What kind of pump do you use for canoe/kayak buoyancy bags? I have a usable 110V compressor, but I can’t find a fitting that will mate to the twist-valve on the bag’s fill tube. Do you just yank the end of the valve off so that you can jam the end of the tube onto a conical nozzle?
Went to Walmart
(I know ick) and bought a little compressor that fills wading pools.
We undo the dump valve on the bag, fill it directly with one of the several fittings and when we are close to full secure the dump valve and finish off using the intake and manually blow in it.
this, usually
http://www.coleman.com/Product/2000012143#.U1WA_qJ8pzU
Coleman makes a rechargeable pump that actually seems to be a bit more efficient and a little more expensive. You don’t have to remain close to your vehicle, either:
http://www.coleman.com/product/rechargeable-quickpumptrade/2000000834#.U1WA0aJ8pzU
I don’t know how long the rechargeable battery lasts.
If you want a cheap mechanical pump, this one works until the handle breaks off (takes a couple of years):
http://www.coleman.com/Product/2000012142#.U1WCEqJ8pzU
This one is a bit better:
http://store.noc.com/Paddling-Accessories/NRS-Bravo-Wonder-Pump-Super-6/4582/126/Product
With any of these it is generally necessary to hold the pump fitting in approximation to the filler tube of the bag while inflating but it doesn’t take that long. It is a bit of a pain holding the parts together with one hand and pumping with the other with the mechanical pumps (and probably explains why I broke the handle off my Coleman pump).
I use 30" and 48" bags, leave them in,
inflated, and never remove them. There can be problems with that, but in many years of open boating, there’ve never been enough problems to cause me to put them in and take them out before every cartopping venture.
If I were dealing with 60" bags, I would need a pump for the initial fill job. But then, would I be an open canoeist, or a c-1 paddler with the world’s porkiest c-boat?
I use the second link (option)
to blow up my duckies and raft. They do wear out after a few years of use so I bought a replacement. I also use a “top off” hand pump for the final touches.
Inflatable air mattress pump
If you have a coleman inflatable mattress with the exterior pump. You will throw out the mattress before you throw out the pump. 4-D cell batteries and blows up your bags pretty quickly.
Rechargeable
I have both Coleman “cigarette lighter” electric and rechargeable Pblanc mentions.
I use the rechargeable all the time for the reason Pblanc suggests. The battery eventually died, I open the case and replaced the battery with a like one from the local battery store. The recharging unit works with the replace battery.