Oh ya my maiden voyage. It was about 68-70* and sunny. A nice Jan. day in NC.(weird weather this winter)
I did stay dry[
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I do have one question/concern. After I put it together and filled it up with air it seemed fine/full. I put it in the water and started to load it up.(with batt., TM, and me) Then it seemed to not have enough air in it. The back of the frame was folding the toon under the weight. The bladders do not seem to be losing air. I just couldn't get enough air in it. The batt. weighs around 55lbs, the TM around 20lbs max, and I weigh around 175.
I did not want to over fill it. Did I not put enough air in it? Did I not air/weight it in the right order? Is my little air pump not strong enough?
This is my first watercraft of this type. Not sure if I gave you enough info to answer my questions. So if you need more info just ask.
Not sure what I should do. But I know what I want to do......Go Fishing [
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I'll get the pics of my maiden voyage and mods up as soon as I get back in town.[
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I got a TU Colorado last fall and had the same problem on my first trip out. I used one of those air pumps that plugs into your car cigarette lighter, it just didnt get enough air in there. Get yourself a hand operated pump that is dual directional (pumps on the up and down strokes). I picked up a cheap one at wal-mart for $10 and it works great. Cabelas and everyone else also carry some version of these. I can fill both pontoons faster with the hand pump than one with the electric pump. Just make sure you pump them up good and solid and you shouldnt have any trouble. I weigh 230' and carry a trolling motor, deep cycle battery, cooler and lots of other crap that gets in my way while I fish and mine has held up awesome.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][green][size 3]I agree with Luke. I have one of those LVM pumps (the $100. +) pumps and it fills it quick, but you do have to top them off by hand. Those pumps will not do it. So, again, like Luke said, use one of the in/out pumps.
Another thing is you have PVC bladders that are more sensitive to temp and altitude than Urathane, So, you might want to put it in the water and let it sit for a few minutes, then top it off.
I see that problem with those toons all the time.[/size][/green][/font]
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Yea exactly what Luke and FG said. Oh Luke nice pic for the Avatar I wonder where you got it.
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I think you'll lose some inflation in any craft when you put it in cold water. After all, look what cold water does to the male anatomy [shocked]
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[cool][#0000ff]Looks like you have already gotten some pretty good input. First, you need a pump capable of pushing in enough air to make the cover good and tight. You will never have enough pressure to need a pressure gauge, but you should be high and hard on the water. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And, as others have suggested, a downward temperature thing, like taking a full 'toon out of a warm van and into cold air, or putting it on cold water, will cause the air volume to contract and your air chambers to shrink. It is a good idea to top off your ride when you first get to the water, put it in the water, and then check it again before you go out. Often you will need a few more strokes on the pump to tighten the cover back up. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The reverse situation is also a potential problem. If you launch fully inflated, early on a cold morning, your craft will expand when the sun comes up and the radiant heat warms the air chambers. Push on the cover once in awhile. If it feels rock hard, bleed some air from the bladders or you risk either splitting a seam on your cover or a burst bladder. Ouch.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You should also dump some air from your ride before cruising down the road. It only takes a few minutes to pump more air back in, and you will keep your cover and air chambers healthier if you don't over stress them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you notice that your craft is softening out on the water, after you have reaired it earlier, you may have a leak in the valve or from a pinhole in the air bladder. That is a whole nuther problem.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I'm betting that it a simple matter of proper inflation at the start of the trip. Try using a more powerful pump and making sure the cover is firm when you launch.[/#0000ff]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]One thing more, with my toon, I can bounce a quarter off it when it is fully inflated. Still can't figure out how to make it give change LOL[/size][/black][/font]
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I found out that the cig lighter pump helps to inflate while you are getting your gear on. It is still necessary to finish off with a good Double Action pump.[cool]
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