X-fender Oy, a Helsinki, Finland-based company, has created folding fenders that use expanded polyethylene foam; integral, abrasion-resistant Cordura jackets; and a clever design to eliminate the need for air bladders and fender socks. The result is a fender system—also called X-Fenders—that is impervious to punctures and leaks, and requires a fraction of the stowage that traditional fenders consume. And because the fenders can fold flat, they can moonlight as cushions, stools, foam rollers and—if several fenders are attached together—sunbathing mats.
Oskar Holmström, X-Fender Oy’s sales director, says the biggest challenge the company faced when creating the fenders was designing the locking mechanism. “It needed to be extremely durable and withstand the same forces as the fender itself,” Holmström says. “Also, it needed to be easy to both open and close.”
The solution is a three-phase locking mechanism. A groove is cut into the foam where the two butt ends meet, ensuring alignment. A plastic strip covered under a fabric lip on one side locks behind a rubber ridge on the other, creating a joint. Finally, a Velcro strap holds everything in situ.
“Flattening the X-Fender completely requires extreme forces,” Holmström says, adding that because the fenders are foam, they still provide protection even if flattened. Once load is removed, the fenders will return to their rolled-up shape.
Fender Facts
X-Fenders come in three sizes for yachts up to 45 feet in length. Foam density is uniform across the size range, but the company is exploring different-density foams for building units for larger and smaller vessel sizes. Lifespan is similar to traditional fenders; however, the attachment ropes are replaceable, and the fenders—which do not use PVC—are recyclable.
Take the next step: x-fender.com
