The button fenders I orginally bought were made of hemp rope, so as to avoid the various plastic options. I was told that I would need to soak them in creosote though, so they wouldn't rot. Of course I took ages to not get around to this, and then I began wondering - isn't creosote a bit environmentally dodgy in itself? And THEN someone told me creosote was actually banned these days. So I've just left them as is.
But it got me wondering (especially when my partner offered to buy me side fenders for my birthday, to replace my inelegant old tyres on rope) what is the best fender option from a low-impact environmentally friendly point of view? I'd like to get the hand woven kind if I can, like my button ones are, to help the craft keep going.
============= I live on my narrowboat with my cat, Bella.
Most of the garden wood preseratives are environmentally okay, in that they aren't toxic. I haven't checked on the manufacturing process though. However, they do make a brilliant job of preventing your fender from rotting away, and have the advantage of being available in a variety of friendly, primary colours.
I'm not aware of anyone doing it, but coppiced willow should make a decent basketwork type fender; sounds quite cool, I wonder if one could just rope together a bundle of (say) 35 cm. lengths. Making one a fascist (sorry). Cider,etc. bottles, but they are a bit short for me and it wouldn't help with the neighbours.
What are the "greenest" fender options?
The button fenders I orginally bought were made of hemp rope, so as to avoid the various plastic options. I was told that I would need to soak them in creosote though, so they wouldn't rot. Of course I took ages to not get around to this, and then I began wondering - isn't creosote a bit environmentally dodgy in itself? And THEN someone told me creosote was actually banned these days. So I've just left them as is.
But it got me wondering (especially when my partner offered to buy me side fenders for my birthday, to replace my inelegant old tyres on rope) what is the best fender option from a low-impact environmentally friendly point of view? I'd like to get the hand woven kind if I can, like my button ones are, to help the craft keep going.
============= I live on my narrowboat with my cat, Bella.
preserving rope n fenders
Most of the garden wood preseratives are environmentally okay, in that they aren't toxic. I haven't checked on the manufacturing process though. However, they do make a brilliant job of preventing your fender from rotting away, and have the advantage of being available in a variety of friendly, primary colours.
fenders
I'm not aware of anyone doing it, but coppiced willow should make a decent basketwork type fender; sounds quite cool, I wonder if one could just rope together a bundle of (say) 35 cm. lengths. Making one a fascist (sorry). Cider,etc. bottles, but they are a bit short for me and it wouldn't help with the neighbours.