Chandlery prices: spot the difference...

Greenheart

Greenheart

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I've got an old fender which in the course of 18 years' use as a cushion, pool toy and buffer to prevent the boat's undersides ramming the beach, has lost pressure.

Force 4 didn't have the Plastimo pump adaptor in stock when I went in, although it's there on the website, at £2.95...sounds fair to me...http://ow.ly/AWVWS

840714.jpg


...but, I see that Mailspeed marine also sell the same product, although their version, pictured below, is £19.95! Have a look: http://goo.gl/Oqi6A8

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Doubtless this is an error...but the dates of the customer comments indicate the cock-up hasn't yet been noticed by staff at Mailspeed, even after 18 months!

Pretty slack isn't it?
 
dancrane said:
I've got an old fender which in the course of 18 years' use as a cushion, pool toy and buffer to prevent the boat's undersides ramming the beach, has lost pressure.

Force 4 didn't have the Plastimo pump adaptor in stock when I went in, although it's there on the website, at £2.95...sounds fair to me...http://ow.ly/AWVWS

840714.jpg


...but, I see that Mailspeed marine also sell the same product, although their version, pictured below, is £19.95! Have a look: http://goo.gl/Oqi6A8

13477314_1.jpg


Doubtless this is an error...but the dates of the customer comments indicate the cock-up hasn't yet been noticed by staff at Mailspeed, even after 18 months!

Pretty slack isn't it?
Click to expand...

Not an error, that's the official price. Quite outrageous for a bit of plastic. I have one bought for about £4. It's also worth noting that they are useless!
 
Thanks for that Jaguar25...it hadn't occurred to me that I'd regret buying one, even at under £3.

I have a fairly ancient memory of a pump-connector for fenders which was more like the type used for footballs...a narrow metal needle. When I visited Force 4 today, that's what I was looking for.

Is there a variety of fender-adaptor for use with cycle-pumps which does work?
 
Hmm. But presumably a foot-pump such as those used for car tyres, generates ample pressure, provided the means of delivery is suitable?

I haven't scrutinised the valve in the fender so I don't know how problematic it is.
 
dancrane said:
Hmm. But presumably a foot-pump such as those used for car tyres, generates ample pressure, provided the means of delivery is suitable?

I haven't scrutinised the valve in the fender so I don't know how problematic it is.
Click to expand...

You will find that the so called valve is just a plastic screw with a hole in it that the adaptor fits into but there s no adequate seal. The other problem is that there is no simple way to use a foot pump with it as the other end of the adaptor is quite large relative to a foot pump connector. I have had mixed results with some tapered foot pump adaptors if I hold the Plasimo adaptor against the fender with some sort of devised seal and someone else pumps.

Considering how much fenders cost this valve and adaptor are totally inadequate.
 
Jaguar 25 said:
Considering how much fenders cost this valve and adaptor are totally inadequate.
Click to expand...

Echo that. Seems a very strange omission by the manufacturers of fenders, if even they haven't devised a simple reliable way to top-up.

I used to use pellets of dry ice to pack smoked salmon for transport, from Harrods. It was stored at -72°, and if some pellets were enclosed in any small sealed space, they melted, raising the pressure, usually beyond the ability of the container to withstand it. A few dozen dry ice pellets in my fender would do the trick, or cause an entertaining 'pop'. :pirate:
 
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