Good day all,
I have a question, and hope that someone can help me out;
I just picked up a very nice float tube on the for sale board, But the valve to put air into it is about one inch wide, and I can not fill it with my compressor, or with the one at the service station.
Is there a universal valve attatchement, or specific piece to aid in the inflation?
Does a tube need a specific pump?
Thanks,
chris
Chris you’ll need to look into a float tube pump, and one that includes an attachment to fit the approx. 7/8" dia. connection. (Assuming that’s the size yours is…)
My pump has a simple connector made from a 1 1/2" length of plastic hose that friction-fits the large opening in my pontoon.
If you need the pumps info I can go dig it out and get it for you but they’re all fairly standard. Mine’s D/A (dbl. acting) but you don’t need that or a float tube.
Jeremy.
New one on me. Most tubes either have a tire inner tube or a plastic bladder for inflation. The ones with a plastic bladder usually have a one-way type valve so that they can be blown up with a foot pump or by mouth. Remember that air from a compressor is not just air. It will be contaminated with the oil that lubricates the machine. This oil will end up inside the tube, and depending on the oil and the bladder, may degrade the plastic over time. Also remember that a bladder-type tube only needs about 5psi to inflate it. The tube should be firm but not rock-hard. And take some air out if you are going uphill or into the sun!
You might stop by some place that sells inflatable boats and see if they have a valve that can be put in that opening.
It’s like Lauren Bacall’s famous line to Bogie in 1944s To Have and Have Not;
“you just put your lips together and blow”
What type of float tube did you pick up ?
I just bought a Super Fat Cat and it has it’s own unique value. They provided a specific attachment with it to blow up the main chambers.
My old round tube had a different type of valve not requiring anything other than a basic hand/electric pump and an the appropriate size adapter(comes with the pump).
If this is like the one on Rubber Rafts, I just took a Schrader Valve from a tire and cut/sanded it down to fit.
Eric
Some of the higher end tubes now have Hulky Roberts (sp?) valves. Most stores that sell Supercats, etc, will carry the adapters to fit a hand pump. These valves fill and empty faster than normal tire valves.
Dear Chris,
Look for one of these pumps, they come with several different valve adapters and inflate on both the up and down stroke so inflating a float tube only takes a few minutes. I can inflate my Waterskeeter Day Tripper in less than 5 minutes and it has 4 air chambers and is a large float tube. They run about $ 15.00 - $ 20.00 and any place that sells inflatable boats should have them. All the catalog and mail-order fly fishing shops that sell tubes and pontoons seem to have them too. I got mine at Bass Pro Shops.
If you still need an adapter most of the float tube makers sell them. Outcast has them for sure and I think a couple of the other float tube and pontoon boat manufacturers do as well.
You’ll find a foot pump it a much more efficient way to fill a float tube than a compressor because they provide high volume and low pressure air vs. low volume and high pressure air from a compressor. Unless you can still get “free air” at your local gas station it takes an awful lot of quarters to fill a tube.
You can also reverse the hose on a foot pump and suck the air completely out of the tube for storage. If you really want an electric pump there are several high volume low pressure pumps available that range in price from about $ 30.00 to $ 140.00 and will run on either 110 Volts or 12 volts.
Best Wishes,
Avalon 
$21.95 from Cabelas
Hi Chris
Try Canadian Tire, they carry a bunch of pumps in the camping section
Regards Mike
I picked one up 2 years ago at Wal-Mart for $10…haven’t seen them lately but haven’t looked either
Folks you are making this all too complicated…as mentioned a new tube would have come with a plastic tube adaptor…don’t sweat it… just use a section of garden hose…if the hose you have is a little to small just wrap a little tape around it…
I always keep more than one in the pockets of the tube or toon.
I have an 11 1/2’ , a 4’ pontoon and a Freestyle H3, all have Halkey Roberts valves. These are Urethane bladders, and a big difference from the less expensive vinyl or PVC bladders. Urethane is less effected by temp change or altitude change.
I agree the double action pump is needed although I have used one of those BELLOWS foot pumps.
There is a special attachment that screws into the Halkey valve which makes it easier, but you don’t need that attachment. A chunk of hose about 2" long and about 1" OD will work, but you do need the hose for any pump. The double action pumps come with different fittings but, non that work unless you have the hose.
The adapters should be available at places that deal with white-water rafts. If I’m starting off completely flat, I use a rechargable Coleman high volume pump. If it has some air in it I use a K-Pump. The K-Pump works great for topping off both my pontoon and float tube and they are pretty indestructable.
Pay close attention to how much air you have in it. My buddy filled his up in the back yard. Elevation is 1049 feet above sea level. we tossed our tubes in the back of the truck , drove up to the lake 4,800 ft above sea level and his tube burst . Even a thousand feet climb will be enough to damage your tube. The best pumps as mentioned are the two way manual ones from Canada tire. ( Theres No cabelas in Canada folks )electric pumps are also a good choice . Also as mentioned don’t use an air compressor from the service station, too much pressure and too many contaminants. Canada tire sells a packet of adapters. I used the blower of my small sized shop vac to blow up my tube. It is low pressure and fast as poo thru a goose.
Thanks for all the great info Guys!!!
I will definatly take a walk through walmart, and other formentionned stores.
I truly appreciate the info on compressors, and possible oil dammage.
The valve is a sunken one in a ridgid plastic casting, which can not be reached with my chicken lips, and fat cheeks!
The tube is a stillwater, talon.
Have a great weekend,
chris
The ‘Grand-poo-bah’ on belly-boats and other stupid things he has never done.
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/cst/cst012003.html
JC I’m sure none of us were the guys/gals in your article , I know I sure wasn’t. ( remember the guy who tied 80 flies for the Lowell fish in then left them at home? ) That guy sure wasn’t me. :roll:
I believe “Caddis Co.” makes a slip in adaptor to use with a compressor. I purchased one from them several years ago for my Caddis U-boat.
Mike
Check out this site and see if this is the valve. Also, the screw in adaptor that fits on the those Wally World double pumps:http://www.nrsweb.com/repair/hrvalves.asp
Try these guys: http://www.praktek.com/
Click on the link at the bottom of the page that says AIR ACCESSORIES.
They sell all sorts of adapters, accessories and pumps for all types of inflatables.
I bought a double action pump WITH a pressure gauge for my urethane bladder float tube and it is GREAT getting the pressure right every time I pump it up. They don’t carry that pump any longer but they do sell a separate low pressure gauge that you can add to an existing pump. Even though their prices MAY seem to slightly more than a Wal*Mart pump; they are experts in the business and know inflatables and their issues. I know one guy in the UK who MAKES possibly the nicest float tube there is and he designes his boats to NEVER use a pump for fear of bursting the air bladder. That’s why I use a gauge!
In regards to the valve issue; fortunately my boat has Halkey Roberts valves and with an adaptor and a short length of plastic hose I’m good to go. BUT my buddy has an inflatable kayak with vales that sound like the ones Chris describes. He does fine using a Bravo pump from Praktek with an adaptor.