Dan-Fenders - How to inflate?

Livia · #1 (**permalink**) 03-17-2011

We have a FenderStep and a few Dan-Fender fenders. We originally used a compressor to inflate the FenderStep and bought the others inflated.

We deflated two big ball style Dan-fenders and now...we have no idea how to inflate them aboard. We need a way to inflate them on the boat - not at a garage.

They have a plastic screw and then a metal pump fitting.

I went to Dan-Fender's site and all I could find was to use the "accessory air pistol" attached to a compressor.

Anyone inflated them manually with some kind of dinghy/fender/bike pump?

I thought this would be an easy problem to figure out but my google skills have failed me.

Yorksailor · #2 (**permalink**) 03-17-2011

Need a picture of the fitting.

Phil

Faster · #3 (**permalink**) 03-17-2011

Our fenders inflate with a hand pump and a fitting same as used to inflate a basketball.. basically just a needle that penetrates the self-sealing rubber seal in the fitting of the fender.

As York says... more data please!

Livia · #4 (**permalink**) 03-17-2011

Yeah, I am being lazy because I thought someone else might have some Dan-Fenders and I understand all of the fittings on that brand are the same.

I'll get a pic.

jrd22 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-17-2011

Like you I've always used a compressor to inflate them. I'll take a look tomorrow to see if the needle for a bball will work.

Livia · #6 (**permalink**) 03-28-2011

I finally got around to taking the pictures!

If a ball pump would work, that would be great. We can easily find one of those.

Or are these the same Schrader valves as tires? They look much smaller to me.

Minnewaska · #7 (**permalink**) 03-28-2011

Does the fitting inside look like this? I can't really tell in the pic. If so, all you need is a grease gun fitting attached somehow to a hand pump.

Edit: as I think about it, I'm not sure air would compress the valve the way grease does. Maybe this isn't what you have.

jrd22 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-28-2011

Sorry it took awhile to get back to this. I looked at ours and couldn't tell if a ball pump would work, didn't look like it but hard to see. From DanFender site it looks like an air compressor is the only way.

FENDER INFLATION

I'm wondering if a pump for an inflatable dinghy with a small diameter adapter wouldn't work. I'll give it a try tomorrow, if it isn't raining.

Faster · #9 (**permalink**) 03-28-2011

From that description it sounds like the air pressure depresses the plunger and lets the air in.. there's no mention of threading anything into the fitting.

A normal ball pump needle likely won't work here.. it (the fitting) does look similar to a schraeder valve (looks like that plunger may be threaded into the barrel) The good news is it doesn't call for much pressure - only about 2 psig.

Livia · #10 (**permalink**) 03-29-2011

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.

The folks at Dan-Fender tell me that they sell a hand pump (!). I have not been able to locate it *anywhere* but here is a picture of it:

I've asked them for a N American source for it...