Installing Happy Feet

[David Lewis]

So, I bought a used Jackson 4Fun, large Happy Feet already installed. But I need small Happy Feet. Bought that. Now I'm trying to install it. Instructions that came with it are vague. They say to thread the tubes through the center column, and they say not to remove the bulb from the end of the tube because you might break it. They don't say that that you should remove the tubes from the bag end, and I hesitate to do so because they're on there really tight and I'm afraid I'm making a mistake. But how else could you thread the one with the bulb without removing the bulb, right?

The fact is I removed the tubes at the bag end from my first Happy Feet, so the tubes are already in place. I just need to connect the old tubes to the new Happy Feet. I'm just hoping someone can confirm that I'm not going to mess things up by doing the only thing I can think to do, which is to disconnect the new tubes from the new Happy Feet and plug the old tubes into the new Happy Feet.

Thanks!

[Regud]

You can remove the bulb, just be careful when doing so.

Sometimes there is a bit of glue holding the tube onto the bag end, making them hard to take off. You have not messed anything up

[Mike_P]

I've always removed the bulb & threaded from the bow toward the cockpit. You may need to add a little closed cell foam as a tiny bulkhead in front of the happy feet if you need to fill up some dead space.

[SteveGabbard]

The absolute best way to install Happy Feet is to throw them in the garbage and get the minicell jackson sells to fit the 4fun. I'm one of those that tried to make them work. Prefer the minicell instead.

Perhaps it will work out better for you!

[David Lewis]

Thanks for the input, guys. Steve, I wasn't aware of a minicell. Maybe that's what I need, but I spent way too much to throw this thing in the trash.

[David Lewis]

Finally got the bugger in. Had to pull the center column out completely to see what was going on with the hose pathways. Drilled some new hose exit points in the plastic end cap. I think this is going to work. My size 12 feet are going to be tight in this boat no matter what, but it was feeling pretty secure sitting on my garage floor. Will give it a whirl (and a roll) in the UALR pool at the next opportunity. Then again, a river would be nice.

[SteveGabbard]

David,

They are super comfortable. I think the trick is to get them set and then not mess with them. I have also heard you can get a Blood Pressure bulb from a medical supply co and use it if the factory bulb breaks. Should be alot stouter. The weak link is the plastic nipple between the bulb and air tube.

SYOTR
Steve

[panicman]

More like Crappy feet. Chunk them and go the foam route.

[Regud]

So many haters!

Happy Feet Rock!

[David Lewis]

Thanks, Steve. Actually, I read in the sketchy paperwork that the bulbs that come with the Happy Feet are actually made for blood pressure devices (sphigmomonomiters, if I recall correctly). But I did get it off and back on without a problem after applying a little hot air from a hair dryer.

[ckuntz]

Heather has a nice happy feet/foam outfitting setup for 4funs..