The Story of the Balls

After one day on the Erie Canal we decided we needed some ball fenders to protect Ithaka from the rough slimy lock walls. There are many, many, many, locks ahead.

While we were in Schenectady we visited the West Marine Store and purchase two 15" round Taylor Ball Fenders. We wanted 18" or 24" balls fenders. They only had two 15" ball fenders. One white and one orange (ugly orange). 

The decorative mismatch makes me crazy. 

The story of the balls...

We took our two mismatched, inappropiately sized balls back to the boat. Next dilemma, how do you blow these suckers up? We tried a bicycle pump. Didn't work. We tried a Taylor Made hand pump. Didn't work. 

We googled looking for a solution. We found only one entry. "How in the %$#@" do you blow the "&$#%" up? At least we aren't the only folks with the problem.

Time to try something different...

We called Taylor Made Customer Service. The girl was very sweet and happy to help. She would email us instructions. What a great idea, instruction! Alas, the instructions did not solve our problem. They clearly state that their fender balls can not be inflated with a regular hand pump. You need a maximum volume pump. Hmmm, where on the boat had we put our maximum volume pump? Oh, now we remember. We don't have one of those.

Time to try something different...

A trip to walmart to reprovision and purchase exercise balls and heavy duty laundry bags. The idea is to put the exercise balls in heavy duty laundry bags and tie the bagged balls to the boat as protection from the lock walls. (Thanks Bob and Catherine for this great idea.) The Super Walmart in Amsterdam NY may be the only Walmart in the nation with no laundry bags. So, instead, we bought a small compressor to use on the Taylor Fender Balls previously purchased at West Marine.

Time to try something different...

Back to the boat. Take the plug out of the undersized, mismatched ball fenders and inflate them with the new compressor. Easy Peasy. Problem solved, you say. Oh, no, not so easy peasy. It is not humanly possible to remove the compressor nozzle and insert the fender ball plug without losing at least one third of the air. With the right compressor head you can inflate the balls through the plug. But, of course our new compressor did not come with that type head. Now what? 

Several variations of pumps, needles, and compressor attachments were tried. Adult beverages were served. It may have been the adult beverages that inspired the solution. We used the compressor  to put as much air in the fender balls as possible. Then, we used the needle from the Taylor Made hand pump and attached it to the new super dooper foot action bicycle pump (it's needle did not work on the fender balls). This pump was purchased while on another trip to Walmart (We now have four pumps and a compressor on board.)

Today, 6-27-14 we passed through 8 locks using our undersized, mismatched white and orange fender balls. They worked great!! Don't you love a happy ending!!!

6-27-14

Moved today from Riverlink Park to Ilion Marina/RV Park. Who knew you could get both in one location. It was a good day on the Erie Canal. A little hot (84 degrees and no wind). We completed locks E-11 thru E-18 (8 locks/52 miles today. Big day! On the water from 7:40am - 4:48 pm. Big Day! Lots of debris. Big Day!