Archive

Archive for January, 2010

Jan
30

A kiddie’s pool is a great addition to summer landscaping, especially for households with small children and very little yard space. Though most kiddies pools are not large capacity, which makes emptying and refilling after each use tempting, this practice wastes water, time, and money. Learning to care for a kiddie’s pool properly will ensure less waste and more enjoyment, and extend the life of the pool.

Kiddie’s pools range in size, construction, and capacity, with most holding between 100 and 250 gallons (378.5 to 849.3 liters). The vast majority of kiddie’s pools are of vinyl construction, but some are made of plastic. The key to the longevity of a kiddie’s pool is to purchase a relatively expensive one, constructed of quality material, and then care for it properly.

If you purchase an inflatable kiddies pool, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper inflation. Once you have inflated the pool and filled it with water, it is perfectly fine for the kids to use immediately. When playtime is over, rather than draining 250 gallons of water into your yard or onto your deck or patio only to start all over again, clean the pool, cover it, and it’s ready to go for next time.

A kiddies pool can be cleaned by first skimming any debris such as grass and dirt from the surface of the water. Small, handheld skimmer nets sold in the pool care isle of nearly any mass retailer will do the job. Once the water surface skimmed, add pool sanitizer. Pool sanitizer kills any harmful bacteria in the water, clears out the sweat and sunscreen, and prevents algae growth. There are pool sanitizing products made specifically for kiddie’s pools and wading pools of 200 to 1000 gallon capacity.

Pool sanitizer comes in granule form and should approve by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Follow the directions for adding the granules according to the size of your kiddie’s pool. Sprinkle the granules into the pool, and then take a kitchen scrub brush to the bottom and sides of the pool. Lastly, cover up the kiddie’s pool to avoid unwanted debris.

If your particular kiddie’s pool did not come with a cover, you can create a makeshift cover with a patio table cover, large grill cover, or similar product. Kiddies pool covers are usually flannel-backed vinyl and have drawstrings to adjust the fit. If you cannot find the proper sized outdoor furniture cover, use a plastic tarp weighted at the corners.

With proper care, a kiddie’s pool need only filled every two or three weeks with heavy use, and less often depending on frequency of play. Once the water becomes too murky or debris becomes too heavy, drain the pool and repeat the process. Your child’s pool will stay cleaner and last longer, and there is no need to wait to fill it up before each use.

Jan
30

They can be the perfect antidote for a hot summer day: super size inflatable pools, big enough for adults to swim in or even play water volleyball. They are cheap – just a couple hundred dollars for a pool that’s 12 feet in diameter, or $500 for a 12-by-20 pool that’s 4 feet deep. And they’re relatively easy to set up, taking less than an hour to get ready for water. No wonder such retailers as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target and Toys R Us have loaded their shelves with them.

But a growing number of safety experts say consumers are not factoring in the cost of keeping those grown-up kiddies pools safe. These soft-sided watering holes are no different than real pools and should be surrounded by a fence to keep young children away, safety experts say. And the water needs to be kept clean as well, necessitating pumps, filters and chemicals.” As a whole, these are an unsafe product,” said Donald Mays, senior director for product safety at Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports.

The magazine recently issued a safety alert about these pools, as did Good Housekeeping and the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group for the insurance industry.

Unlike kiddies pools, which are usually emptied after each use, super size pools – a 12-by-20 pool, 4 feet high, can hold as much as 4,313 gallons – would be inconvenient to drain between swims. Many come with filters to encourage water retention. Safety officials say a 4-foot fence with a self-closing gate should surround any pool not drained after each use – even those only 2 feet high -. However, that requirement would make these pools, which range in price from $50 to $750, cost-prohibitive.

“The inflatable pool has the same issue as any pool, and that is, it is an especially fatal attraction to young children,” said Mark Ross, a representative for the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This summer, at the request of safety-standard-setting organization ASTM International, the commission staff held a meeting with safety advocates and manufacturers to discuss concerns and possible solutions. Retailers invited but did not show up.

“No one came up with a viable solution,” said Mays, who is co-chairing an ASTM task force to see if voluntary industry safety standards can developed. As much as price, the manufacturers stress the ease of setup. One brand, for example, sold as the Family Quick Pool, another as Easy Set. No digging or sand is required, just level ground. Often sold with air pumps, these pools can inflate within minutes, the packages all say.

In most stores, there are few, if any, local laws may require cautionary notices that fences. The pool manufacturers note that they put such advice on their packages. However, a quick scan of several pool boxes shows that these warnings are typically at the bottom, in far smaller print than the promotional information.

Jan
30

Inflatable sports, climbing, 3pillar bungee, 4 pillars bungee, racing car, go-karts games are challenging to extreme.

Inflatable Pools

Inflatable pools can separately. In addition, when the pool is filled with water. Hand power boats, inflatable boat, and water walking ball or other aquatic toys can be used inside. Inflatable pools and other water toys are your first choose during summer.

Inflatable Water Games

Aquatic water amusement, water parks, equipped with all inflatable water games. Inflatable water walking ball, orb ball, inflatable roller, inflatable iceberg, inflatable trampoline, etc.

Inflatable Boats

Inflatable boats include hand powerboat, inflatable children boats, fishing boat, inflatable raft, and inflatable kayaked. Different boats suit for different people’s requirements. Inflatable

Tents

These new and revolutionary inflatable ground camping tents will change camping as we know it. Imagine setting up your air pole tent in less than 60 seconds (in the dark). When it’s time to pack it up just turn the release valve and the air tent takes itself down. All you have to do is roll it up and put it away.

Inflatable PVC Toys

Small inflatable PVC toys, inflatable sofa, inflatable beach ball, small inflatable pool, small bouncers.etc.

Inflatable Trampoline

These trampolines are tremendous fun for all the family and encourage children of all ages to play together. They are super conditioners that build strength, stamina, confidence and co-ordination. The round design encourages the jumper to stay in the centre to enjoy a deep, lively bounce. They can be left outside all year round and will give years of trouble-free enjoyment.

Zorn ball

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Inflatable manufacturer from China provides inflatable products, inflatables, inflatable water slides, inflatable water slide, and inflatable games.

Jan
30

The popularity in recent years of inflatable party toys has been phenomenal. It used to be that the professional bouncy houses were only found at carnivals and other major production events. But soon I began to see them popping up at local birthday parties and even for sale to the average consumer at retail stores.

I think the escalating interest in them has taken off because it’s a way to let off steam and energy in a fun and relatively safe environment. This was evident to me when I attended an elementary school birthday party last summer. When it got late and the party died down for the children, the adults (who perhaps had a beer or two throughout the day) proceeded to bounce away on the kids’ jumpy house when we were alone.

The popularity stems from the fact that something inflatable is generally more comfortable and safer than hard plastic, steel or wood which ultimately allows you to go crazy. Add some water and you have a recipe for another inflatable flavor of fun, the inflatable water slide party rental.

I have only found places that you can rent this now very popular item, but I am sure that like the bouncy houses they will be available in the retail market soon. The dry versions of the inflatable slides are available in retail stores, but they are in the same category as the jump/bounce houses. Please note that the dry slides are not to be used as water slides unless it is specifically designed for both wet and dry sliding.

Jan
30

Extreme slides

Extreme slides or speed slides are straight, with a near vertical drop in the middle designed to give the rider the most possible speed. These are called “plunge” or “plummet” slides, and are one of the most fearsome slides due to their height. They can accelerate people up to an average of 55 miles per hour. The tallest plummet slide in the world is Insano at 135 feet, which can bring riders up to 65, 24 mph, located at Porto das Dunas Beach, a part of the Beach Park Resort in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Body slides

Other slides wind down a very curvy path which is not as steep, although some slides allow significant speeds to be obtained. The sharpest curves are usually completely enclosed or have high walls on the outside of the curve to prevent users from leaving the slide; thus these slides can be a long tube or alternate between an open chute and closed tube. G-forces experienced in these slides can range from gentle and family-friendly to surprisingly intense. Most riders will be required to lie flat on their backs, and cross their arms over their chest to prevent injury on these types of slides.

Tube/raft slides

Some slides are designed to be ridden with a tube or raft. These are commonly family slides, and some tubes allow up to 8 riders at one time. These are normally slow and include many twists and turns, and sometimes have pools along their length to simulate whitewater rafting.

Uphill slides

A small percentage of slides are hydro coasters. They shoot riders up and down with water or a conveyor belt. This is normally a “high intensity” water slide. A company called pro slide has recently developed a hydro magnetic water coaster. It uses LIMs to push the inner tube up the incline. The City of North Richland Hills, Texas operates a community owned Water Park that claims to have the world’s largest uphill water slide called The Green Extreme according to their advertising.

Inflatable Water Slides

Inflatable water slides are designed for the home user. They are typically made of a tough plastic material and attach to garden hoses in order to generate their supply of water. Some slides are totally horizontal, encouraging the user to slide ‘along’ them, rather than ‘down’ them.

Jan
30

A water slide is a type of slide or tube designed for warm-weather or indoor recreational use, typically with water pumped to its top and allowed to flow down its surface, although some may simply be wet. A person is able to sit directly on the slide, or on a raft or tube designed to be used with the slide, and slide to the bottom via gravity. The water reduces friction so sliders travel down the slide very quickly. Water slides typically run into a swimming pool (often called a plunge pool) at the end. Some, however, have long, flat, straight sections at the bottom with a few inches of standing water, frictional material, or rollers attached to the slide designed to slow the slider and allow them to safely exit the slide.

Water slides are popular at water parks and may form alternatives to those who don’t like such intense rides at other amusement parks If these empty into a pool, the pool is usually designed only to catch sliders who must exit the pool immediately after coming to a stop, to prevent sliders entering the pool at high speed from striking other swimmers. These Plunge pools are usually quickly cleared by other swimmers to avoid injury. Smaller water slides may be found at actual swimming pools in water parks, private locations and community recreation centers where larger “thrill” slides are absent.

In some countries, they are more commonly referred to as flumes, water chutes, or hydro slides.

Types of water slides

Slides may be straight or curvy, with a steep or gentle gradient. Large slides in thrill parks may be otherwise designed to maximize g-forces experienced by the rider and the “fear factor” involved with such amusement type rides. Sometimes, to add to the overall excitement of a water slide, names are used which are intended to increase the “fear factor”, such as the “Kamikaze slide”, although in fact the slides are quite safe for normal users. Like any amusement ride, slides may be built to include other features, such as interactive laser light shows or mist inside a tube, to add to the user’s desire/satisfaction complex.

Jan
30

Like any other business, starting your own inflatable jumpers business takes care, attention to detail and a willingness to dedicate you to the goal of success.

Jumper inflatable (e.g. bounce houses, combo units, slides, water slides, interactive games, obstacle courses, inflatable movie screens, advertising balloons and arches) are fast becoming a key component in the home and even in the workplace and many people are beginning to realize just how lucrative the inflatable jumpers business is.

Here are a series of recommended steps to take if you’re serious about starting an inflatable jumpers business.

A great way to get started in the inflatable jump toy business is to consult with another business who can provide you with information, ideas and supplies; in some instances, affiliate plans are worked out to begin with, and these often work very well.

First, get a license, a business name and a business location. Make sure you have all proper permits required for selling jumper inflatables on the property of your choice.

Second, research your competition. This is highly important, as you need to figure out how they work and what goes into making a bounce house and inflatable toy business successful. Find out which jumper inflatables businesses exist in your city or even vendors who sell things like bounce house inflatables.

Find out what they charge for buying and renting their inflatables, what areas they deliver too, whether they only rent inflatables or offer other items like chairs, tables, etc.

Third, set up your business operations. This means everything from a website and logo design to new business cards and updated information. This is imperative for branding and marketing purpose.

Fourth, in order to start a jumper inflatables company, you have to have merchandise. This means buying or renting jumper inflatables, so determine how much money you can invest to begin with.

Set out a budget and look for good deals on decent jumper inflatables; remember if you buy a crappy product, it’s not going to last long; inflatable jump toys are no different.

Additionally, make sure you have some variety; instead of getting all bounce house inflatables, for instance, think about getting water slide inflatable jumpers, interactive games, combination units and much more.

Budget money for accessories on top of the jumper inflatables, like a dolly, tarps, storage bags, patch kits and anything else you can think of.

Since starting a jumper inflatables business is easier compared to many other businesses, the amount of overhead is necessarily much less.

Five, market, market and market some more. This is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your company is successful. Pass out and post tons of fliers locally, build up a presence online or get someone to help you, advertise in the local yellow pages and newspaper and generally go out and promote yourself and your product.

And last but certainly not least, ensure the jumper inflatables you buy have your brand name painted on them; this is a great way to further advertise your services to the world.

Jan
30

Sea kayaks are typically designed for travel by one or two paddlers on open water and in many cases trade maneuverability for seaworthiness, stability, and cargo capacity. Sea-kayak sub-types include open-deck “sit-on-top” kayaks, recreational kayaks, and collapsible “skin-on-frame” boats.

Modern kayaks are typically constructed from rotomolded plastic, wood, fabrics over wooden or aluminum frames, fiberglass, Kevlar, or carbon fiber. Most kayaks accommodate one or two paddlers, but some special-purpose boats may accommodate more.

White water kayaks are in some cases highly maneuverable boats, usually for a single paddler, and include such specialized boats as play boats and slalom kayaks. White water racers combine a fast, unstable lower hull portion with a flared upper hull portion to combine flat water racing speed with extra stability in open water: they are not fitted with rudders and have similar maneuverability to flat water racers.

Modern kayaks have evolved into numerous specialized types, that may be broadly categorized according to their application as sea kayaks, whitewater (or river) kayaks, inflatable kayaks, and racing kayaks (flat water, white water, or slalom), though many hybrid types exist as well, broadly labeled recreational kayaks. The label “kayak” is often misapplied to other small, human-powered vessels not descended from the kayak tradition, including multi-hull or outrigger boats and those which elevate above the water on hydrofoils.

Inflatable Kayaks are in many respects similar to white water boats, however often equipped with up to three fins. Specialty surf boats typically have flat bottoms, and hard edges, similar to surf boards. The design of a surf kayak promotes the use of an ocean surf wave (moving wave) as opposed to a river or feature wave (moving water). They are typically made from rotomolded plastic, or fiberglass.

Jan
30

Tunnel tents have a low end profile making them great for high wind situations. funnel tents may offer more usable internal space than a dome tent with the same ground area, but almost always need guy ropes and pegs to stay upright. These are almost always double wall tents. Sizes range from 1-person tents with very limited headroom up to 8 or 10-person tents with headroom exceeding 180 cm (6 ft).

A basic tunnel tent uses three flexible poles, arranged as three parallel hoops, with tent fabric attached to form a tunnel. The most common designs have a sleeping area at one end and a porch/storage/living area at the other. Smaller designs may use only 2 poles and larger designs may use 4 poles; the latter may have a sleeping area at each end and a living area in the middle.

Geodesic tents are essentially dome tents with 2 or more extra poles which criss-cross the normal two poles to help support the basic shape and minimize the amount of unsupported fabric. This makes them more suitable for use in snowy conditions and in strong winds. To help withstand strong winds they are rarely more than 120 or 150 cm high (4 to 5 ft).

Possibly the first inflatable tent was that produced by Hayes Mountain Equipment, Australia in 1965 to the design of Barry Hayes. It was successfully tested by the Monash University Mountaineering Club on Mount Baw, Victoria, where it withstood 70 mph winds. It was subsequently used during the construction of the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club dome hut on Mount Feathertop.

The pop-up tent is a recent innovation 1. This type of tent is equipped with built-in very flexible hoops so that when the tent is unpacked, it springs into shape immediately, and so is extremely easy to set up. Such tents are usually single-skinned and are generally aimed at the one-season or children’s end of the market; their high flexibility makes them unsuitable for use in windy situations. After use the inflatable tent is packed down into a thick disc shape.

Another variation is to use a large dome as the living area, with up to 4 tunnel extensions to provide sleeping areas. Hybrid dome/tunnel tents are now common. One variation is to use a basic dome as the sleeping area; one or two hooped poles to one side are linked by a tunnel to the dome to provide a porch.

Single-hoop tents use just one flexible pole and are often sold as light-weight 1 or 2-person tents. These are the modern equivalent of older style pup tents, and have the same feature of somewhat limited headroom. Different styles may have the pole going either along or across the tent.

Jan
29

Making your own folding boat is not beyond the ability of a person who can use basic tools. A handyman can produce his or her own unit at home with plans or by designing their own version. Bill Weller, the designer of a folding dinghy / sailboat plan, calls his creation a Flapdoodle. The official website is here 1. The Barquito is a folding boat based on this plan. An extensive website of its construction is worth looking at2. Folding dinghies can also be built from kits and part built Sea hopper dinghies for owner completion is available.

Simplerfolding boats are called Origami boats. These often use a minimum of wood and rely of waterproof PVC or other fabric for the hull. The sites that follow are an example of this kind of folding boat3 4. Matt Layden’s has designed a simple folding tender that can be stowed in small cruisers5.

A Folding boat is usually a smaller boat, typically ranging between 6 to 12 feet. This style of boat must also allow for easy lifting which requires a light weight. Folding boats are made from light weight materials such as marine plywood, aluminium or more exotic man-made materials lighter and tougher than aluminium. Folding boats fill a need for people who do not have storage space for a full-size boat or cannot transport a full-size boat.

Related types

Traditional boats in the same category of folding boats include inflatable dinghies and small aluminium boats (tinniest). Inflatable boats try to solve the portability problem with an inflatable keel and side pods. This allows better storage and weight advantages. The main problems of these craft are that they are still quite heavy; they can puncture while on the water and can be time consuming to inflate and deflate for usage. Folding boats require in the order of 10 to 15 minutes setting up and putting away but are much tougher than an inflatable craft, and may ultimately be smaller in storage as an inflatable boat may have hard board

Components for the floor. Aluminium boats cannot be disassembled, and the folding boat of space-age material is stronger than aluminium, while the strength to weight of some wooden ply is actually stronger than aluminium. The lower stiffness and rigidity may add to potential safety of a folding boat by allowing it to flex over waves. This stops the boat from the rocking effect of an inflexible boat.

Although there is much to be said of the advantages of a folding boat, they are not commonplace in boating. Aluminium and inflatable alternatives are far more prevalent despite some folding boats such as the Sea hopper having been sold for several decades. Used Sea hoppers often appear on eBay at prices varying from GBP 200-GBP 800, depending on the age and specification. Sailing versions are particularly popular.

Powered

As folding boats are light there is no need for lots of power and someone unfamiliar with HP output could easily make the mistake of using an engine too large and not suited to a folding boat. See the Origami Folding Dinghy on the plane at 15 knots with a 3.3hp engine.

Some folding boats have a transom for attaching an electric or petrol engine outboard. These are usually in the order of 2 – 4HP but can be up to 10HP.