rapid inflation

scallywag · 26 May 2011, 01:46

Just a thought for anyone who struggles to inflate their sib.... i've got an avon w460 sib with a 35hp ex wd johnson o/b. currently in the process of finishing off the installation of a home made console. normaly the boat stays inflated but fitting the console ment neading access to the underside of the floor boards which ment a total tube deflation followed of course by the dreaded re-inflation! on rooting round the garage i happened upon an old and unused electric leaf blower/vac. A short time later with copious ammounts of sticky tape i'd created a pump which can inflate an air chamber in under 1 minute! final top up by hand pump and bobs your uncle. for any of you who struggle or are on a tight budget it may be worth a go.

Leapy · 26 May 2011, 06:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by scallywag

...avon...copious ammounts of sticky tape...

It'll never work

TIMO · 26 May 2011, 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leapy

It'll never work

Should you ever get really caught out with no pump/power, see how quick you can inflate from your car exhuast pipe with a home made adaptor (tape),,

very very quickly .

Leapy · 26 May 2011, 07:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIMO

Should you ever get really caught out with no pump/power, see how quick you can inflate from your car exhuast pipe with a home made adaptor (tape),,

very very quickly .

I've no doubt, but try a search on here with words like 'Avon', 'SR4' and 'tape' and you'll get my drift

TIMO · 26 May 2011, 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leapy

Try a search on here for 'Avon', 'SR4' and 'tape'

Will do

seriously though a veicle exhaust puts out a tremendous amount of pressure, fast, . Always worth keeping in mind if you are caught with your trousers down so to speak . Of course i`d only recomend this in a time of desperation .

simsy · 26 May 2011, 19:48

A domestic vacuum cleaner is very quick at letting them down......

TIMO · 26 May 2011, 20:32

Dunno if i fancy trying this method

YouTube - ‪inflator by ///ESIU‬‏

m chappelow · 26 May 2011, 21:45

Think that someone many years ago on ribnet made an adapter ,sticky tape and a vac hose that went over the car side window air demister vent,
i have at times used the wifes spray tan compresser .

though best one i saw was a make shift one from a large garden bin liner ,hose pipe ,sticky tape and a plank of wood ,took 2 guys best part of an hour to inflate an Avon redcrest .

scallywag · 27 May 2011, 01:24

shame on you Leapy of course it works. The end of the leaf blower is about fist sized and using 2" insulation tape i attached a spare hose from a foot pump. with a bit of time you could strip down the blower and create a more elegant solution however it served its purpose. Not sure of its power consumption but somthing similar could possibly be run via an inverter from a car battery?

Leapy · 27 May 2011, 04:09

The MIRA wind tunnel is just up the road from us. I wonder...

Fenlander · 27 May 2011, 06:39

When the guy who sold me my current Zodiac delivered and demo'd it he had a brilliant idea for rapid initial inflation. He had an old vacuum cleaner from the 60s... the cylinder type with a hose socket on either end if anyone remembers them. Just plugged the hose onto the blow end and the tubes were full very quickly.

Boats&Outboards · 27 May 2011, 07:24

I have the best way, it's called a automatic inflatable boat pump...novel idea 

Try it you won't need anything else

Fenlander · 27 May 2011, 08:29

>>>I have the best way, it's called a automatic inflatable boat pump

When I buy my new inflatable soon I was thinking of this type.... are you talking of the yellow one with rechargeable battery and digital gauge for arounf £80-£100??

Boats&Outboards · 27 May 2011, 09:00

Sure beats a Hoover lol

Seriously though, I have the bravo SST does upto 12.bar of pressure comes with all kinds of fittings, can get them with internal battery (wouldn't advise) or with lines to hook up to a car battery. Inflates in mins and mine has auto shut off at pre selected pressures. deflates as quickly too. That's how you get it back into that bloody storage bag

Its funny, when I launch a boat (almost every day) you always see the "old" chap pumping up his dinghy by foot. Takes the chap 20 mins. Kind of want to offer the use of the pump but don't want to offend him...so we let him get on with it 

You wanna see him deflate it too

scallywag · 27 May 2011, 13:27

The point i was trying to make is that with a bit of lateral thinking you could fashion a pump from things you find laying around. I'm sure there are lots of sib owners like myself who are on a tight budget can't afford to spend lots of money on expensive pumps. Leaf vacs can be sourced for very little money from local papers or even your local tip!

Boats&Outboards · 27 May 2011, 14:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by scallywag

The point i was trying to make is that with a bit of lateral thinking you could fashion a pump from things you find laying around. I'm sure there are lots of sib owners like myself who are on a tight budget can't afford to spend lots of money on expensive pumps. Leaf vacs can be sourced for very little money from local papers or even your local tip!

I was actually being a bit flippant but it got took seriously so I gave a serious reply.

I think it's great to have such diverse thinking and actually some of the ideas are very clever.

My tip would be if possible try to find a adapter capable of fitting onto the air machines at the local garage. 20p fills the boat in seconds then  then again it's a quid a shot in most places now

Whatever works I guess.

Fenlander · 27 May 2011, 16:33

>>>you always see the "old" chap pumping up his dinghy by foot...

Ha ha... that's me...well not actually me but the same determined attitude to have it inflated in 10mins while looking all calm but with burning leg muscles :-)

No shame in manual inflation but I'll try hard to get an auto elec pump in the deal with my new boat... I've served my apprenticeship so now an easier retirement is due.

Matt · 27 May 2011, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIMO

Should you ever get really caught out with no pump/power, see how quick you can inflate from your car exhuast pipe with a home made adaptor (tape),,

very very quickly .

Don't let chewy see that! Carbon Monoxide can kill!

willk · 27 May 2011, 18:40

Always good to get new ideas. I use a SCUBA tank and an old reg to fill my SIB and top off with a foot pump (to get the right pressure)

I have a petrol leafblower (a totally useless gift) in the shed. It might, with a Nasher inspired attachment, be persuaded to do the same job even more quickly. I'd be fitting a filter mesh in the airflow somewhere - there's stuff you wouldn't want in your tubes. The obvious attraction being that I have one, it's light and compact and it would be a talking point at the beach.

I could probably dry the boat off with it too

thornbackflound · 28 May 2011, 13:03

Personaly i think the Bravo 12 volt pumps are well over the top price wise,i pickede up two for a fiver a peice at the boat jumble,one blow up,lol,but for a fiver not to much loss,lol,the other fine,what is cheaper is a 240 Argos pump.run it on a genni and whallop,pumped up in no time.