Aire owners and deflating rafts

[Lax71vcu]

Wondering what you all have found to be the fastest way to get the air out of the boat at the take out. Do most of you use a pump to suck air out? Or does this pose a problem with the bladders. Or do most of you just let gravity do its thing? Just curious as to the norm. I don't want to damage the boat at the take out by lying on it to try and get as much air out as possible. Have heard that may cause damage to the raft. Thanks for the input.
Lax

[oarbender]

not an aire owner, but interested in the responses you will get about sucking air out. I have never thought about that. I guess my q would be, if you can suck the tubes down, has anyone had any issues with the bladders moving, or getting out of position?

I wouldn't think that laying on the tubes would cause any issues at all, keeping in mind to be realativly cautious.

[danadog]

I let gravity do its job unless we are in a hurry then I find laying on it seems to work pretty well.

[Beardance42]

I have a double tube cataraft - four chambers. I pop 'em, break down the rest of the gear and by the time I'm ready to load the truck, they're done.

[yojimbo]

Seems to me 20 yrs ago I read (from Aire) that you shouldn't pump on them, but I can't remember why. We open 'em up, finish derigging, let eh kids lay on them and roll. When you get home, I've also heard it's good form the mold point of view to blow them up a bit, let them get warm in the sun, empty them and repeat to dry them out. ymmv.