Electric kite pump

[spork]

Can you get this on a plane, whitout being Osama???

I'm in South Padre at the moment. It came as carry-on. I was in Hawaii several weeks ago. It went there as carry-on as well. In fact every kite trip I've taken since I got the pump, I brought it along as carry-on. They stop me every time. They look at it, they sniff it, they throw bones at it like the apes threw at the Monolith in "2001: A Space Odyssey" - and then they let it through. They always think it's a respirator - even when I tell them it's not.

[tautologies]

They look at it, they sniff it, they throw bones at it like the apes threw at the Monolith in "2001: A Space Odyssey" - and then they let it through. They always think it's a respirator - even when I tell them it's not.

LOL!!!!

Be careful with the ones on Maui airport...stranded me twice...I was there only 27 minutes before the flight left, and not the required 30 mins.
Same person twice..I think she liked it more that second time than the first. B!4$H!!! Funny think they spend easily 30 mins quarreling about it....

"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that. (... you and Frank were planning to disconnect me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen)"

I guess they are not the ones checking your carryon, but if it were, I think you'd still be there...they would have brought out the bones and start hammering away...

A.

[spork]

I always allow a few extra minutes for the body cavity search. They gotta have their fun too after all.

[gravey]

Guys, gimme a break - electric pumps? What is wrong with your arms? Pumping the kite takes no more than 3 mins and is a nice warm up before a session. I really see no use for these! Get real.

[spork]

Guys, gimme a break - electric pumps? ... I really see no use for these!

Then you shouldn't use one.

[Dave K]

Guys, gimme a break - electric pumps? What is wrong with your arms? Pumping the kite takes no more than 3 mins and is a nice warm up before a session. I really see no use for these! Get real.

Nothin wrong with my arms either. Got it for pumping up on a 21 ft boat that's often rolling around in the chop. Boats and hand pumps don't mix well unless you're on a big stable boat with plenty of clear flat deck space. On terra firma I just use the ole hand pump

[There is a whole big world out there beyond our own little view]

[spork]

Got it for pumping up on a 21 ft boat...

I'm sure everyone has their own reason for using one. At 3rd Ave they're becoming the norm. I have my own perfectly valid reason. But frankly I don't feel the slightest compulsion to justify myself to some idiot that posts on a thread entitled "electric kite pumps" just to tell us we're all lazy. What did he think this thread was about? Did he read any of it? Frankly I don't care.

[gravey]

Be nice man - no need for that tone my friend. Peace.

[intrepid_quest]

Scoprega Bravo BST 12HP Battery driven pump. About $200USD. Made in Italy. It's a two stage pump; low pressure high flow and low flow high pressure. Goes up to 11.2 Psi (800mB) with a user settable cut-off dial. Pumps my 15 ION up in just a couple of minutes. 12V sealed gel battery good for about 15 minutes continuous running. Both 12V car and 120-240V rechargers. Cut-off dial seems to match my pressure dial gage pretty nicely.

I got it for launching from a 21 ft boat where it's just too hard to hand pump while rolling around in the chop and keeping the kite clear of sharp edges. Haven't had it that long so I can't say anything about reliability. Previous posters (Spork?) have said impellers on these units don't like sand and electronics were not the the best on earlier units. We'll see, but so far it's great

I like those pumps very well. When I lived on my parents sailboat my dad bought a brand new 12ft roll up zodiac with inflatable floor. He also bought that pump to go with it. Each tube was well over a foot in diameter and you could pump the raft up to over 22lbs in under five minutes. I was not around with it long to tell you of endurance but I know it was worth it when I left.

I give it a thumbs up

EDIT:But we used a AGM batery vs. a acid or gel cell battery. The AGMs were are only form of battery on the boat. You can mount them in any positon but upside down and were better rated for the conditions they'd be in.

[pure18knots]

Where can I get one?