If you’ve been browsing our fender range, you may have noticed that Polyform produces two main families of cylindrical fender — the F-Series and the A-Series — and you might be wondering what the difference actually is and which one you should choose. It’s one of the most common questions our team answers, so here is a clear, honest comparison.
| Feature | F-Series | A-Series |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | Cylindrical (long and narrow) | Oval / rounder |
| Primary use | Alongside mooring, marina berths | Larger vessels, multi-purpose |
| Boat size range | 11ft to 60ft+ | 15ft to 100ft+ |
| Popular for | Yachts, motor cruisers, canal boats | Motor yachts, catamarans, commercial |
| Also used as | Side fenders only | Mooring buoy, marker buoy, bow fender |
| Colours available | White, Navy Blue, All Black | White, Red, Yellow, Orange, Black, Navy |
| Price range | From £29.99 | From £22.99 |
The Polyform F-Series is the most widely used fender in UK marinas. Its long, cylindrical shape is optimised for hanging vertically alongside the hull — the classic fender position for marina and pontoon mooring. The F-Series has a single rope eye at each end so it can be hung either vertically or horizontally, giving you flexibility when mooring against different surfaces.
The F-Series is available in ten sizes, from the compact F01 (suitable for boats up to 16ft) through to the F13 (for vessels over 60ft). The most popular sizes for typical UK boaters are the F1 (17–23ft vessels), F2 and F3 (24–30ft vessels) and F4/F5 (31–45ft vessels).
One important distinction within the F-Series: some models are available in multiple variants. The F01 comes in Small, Medium and Large variants to cover the smaller end of the size range.
The Polyform A-Series has a rounder, more oval cross-section than the F-Series. Originally designed as a multi-purpose mooring and navigation buoy, the A-Series has become the fender of choice for larger vessels, commercial operators and anyone needing a fender that can serve multiple purposes.
The rounder profile means A-Series fenders can be used effectively at the bow and stern where the hull curves away from a pontoon — a situation where a long cylindrical fender like the F-Series tends to sit at an angle rather than making full contact. This makes A-Series fenders particularly effective for motor yachts with high topsides, catamarans with their wide beam, and vessels that frequently moor bow-to or stern-to at Mediterranean-style berths.
The A-Series is also the fender of choice when you need a product that can double as a mooring buoy or marker buoy. The larger sizes (A5, A6 and A7) are used by sailing clubs as race markers and by commercial operators as mooring buoys.
Choose the F-Series if: You have a typical leisure yacht or motor cruiser between 15 and 50 feet, you moor in a standard marina alongside pontoons, and you want the most popular, widely proven fender in UK waters.
Choose the A-Series if: You have a larger vessel (40ft+), you have a catamaran or wide-beam motor yacht, you need a fender that can also serve as a mooring or marker buoy, you frequently moor at Mediterranean-style berths or alongside other vessels rather than pontoons, or you want a fender in a wider choice of colours.
💡 Many Boaters Use Both
It’s perfectly common — and genuinely useful — to carry both F-Series and A-Series fenders. Use your F-Series for standard alongside mooring and keep a couple of A-Series as bow and stern fenders, or for situations where the rounder profile gives better contact.
Call our team Mon–Fri 9:30am–4pm — we’re real boating enthusiasts who can advise based on your specific vessel and mooring situation.
