Nesting Fenders

Abstract

An arrangement of fenders nested together for compact storage, the fenders including two or more cylindrical bodies having a cavity accessed through the fender top, the fenders being similar shape but graduated in size such that the cavity of a larger fender tensionally receives the next smaller sized fender, the outer diameter of the smaller fender equal to the inner diameter of the larger fender cavity. A fender has a rigid inner core surrounded by a compressible shell made of foam or similar material. The inner core has attachment points for a rope or line. The smallest nesting fender in the set has a cavity diameter sized to fit a commercially-available, off-the-shelf fender. The fenders may be separated and deployed at individual locations on a vessel, or kept together and deployed as a single fender capable of absorbing a greater impact than any of the fenders individually would absorb.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.