 or 12 foot boat, one a side often does the job in calm water.

It's molded from tough vinyl, so it shrugs off the usual dock rash. Like any vinyl buoy, it'll last a lot longer if you give it a fresh-water rinse now and then and store it out of constant sun when the boat's put away for the season. UV is hard on every vinyl product over time. A quick wipe with a marine vinyl cleaner keeps the white looking white and knocks back algae or rust streaks before they set in.

As a mooring or marker float, the A-0 gives you a small, bright reference you can spot from the helm. Boaters use these to mark an anchor, flag a shallow spot, or hold station on a light mooring in a protected cove. It isn't a heavy mooring ball for a big boat on an open anchorage, and we won't pretend it is. Think of it as a handy small float for light-duty work close to home water.

New to this? Here's the simple version. Run your line through the rope eye, tie it off to a cleat or a rail, and let the buoy ride between your hull and whatever you're protecting. Hang it low enough that it sits right at the point of contact, usually down at the rub rail. Adjust the length as the tide moves. That's really all there is to it.

One more tip from the dock. Give the buoy a squeeze at the start of the season and top off the air if it's gone soft, since a firm buoy cushions far better than a saggy one. A properly inflated A-0 springs back instead of bottoming out against a hard piling. Small thing, but it's the difference between a buoy that protects your gelcoat and one that just hangs there.

The A-0 is the entry size in the A-series. If you've got a bigger boat or you dock in real chop, step up to a larger A-series buoy for more cushion and more coverage. But for a small boat, a tender, or a spare you keep in the locker, the A-0 is honest, simple gear that does exactly what it says. It holds its shape season after season. Keep one or two aboard and you'll reach for them every time you come alongside.