Slammer Marine
Slammer Marine small dock fenders use a compact 5-inch by 3-inch profile sized for lighter watercraft, sailing programs, dinghy docks, and residential docks where the Standard profile is taller than needed. The Small line carries the same modular three-part construction as the rest of the Slammer system, with foam, cover, and track each field-replaceable. Both straight and corner versions interlock through the shared mounting track for full perimeter coverage on smaller dock configurations.
The Small Fender exists because not every dock needs the 9-inch by 6-inch Standard profile. Sailing programs running optimist dinghies, small Lasers, and 420s use boats whose freeboard sits well below the Standard fender’s upper contact zone. Residential docks with runabouts and small fishing boats often have dock faces that are not tall enough to mount the Standard without the fender extending past the dock edge. Sailing schools, like Sail Newport and similar programs, that run high-volume rental and instruction operations are a textbook Small Fender installation.
The 5-inch by 3-inch profile lowers both the height and the projection of the fender. The protection envelope is sized to the boats actually using the dock, not oversized for vessels that will never tie up there. The result is a cleaner dock face, no wasted material, and a fender that does not interfere with cleats, lines, or boarding.
The Small line shares every design principle of the Standard. The foam core is closed-cell 2-pound XLPE. The cover is 30-ounce PVC-coated marine fabric. The mounting track is the same polymer extrusion with stainless steel hardware. The cover and foam can be replaced individually as they wear. The only differences between the Standard and Small lines are dimensional, the Small uses thinner foam and a shorter cover sleeve.
The Small Fender also mounts in two orientations. Horizontal mounting runs along the dock face exactly as the Standard does. Vertical mounting attaches to dock posts, dinghy launch posts, and similar narrower structures where the Small profile fits and the Standard would be too large. Both orientations use the same track and the same hardware.
The Small Fender Corner is the corner-protection counterpart to the Small Fender, sized at the same 5-inch by 3-inch profile and engineered with the same mitre cut to wrap a 90-degree dock intersection. Left and Right versions interlock with Small Fender straight sections to create seamless perimeter coverage on smaller dock configurations. Inside Corner versions are available on request for inward-facing dock angles. For corner configuration details and orientation guidance, see the corner dock fenders category.
The practical threshold between the Small and Standard lines sits at roughly 20 feet of boat length, though the better measure is freeboard. If the vessel’s contact zone with the dock sits high enough that a 9-inch fender height is needed, choose Standard. If the boats using the dock are dinghies, sailing program tenders, runabouts, or fishing skiffs, choose Small. For docks that see both, install Small Fenders on the dinghy area and Standard Fenders on the main slip. The two lines coexist on the same dock with no compatibility issues.
