Polyform G-3 Twin Eye Fender 5.5" x 19" Blue

The Polyform G-3 is one of those pieces of gear you don't think about until you need it, and then you're glad you spent the money. It's a twin eye cylinder fender sized for boats from 15 to 20 feet. Think runabouts, bay boats, small center consoles, the kind of boat most of us actually own. It measures 5-1/2 inches across and 19 inches long, which is enough cushion to keep a hull off a dock without being so big it's awkward to stow.

What makes the G-3 handy is the twin eye design. There's a molded eye on each end. Run a line through both and it hangs horizontally, riding flat against the topsides. Tie off just one and it hangs vertically off a cleat or a rail. That flexibility matters more than you'd think, because docks are never the same twice. One day you're tying to a low floating dock, the next you're fending off a piling at a fixed pier. Being able to rig the same fender two ways means you carry fewer of them and still cover every situation.

The body is marine-grade PVC with a ribbed outer wall. Those ribs aren't just for looks. They add strength to the wall so the fender holds its shape under a load, and they give it some grip so it doesn't slide off a round piling when the boat surges. The material is tough stuff. It takes UV, salt spray, and the general abuse of dock life without cracking or going brittle on you. This one's cobalt blue, and the color runs through the material, so the scuffs and black dock marks that make a white fender look tired don't show nearly as much.

The G-3 is inflatable, with a recessed valve that takes a standard fender inflation needle or a small pump. It ships soft, which keeps shipping sane, so plan to air it up before the first trip. You're after a little give, not rock hard. A fender that's over-inflated bounces instead of cushioning, and one that's too soft lets the hull touch. Press it with your thumb. If it flexes a bit and springs back, you've got it right. When the season's over you can let some air out and it packs down for storage.

How many do you need? The old rule still holds. One fender for every 10 feet of boat, with a minimum of three on the side you're tying to. For a boat in the 15 to 20 foot range, three or four of these per side handles most docking, and you'll want a couple extra aboard for rafting up or for that one weird piling. Because the G-3 is sold as a single, you can buy exactly the count your rail layout calls for instead of being stuck with a fixed pair.

Hang it right and it does its job quietly. Set the fender so it rides between the widest part of your hull and whatever you're leaning against, usually right around the rub rail. Too high and the hull rolls in under it. Too low and it skates along under the dock. A minute spent adjusting the lines saves you a gelcoat repair later. If you're tying to a piling with a lot of tide swing, tie the fender off with enough slack that it can ride up and down without pulling loose, and check it once you've settled in.

At about 1.9 pounds it's light enough to grab and reposition one-handed while you're bringing the boat in, which is exactly when you don't have a spare hand. It's a simple piece of gear, but a good fender is cheap insurance against an expensive scratch. The G-3 has been protecting hulls this size for a long time, and it's earned the reputation.