Majoni fender valves - what am I doing wrong?

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justanothersailboat

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Bought some new fenders - with Majoni valves rather than the football/needle inflation I am most used to. I was aware these need a special adaptor, so I bought one to go with them. Fits my trusty bicycle pump, and the fender valves, perfectly.

Unfortunately, the valves don't open and I can't inflate the fenders. I can't see what I could be doing wrong... unless my bicycle pump is too feeble to push open the valve, but it seems to develop a decent push to me. Unless - is this possible? maybe I have a bad adaptor and it needs a longer threaded portion to push the innards of the Majoni valve open?

Or do the valves need adjustment in some way?

It seems unlikely all 4 valves are defective so I'm feeling a bit stuck here! Anyone else run into this?
 
I just use a standard tyre valve with the end ground down to fit the fender and pump up with a car tyre pump.

Maybe a basic bike pump does not have enough ooomphf
 
I have had a similar experience! I ended up doing the initial inflation by careful use of a compressor fed airline. I’ve since managed a top up with a foot pump, but it was a challenge to be honest!
 
Thanks Klausen, I don't think these take needles but you and previous posters might be right about my bicycle pump being too feeble, though it was fine with the other kind of fender. Time for me to buy a hefty pump I suppose.
 
justanothersailboat said:
Thanks Klausen, I don't think these take needles but you and previous posters might be right about my bicycle pump being too feeble, though it was fine with the other kind of fender. Time for me to buy a hefty pump I suppose.
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I have only majoni fenders and fill them up always with the plastic needle
 
The chandlery inflated mind for me. All they did was use an air line with a terminal as used on car tyre valves and hold it firmly against the fender at the valve position. I tried it out at home on an old fender using the 12 volt pump that I carry in the car and that worked.
 
The valves are a very simple flap which cab ve damaged with things like needles stuck in them. If you have raw adapter, simply screw it in and any bike or car pump will do it screwed in to the adapter, Remember that bike pumps are low volume high pressure pumps and it will take age to inflate. Any electric car pump will work fine. If you don't have the adapter, do as BNM says above.

To check and clean a leaky valve, just screw in the adapter and use a pair of pliers to pull it straight out. Reinsert by pushing straight back in.
 
Update: I bought a car-tyre two-cylinder foot pump. Still no joy. Then I discovered that the valves have a little screw-like slot on the inside on the back. It doesn't actually unscrew but it helped. A mix of that and gently pushing the valve stems in and the higher pressure of the foot-pump was enough.

I noticed there was a little film of blue on parts of the valves - I think they fitted them before putting the blue coating on the ends (white fenders, blue caps) and that may have gummed the valves up. Daft. But sorted now.
 
I'm having devils job with an Ocean R2 valve .... got called to Yacht Hbr by the boss ... wind is gale force and broadside onto Anisette - basically crushing the fenders ... she's scraped paint of the side ... moved a large ball fender in .. added loads of other fenders .... even went and bought another ball fender - but can't get darn thing to inflate !!
 
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