Best Air Pump for Inflating Dinghy?

[savoir]

The best dinghy pump is good old bellows. They are cheap, simple and last for years.

Scoprega Bravo 7M Foot Pump / Air Pump with Gauge

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Guy

We have been using the $100 automatic inflator from West Marine on both the dink and the paddle boards for several years. Nice piece of equipment.

Yes. And it has a pressure sensor so you can set it to shut off at the desired pressure. I like it because my air floor takes a higher pressure than the tubes so I just made two marks on the knob, one for each.

BTW: The first one failed after two or three uses and I was cruising. I walked it to the West Marine store and they gave me a replacement, no questions asked. The replacement has been fine.

[Sandero]

It's a once a season project... the supplied foot pump (I have several by now eith different valves I think) works fine.

[DeborahLee]

I use a Coleman rechargeable from Wallmart $30 and an inverter for $10 to charge it when not plugged in. I have an 10'6 Achilles and can get 2 uses on one charge although I always recharge after 1 use. I do have to use the foot pump a couple pumps just to get the pressure up.

[Ironman162]

My dinghy came with a foot pump.
At fist I was sceptical but as time went by I learned it is the best way. It pumps up in no time, is easy to store away and is very reliable.

[Colin A]

The Scoprega hand and foot pumps are some of the best. The super Turbo electric pump works well too. I always finish with a foot pump myself.
For the last 10 years I have used a Metro Air force dog blower for both blowing drying the pups and filling a zodiac zoom and a small Achilles. It does the majority of the filling very quick and has lasted a lot longer then I expected.
https://www.metrovacworld.com/master...flatorDeflator

[CarinaPDX]

I have never had to top up after inflating with the LVM - it inflates to a perfect pressure for a RIB (again, not so for HP floors).

While the manual piston and foot pumps are no doubt the most reliable, I wouldn't call them the "best". My AB came with a piston pump, which I still keep aboard as a backup, but once I bought the LVM I never looked back (just as I don't miss the manual windlass). There is plenty enough work to do on a cruising boat as it is, and spending 10-15 minutes in the tropical sun manually pumping gets very old. Of course it depends on where and how you cruise; if you only inflate in the spring and deflate in the fall in mild weather then it is no big deal to manually inflate. If you are actively cruising in the tropics and deflate for the longer passages it is a big deal (the disadvantage of a RIB on the foredeck of a small boat).

Greg

[savoir]

Scoprega makes a high pressure bellows especially for boats with air floors. $50 at Defender.

[ohdrinkboy]

I use the below. Like how I can set the psi. auto shutoff when it hits the psi. fairly small.

Electric Pump for Inflatable SUP

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Vasco

A hand pump works best.

I've always had great success with the foot pump that comes with the boat.

[Dave Bick]

I use this and it works great and will also work for an inflatable SUP and you can get the rechargeable battery for it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Dave22q]

Originally Posted by Ironman162

My dinghy came with a foot pump.
At fist I was sceptical but as time went by I learned it is the best way. It pumps up in no time, is easy to store away and is very reliable.

my old foot pump broke when I stepped crosswise. West marine Bravo 7 foot pump under $35 much to my surprise.

[nickfox45]

So many good replies and interesting different methods. Thanks to everyone who chimed in!

[jmschmidt]

That would be a yard blower. Does mine in about 30 sec.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by thinwater

These are pretty fast, I agree, but not desirable if you have lower back problems. They are double acting, which means you have to pull on the up-stroke, while all bent over. Not good. The foot braces should be larger and the tube should be taller (or just the handle), which would give a better position.

I do love how quickly these work. They're so much quicker and easier than the foot-powered bellows pumps. But as you say, they're tough on the back.

I was thinking of somehow extending the base. Like some sort of platform the pump locks into, and you put your feet in the bottom to hold it down. Maybe modify an old-fashioned milk crate or something.