Our Story

Meet Mike and Connor

Mike is a hobbyist fine furniture maker, mechanical engineer and the founder & CEO of a commercial energy consulting company, e2s energy efficiency services llc (e2sllc.net). Connor is an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago and systems data research intern for e2s. Together they own and operate Fenderboards.com from just north of the Boston area. 

A Quick History of Fenderboards.com

Mike had been planning a boat trip down the eastern MA coast and wanted to visit Nantucket. The Nantucket Boat Basin Marina has fixed dock slips with tie-ups beside pilings. The Marina's website expressly stated that captains need to “bring their own Fenderboards”. Mike assumed he would be able to buy a pair of Fenderboards online or via a local marina. After scouring online stores, talking with marinas, reading discussion boards, and watching YouTube videos, they all came back with the same message: Everyone needs Fenderboards, but you can’t buy them anywhere. 

Mike spent many evenings in his woodshop designing and fabricating his first pair of Fenderboards. Connor was working for e2s as an analyst intern on summer break from high school, and was also able to mentor under Mike in the woodshop to help with prototypes. Together Mike and Connor developed and built numerous prototype generations of varying lengths, thicknesses, rope fastening point designs, wood species, varnish types, etc. They obsessed over details, round over radiuses, and protection from line chafe. They also developed a pattern of rigging each board to the opposite fender via cross-ties to keep the fenders securely aligned behind the board and protect the hull. The final pre-production boards were varnished and beautiful, and needed their own protection. The stainless rub rails were applied to keep the wear surface on the metal and not the board itself.

The two then developed a storage bag that would both protect the board and the vessel while stowed, and aid in transportation on deck. The bag likewise went through several prototypes as they dialed in materials, dimensions, closure systems, the line storage pocket, handle design, liner material, etc.

Today we are proud to offer our Fenderboard product system and hope you will find them both useful and beautiful to have aboard your vessel. Thank you for taking the time to read about us, and for your interest in our company.