I have the SS fender holders (it holds two big fenders) attached to my starboard bow rail. Quite honestly I use them rarely these days. I will place the extra two fenders up on the cabin roof with the line attached to the railing just inboard of the cabin roof side rails. They say there even in rough water conditions.
Any additional SS items exposed to the elements will of course mean attention to rusting so that increases the maintenance chore.
Of course, in my R-27/OB there's so much storage space under the center cockpit hatch that I will also place the extra fenders there along with my kayaks paddles/seats/electric motor and 1st Mate's wheelchair. 😀
Fender covers look nice, are spendy and do need care to wash out salt residues otherwise they do more damage to the hull than not having them in the first place. I never make my dock lines so tight to keep the boat along side the dock so as to allow the boat to float out some away from the dock side, which then allows less fender rash on the hull. In fact, when moored at my marina I run a line on opposite side to the dock side at midship to a cleat on another dock to keep the boat's starboard side (I bow in with a starboard tie up) somewhat away from the adjacent dock edge. This allows the starboard fenders to float in the air and not rub up onto the hull unless current and/or wind pushes the boat sideways toward the dock. The trick is to minimize the frequency of the fender contacting the hull over time.
Fender covers with the boat's name will look spiffy for sure. 😎
