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| How much air is the right amount? |
In general, the tube is full when it is very firm. Covered tubes should be wrinkle free.
An adult should be able to stand on the tube and
only sink a couple of inches.
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| Under-inflation: |
Causes the tow tube to sit low in the water.
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Additional stress is applied to the
tube, cover, rope and boat, by being dragged through the
water instead of pulled across it. This stress causes the
air in tubes to be displaced and the tube may rupture.
This same stress causes nylon covers to tear and ropes
to stretch. The boat cannot plane off and extra gas is
consumed.
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| Pumps |
First, it
is important to know that tubes do not require high pressure; they
are low pressure / high volume products. If you could measure the
pressure in a fully inflated tube, it would be around 2 PSI.
Most towable tubes can be inflated using one good electric pump or a combination
of 12 volt and hand pumps. Some of the newer 12-volt inflators have been
designed specifically to inflate beds or tubes, but will still not fully
inflate some of the bigger tubes now on the market. (Most 12-volt compressors,
while doing an excellent job of filling a bicycle or car tire, do not have
the volume capacity to inflate many towables.) If you are filling your
toys at the lake, some of the bigger tubes on the market require a hand
pump in addition to the 12-volt inflator that plugs into your boat's cigarette
lighter. The inflator will do most of the hard work, and the hand pump
can be used to top off the tube and maintain proper inflation levels.
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Another suggestion is a Power Inverter. They
have become much less expensive, and are an excellent way to power
110-volt appliances on or near the water. For tubers that live on
the lake, or have access to 110-volt power, a good 110-volt inflator
is a must have! Other 110-volt options are shop vacs with a blower
option and leaf blowers, which put out large volumes of air.
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| Valve: |
Most Sportsstuff
towables use what is called a Speed Safety Valve for inflation and
deflation.
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The opening on a Speed Safety Valve is about
the size of a nickel, and uses a simple one-way valve to keep air
from escaping. Simply insert the nozzle of the inflator into the
opening on the valve and inflate.
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| Maintenance: |
| Finally,
it is not enough to simply fill it up and go! If you leave a full
tube sitting in the sun for any length of time, it will expand. Either
store it in the shade, or let some air out. Don't let it sit on the
beach, dock, or boat full of air! At the same time, if it is stored
out of the sun in a cool place, you may need to add air. Check and
adjust inflation levels each time you use your tube. You'll have
more fun, and your toys will last longer. |
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