T&T: Airing up the dink - hard-sided dink adherents may ignore

[Rich Gano]

I recently raised the on-top-of-the-aft-cabin dinghy rest by 22 inches to
get a clear view aft though a previously blocked main cabin window.  That
makes airing up the RHIB (while it is in the rack) with the usual foot pump
and hose arrangement a bit awkward, mostly because of the short hose
provided - that and the fact that the cheapie ribbed hose split in the cold
weather we had the other day.  Actually, it was a bit awkward to air up the
dink BEFORE I raised it; afterward it required an acrobatic act.

Cutting the ends off the original hose and attaching them to ten feet of
5/8-inch radiator hose with a 90-degree elbow close to the boat end makes it
a breeze to pump air into the dink while standing on the main at the same
time giving me confidence that I'll not end up having to make a duct tape
repair at an inconvenient time.

I am gonna make up a shorter replacement hose to keep in the dink with the
extra foot pump for situations where I might need a reliable arrangement
away from the mother ship.

This leads me to thinking about how I always toss my ditch bag into the dink
whenever I am in cool waters or far from potential help.  Think I'll add a
roll of duct tape in a ziplock for whatever uses that wonderful invention
may be useful.

Rich Gano
CALYPSO (GB-42 #295)
Southport, FL