How do you inflate the hull of a Tiwal sailing dinghy?

The hull of a Tiwal inflatable boat is inflated in 2 stages. Both the electric and manual pumps required for inflation are supplied as standard with each boat.

Forming the hull shape

The first step is to inflate the volume of the different compartments of the hull with the low-pressure electric pump. This step takes three minutes. The low-pressure electric pump is battery operated. It is rechargeable from the mains (110V or 220V) and also from a 12V supply, such as a car battery.

Once this first step is completed, the hull has taken shape but remains “soft”.

High pressure inflation

Then proceed to the second step with the manual pump. The recommended pressure for the main compartments of the Tiwal 3 and Tiwal 2 hulls is 11 psi (0.75 bar). This pressure is relatively easy to achieve with the manual pump. Inflation time will take from 2 to 5 minutes depending on the rate of inflation. This same type of pump is also used to inflate stand-up paddle boards to 20 psi, which is almost double the pressure required by Tiwal sailboats. As a reminder, the inflatable wings of the Tiwal 2 have a pressure of only 3 psi (0.20 bar).

If you don’t want to inflate manually, there is an optional high-pressure electric pump, which will allow you to keep all your strength for sailing, and save a little time assembling of your boat. This high-pressure electric pump also works with a rechargeable battery on the mains (110V or 220V) and from a 12V supply. It can also work by being directly connected to a 12V battery (such as a car battery).