The video was too big to upload here so I put it on youtube and embedded the link.
Conclusion
The fender designed in this project appears to work much better than those currently available with the added benefit of taking up much less space. It is also easier to deploy and position onto the available dock poles. I intend to continue developing the design in the future and will be keeping some of them on the boat as a permanent addition to the fenders we have. Depending upon the amount of interest from other recreational boaters I may also make a few more to sell.
Update 2
Another prototype was created using a foam pool float with some 3D printed pass-throughs for the belt. The foam was cut to the same dimensions as done previously and 4 slits were cut vertically in each corner for the pass-throughs. The 3D printed parts were then installed and a belt with a buckle was threaded through two of them and sewn to the buckle.
Findings:
The upgraded design worked better than the first and was easier to secure to the test pole than the first. It held on tight and had the advantage of the stickiness of the thin rubberized coating to prevent it from sliding up and down the pole. Other findings:
- The rubberized coating is too thin on the outward-facing side and could be easily torn.
- The foam isn’t quite as tough as that used previously and probably won’t last as long under constant wear.
- The cut edges should be sealed to prevent waterlogging
- a different type of buckle should be used as the current one is challenging to tighten around small poles.
Next steps:
A few modifications could be made to the current fender to improve some of the issues shown such as applying a rubberized coating to the outside and replacing the buckles used.
Photos:
Cutaway design of inner and outer strap connectors:
3D printed pass-throughs (right) and bird guards for bow poles (left):
Raft foam used to make prototype:
4
Cutting raft foam to size:
Closeup of strap:
Testing of the finished fender on pole:
Update 1
Procedure:
After some research and design, I came up with a basic bumper design that I could build from materials I had and some basic fasteners from a local store. I started with a roll of 1/2 inch thick closed-cell foam that I cut into two 2 by 1 foot rectangles. I then sewed the two pieces together using paracord. To protect the boat from rubbing directly against the black foam and potentially rubbing color off or tearing the foam I sewed a cover made from a few yards of fabric and a zipper. Once the foam was in the zippered cover I tested it at home by wrapping it around a pole with a nylon belt and dual-sided release clasp as a fastener. Once I determined that the belt could hold it around a pole I tested it a few times on the boat so see how well it performed at keeping the boat off the dock.
Findings:
The prototype performed spectacularly for what it is. It was dense enough to prevent the boat from squishing it flat against the pole but was easy to stow and use. it took up considerably less space than the bumpers and was far easier to attach to the poles. A few improvements that could be corrected in future designs:
- It should be made of a single piece of foam as water can get between the two rectangles and make it smell if not properly dried
- A lower density foam could be used so it’s lighter and potentially make it a bit thicker so it is softer for the boat to push against
- The belt and clasp should be sewed onto the cover or better yet pass through the foam to be more secure and easier yet to attach to the pole
- Closed-cell foam works well but isn’t too visually pleasing potentially a foam with a rubberized coating could be used in its place
Next steps:
For the next prototype, I plan to choose a different type of foam and will implement some of the design improvements noted above. In the meantime, the current prototype will continue to be used and tested and other potential improvements and flaws will be noted.
Photos:
Sewing the cover for the prototype:
Without the prototype fender (notice the lower fenders fail to keep the boat off the pole):
The prototype fender in use:
Research Project Planning
The goal is to create a product that can be strapped to poles in marinas to protect boats from damage due to rubbing against docks. I am going to make a prototype of the fender from some 1″ thick closed-cell foam I had with a fabric casing and a buckled strap. I will evaluate how well this bumper design protects the boat by testing it compared to the large bumpers we have or as a supplement to the current bumpers. Then from the results of testing, I will create a second iteration of the prototype that addresses the issues I have with the first.
Research Project Intro
I have found products similar to what I want to create but they are meant to be mounted permanently to the owners dock instead of being removable to take with the boat to other docks that may require that type of fender. The following articles highlight damage done to boats by docks and examples of current types of fenders.
http://www.svsarah.com/Sarah/ewRubRailDamage.html -details damage and repair steps taken to fix damage to a boat due to a pole.
https://www.whiskeycreektrading.com/fold-go.html -This is similar to what I want to create but this only works on 4”x4” square poles and only covers the front face of the pole. The issues with this is because if its attachment method it can be pushed around the side of the pole if the boat rocks up against it and if a marina has different size/shape poles it would be useless. It is also 40 inches tall so it would be difficult to store on most boats.
https://www.anchoring.com/blogs/anchoring/dock-bumpers-and-fenders-protecting-your-boat-from-the-dock -list of several current fender types. My design is most similar to the piling fender but it would be removable and able to fit any size/shape pilings.
-A method we’ve used at one marina to keep the boat off the pole. Note that not many docks have a nail driven into the top of them like this one. If it was rougher in the marina or the wind was faster he bumper could easily be pushed around the side of the pole.
-another way of tieing the fenders to the pole but the disadvantage is the shape of the boats hull makes it difficult to keep it away when the bumpers are placed down lower.
-Here’s an example of how the shape of a boat makes it difficult to use fenders near the waterline. Because the boat tapers away from the dock as it nears the waterline the lower a fender is the wider it must be. in the photo above the fender is around 1.5 feet in diameter but the boat still rubs against the dock pole.
-Example of some damage to a boat from rubbing against a dock pole.
Résumé
Current Event
Recently, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) managed to capture a photo of the black hole Messer 87 (M87). This is incredible because despite weighing in at 6.5 billion times that of the sun it is roughly 53.5 million light-years away. This means the Event Horizon Telescope’s view of the black hole, despite being about the same size as our Solar System, is only 40 micro arc seconds across when viewed from earth. To put that into perspective it is”equivalent to reading a text on a phone in New York from a sidewalk café in Paris”(sciencedaily.com). To accomplish such a feat, 200 scientists from all across the world came together and using eleven radio telescopes based in Hawaii, Antarctica, Europe, North America, and South America managed to capture several petabytes of data using those telescope arrays to create a telescope effectively the size of the earth. From this data, four separate teams independently generated their own images using their own techniques then compared their images to verify that there was no bias in the results. The four images all matched so the teams then took 3 more images of the black hole and averaged them to generate the incredible photo that we have today. The reason this is such a historic event is that this photo agrees with Einstein’s theory of relativity from 103 years ago and finally proves that black holes do in fact exist. More radio telescopes are planning to join the Event Horizon Telescope so that the image of M87 can be made clearer and to attempt to take a photo of Sagittarius A the black hole in the center of the Milky Way Galaxy which despite being 1,000 times smaller than M87 is roughly 1,000 times closer. The only thing making it hard to photograph is the dense collection of stars that lie near the center of the galaxy that obscures it from us.
I believe this achievement is incredible because it is something that was thought to be impossible until recently. It also is great because it lines up so closely with what experts expected and it was even extremely close in size and mass to what was predicted due to the orbits of stars near the black holes. I believe one of the researchers, Dimitrios Psaltus, really summed up the effect that this picture has on what we have learned from this picture with this quote: “I’m sure many other times in human history, people saw something for the first time … and what you see, you cannot unsee. This is it for the rest of humanity, for the rest of human history.”
Resources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190410091028.htm
https://eventhorizontelescope.org/
https://www.vox.com/2019/4/10/18302343/first-picture-black-hole-eht-photo-event-horizon
Experience
Admittedly I was not a very social person when I first arrived on campus this year as an incoming freshman just turning 18 years old. Typical high school social activities never interested me so I was in for a change of pace when I arrived at OSU. My first weeks were filled with anxiety mixed with excitement as I learned to navigate the vast campus life as the newest Buckeye. I met some of my first friends in the dorm and at the welcome events. I learned the schedule and pace of life in college, though it is still a transition, I feel very at home on campus now.
One of the best experiences I have had this year has been joining club swimming at Ohio State. I have met some of my best friends at OSU through club swim. From the first practices, through the yearlong season, I have gained a great group of teammates and lasting friendships. I have spent many hours at practices, social events, fundraisers, and meets that I have enjoyed immensely. Swimming is a sport I enjoy and club swim has given me an avenue to continue to swim competitively while continuing to enjoy the camaraderie of my teammates.
Club swimming has allowed me to travel to other universities to compete while exploring what other universities have to offer as well. A trip to the University of Buffalo allowed me to experience Niagara Falls and we also visited, UVA, Indy, and Cinci to swim. The highlight of the year was hosting the National college club swim championship meet where our men’s team got first place! What an amazing experience to have as a freshman. Even more exciting for me was when I was named most improved swimmer having obtained many PR times this year. My decision to attend The Ohio State University and to join the club swim team has been an unforgettable experience with so many awesome memories.
Year In Review
It’s hard to imagine that my first year at Ohio State is almost over. I feel that I have grown immensely this year in so many ways. The overwhelming feeling I had when I attended the activities fair that first weekend is long gone, replaced by a sense of belonging with so many friendships built. Ohio State is a very large place that you can make your own by taking advantage of all of the experiences one can find here.
Joining scholars forced me to branch out and explore areas and campus events that I know I would not have had I not been a part of this group. I enjoyed the diversity of the events that have been offered and the scholar’s program also pushed me to keep up with the hectic schedule of a first-year engineering student. In addition, volunteering through STEM Outreach and at the Buckeyethon were two highlights this year that I plan to continue every year.
One of the biggest obstacles I had to face was organizing my time in order to get all of the homework and studying required in my classes done while also attending scholars events as well as club swimming practices and meets. My favorite part of the year has been the awesome friendships I have made. Joining the club swim team has been a highlight of my first year at Ohio State. It has allowed me to enjoy my favorite sport and continue to compete at a high level while traveling to other universities to compete as well.
Looking back on this year gives me a sense of accomplishment as well as feelings of excitement as I look forward to returning next fall. I plan to spend the summer working in an engineering internship and will return to OSU in the fall ready to pick up where I left off, eager to build on the strong foundation I have started here.