Help before i try this - manual ballast drain

[meegwell]

I have the ski locker won't drain issue. Reading up on manual empty. I am on the water I just need to open the black cap on the bag and drain all the water into the ski locker by pushing on it? Then it drains out somewhere?

 

[sunbyrned]

What do you mean you have the ski locker won’t drain issue? I understand you have the ballast bag in there, but checking in the locker won’t drain before I give advice.

 

[meegwell]

Sorry the ballast bag won’t drain. Not sure how i got water in it i never used it but that a different issue. The system thinks its empty. It is far from empty. Reading up i need to empty it manually then calibrate. It is the empty it manually i want to be sure about. Just take the plug off and press on it letting water drain into the ski locker is what i read but i want to be sure that was only one post.

 

[sunbyrned]

Gotcha! I have to fill and drain all mine manually so I can only speak to that. I use a manual pump which can be placed on the drain hole and it can be pumped out manually. The other option is to let the water drain into the ski locker as you’re mentioning. You want to make sure that the ski locker drain is open so the water will flow out of it and into the bilge. You all also need to make sure the drain to the engine compartment is ion too, and your bilge is on. If you want, try letting a little out and see how it all goes before committing.

 

[sunbyrned]

Ion =open

 

[meegwell]

Plug from the fuel area to the engine (the horizontal one)?

 

[sunbyrned]

The one I’m talking about is inside the engine compartment up against the fuel area. It won’t hurt to open it.

 

[meegwell]

Ok it was closed but this seems to be working anyway. Bag was near full so I couldn’t move it to check the drain plug but as i step on it and force water out the bilge kicks in. Thank you!

 

[sunbyrned]

The water may drain into the hull as well. It will come out the bilge but you may need to have the boat running with the bow up. Give it a few tests.

 

[sunbyrned]

Glad it worked. Did it happen to go into the engine compartment, did you notice?

 

[meegwell]

Yes but i dont think directly? I never saw the same amount that was draining out - hull then up until bilge trigger maybe?

yeah initial issue is i got some rain and noticed it gathered in the bow.
Can’t leave the slip now but once i get it all drained the cover is going on.

 

[Dave burke]

Sounds like your problem is solved but if this helps, when I winterize my boat, I use the ballast pump to drain the bag and then open the cap and drain the bag manually (because there’s always some leftover water) into the ski locker. It will drain into the bilge from there. You can always raise the front of the trailer if it’s not draining fast enough.

 

[sunbyrned]

Sounds like your problem is solved but if this helps, when I winterize my boat, I use the ballast pump to drain the bag and then open the cap and drain the bag manually (because there’s always some leftover water) into the ski locker. It will drain into the bilge from there. You can always raise the front of the trailer if it’s not draining fast enough.

That’s good to know. I just assumed the water in the ski locker drains into the engine compartment and then bilged out. So he didn’t need to open the engine compartment drain? My dealer told me to always leave all drain plugs open, which is why I assumed that.

 

[Dave burke]

I always leave mine open as well. Last thing you need is to think you’ve drained all the water and find out in the spring some water did not drain. Might not cause a problem but my boat is in the Adirondacks and it gets very very cold!

 

[Cambo]

This will help with so many issues that anyone would have with the stock ballast

https://jetboaters.net/threads/ballast-pump-jumper-cable.19754/

 

[meegwell]

That’s good to know. I just assumed the water in the ski locker drains into the engine compartment and then bilged out. So he didn’t need to open the engine compartment drain? My dealer told me to always leave all drain plugs open, which is why I assumed that.

No I didn't open that one. Ski locker was open. What do you mean by all drain plugs? (hull, fuel compartment, engine floor?)

 

[meegwell]

This will help with so many issues that anyone would have with the stock ballast

https://jetboaters.net/threads/ballast-pump-jumper-cable.19754/

I just want to figure out why it fills on it's own. I assume it's happening when Im about. I was out a total of about 5 hours over the weekend and it was full. I haven't researched that yet but know there are plenty of posts concerning it.

 

[sunbyrned]

No I didn't open that one. Ski locker was open. What do you mean by all drain plugs? (hull, fuel compartment, engine floor?)

Just the ski locker drain plug and the one in the engine compartment against the fuel tank wall

 

[Cambo]

I just want to figure out why it fills on it's own. I assume it's happening when Im about. I was out a total of about 5 hours over the weekend and it was full. I haven't researched that yet but know there are plenty of posts concerning it.

Its caused by a siphon effect if the ball valve is open at the hull the water starts to fill the bag . The pumps do not seal it could be water pressure as well just shut the valve until you use the ballast system . The timer was a great idea in theory it sounds great but it’s just not accurate do to multiple items . I would rather have paddle switches and have even made a kit with 3 switches to run the ballast system now that most of these boats are out of warranty if the timer fails it’s a simple plug and play system that will allow operation of the pumps.

 

[meegwell]

Its caused by a siphon effect if the ball valve is open at the hull the water starts to fill the bag . The pumps do not seal it could be water pressure as well just shut the valve until you use the ballast system . The timer was a great idea in theory it sounds great but it’s just not accurate do to multiple items . I would rather have paddle switches and have even made a kit with 3 switches to run the ballast system now that most of these boats are out of warranty if the timer fails it’s a simple plug and play system that will allow operation of the pumps.

I have also read that the impeller on the pumps go bad and allow water in? Curious - with the jumper/manual override setup can you still set the memory profile of different ballast setup for each rider?