Increasing ballast on 212X

[bobbie]

I looked over the previous posts and haven't found my answer. Has anyone changed out the factory ballast bags to increase ballast? i'm looking to increase to 800# per side and also use the ski locker. I would rather not have bags all over the boat....rather keep them hidden. any advise would be appreciated!!

 

[jcyamaharider]

800 per side will take most of your under seat storage space. What are you looking to do wake board or wake surf? I added weight under the port bow seat as well and only have one bag on the port cabin seat visible.

 

[bobbie]

both...i've been talking with wakemakers. they really want a yamaha 212x to experiment with but it will be me making the trip to bend. did you notice a difference adding in the bow area?? i've read that it does. @jcyamaharider

 

[jcyamaharider]

Yes I did it sinks the boat more and get a bigger pocket out back. I would say if you can sacrifice the storage I would go for it. I just have subs on both sides and storage that I cannot give up. My fix for this is adding a bigger bag to the port cabin seat. We sit on the bag as well. Kind of comfy.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Also the ski locker bag helps sink the whole boat too. I have 800 there.

 

[bobbie]

thanks for you advise! will post some pics if i go ahead with it. @jcyamaharider

 

[jcyamaharider]

 

[Williamsone46]

You can't increase the under seat ballast in the 12'-14' 212X to more than 400lbs a side. There isn't enough room to put a bag any bigger than that.

The stock bags are made by Skylon Sports and they are 600 lb bags limited down to 350 lb. You could always remove the timer and put an overflow in each bag tying them into the bilge line. That way it will fill to the max capacity, and it won't ever burst.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

What I've done on a Mastercraft is add lead bricks coated in spray-on bed liner. Each brick weighs about 30 lbs. and is 2" thick X 4" X 18". This is an easy way (weigh hehe) to pack on the pounds in the least amount of room. The downfall is that you have to carry it around.

These bricks can usually be found at scrap yards.

 

[Bruce]

Where are the bags located in the 212x? Are they in the under seat storage or are they beside the engines?

 

[jcyamaharider]

You can't increase the under seat ballast in the 12'-14' 212X to more than 400lbs a side. There isn't enough room to put a bag any bigger than that.

The stock bags are made by Skylon Sports and they are 600 lb bags limited down to 350 lb. You could always remove the timer and put an overflow in each bag tying them into the bilge line. That way it will fill to the max capacity, and it won't ever burst.

When i was looking at 212x's I remember the bags being in the storage compartments on the port and starboard side with no wall. I wouldn't see why you couldn't buy a longer fly high bag and put those on each side. The battery will have to be moved but that is simple. Is there something I am missing?

 

[octavio3311]

Those bags in the storage compartment really take up space when in use. I wish it had hard tanks below the floor.
I'm looking at adding a big bag in the ski locker this summer. That should make a substantial difference in squatting the boat even lower. In my experiments - adding just 300lbs of people ballast up in the bow really stretches out the wave, so I'm looking at adding a 750lb'er from WakeMakers. Problem is - we have a LOT of shit stored in that ski locker - life vests, noodles, boogie boards, etc. We just take way too much crap along with us.

 

[Bruce]

I am not sure about the 212X but on my SX230 the floor that is in the under seat storage continues all the way back to the back of the upper swim step. It is hidden in the engine compartment by the plywood walls. The shelf is approximately 16 inches wide and 6 feet long.

This is a picture looking forward from a cup holder hole at the back left corner you can see the shelf in the bilge. The carpeted area is beside the engine. I plan to install 400 pound bags using about 3 feet of this area.



This is in the engine compartment with the plywood removed.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Yep Bruce you use all of that and then some.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Port bow seat

 

[Bruce]

Yep Bruce you use all of that and then some.

There is 6' of length back there. Are you really using all of it? 800 pound bags?

 

[jcyamaharider]

There is 6' of length back there. Are you really using all of it? 800 pound bags?

6' are you including the rear false wall as well? That area past the false wall is small and you have to be carful not to pinch off the cooling lines when the ballast bag is full on the starboard side. I pushed that bag as far back as I could and this is where they ended up. I have the fly high 400lbs v-drive bags. 42" x 16" x 16". On the starboard side I put the end of the bag just in front of the rear cooling lines leaving the boat

 

[jetboater4life]

Here are instructions to get a little more out of your 212x bags, compliments of Kansas Dave (@Dperreault1). He said he was on this board but I haven't seen him post unless his name is different.

Here are the reprogram instructions for the ballast controller.

The timers that maxed out at 6 minutes were only available in 2007. After that all modules should have a maximum time of 20 minutes.

Fill-Drain Time Set up
• Obtain correct tank size
• Pump fills at approx 10 GPM
• Disconnect all battery from main boat connection for at least 30 seconds. Disconnect plug between
pump and the Active Intelligence box until programming is complete. Reconnect power from battery
and immediately start toggling switch to enter program mode.
• Push toggle to the fill position and toggle between fill and drain 5 times stopping in the off position each
time (fill-off-drain-off-fill-off, Etc.) Do not rush. This should be done in a slow methodical 1 second at
each position pace. Unit will blink when you have entered program mode and the number of blinks will
indicate the current fill time in 30 second intervals.
• To increase fill time - toggle between off and the fill position, each toggle increases the fill time by 30
seconds.
• To decrease fill time - toggle between off and drain position, each toggle decreases by 30 seconds.
• Increments are 30 seconds (approx 3.5 gallons per toggle) with minimum fill time of 30 seconds and
maximum of 20 minutes.
• Reconnect power to pump and run pump in drain cycle until pump stops automatically. This must be
done to reset unit to zero after programming

 

[Murf'n'surf]

@jetboater4life Great info! Be sure to post this in "Tips and Tricks" section

 

[jcyamaharider]

Just a different view