Water Ballast pump out
- Thread starter jhastie
- Start date
I tend to agree Doc. Not that it couldn't be fixed but it wouldn't be worth the time and money.
A quick tip about "blowing ballast".
We always remove ours before hauling out - makes it much easier to get up the ramp.
We use an air mattress infiltrator with enough tape wrapped around the nozzle to make it fit snugly into the ballast vent.
But what we found made a huge difference in how long it takes is to have something push downwards on the ballast valve after it's opened. If not, a lot of the air pressure escapes.
Chris
We always remove ours before hauling out - makes it much easier to get up the ramp.
We use an air mattress infiltrator with enough tape wrapped around the nozzle to make it fit snugly into the ballast vent.
But what we found made a huge difference in how long it takes is to have something push downwards on the ballast valve after it's opened. If not, a lot of the air pressure escapes.
Chris
As the pump is pressurizing the ballast tank air will leak out of the top of the valve around the threaded shaft. If you hold the large wing-nut down, it seals the large rubber gasket (you might call it a washer) against the top of the tank thus allowing more pressure inside the tank to push the water out the bottom.
I use "Air Pump" method, and Ive never sceen the washer lift off its seat and loss of pressure,
when I open the valve, and push the rod/wingnut down, it stays there, and the ballast emptys in a few min..
I will say this about that, I did install sched 40 pvc fittings in the tank opening and reworked them to accept the air pump, and keep it attached tightly while running w/out duck tape etc. so I can continue to get Berea ready to haul-out, when done I put on the pvc end cap to the close the vent off, close the valve, DONE!
at one time in the past we had a blog about this, and some were saying to tight and you could split the ballast tank etc.....if thats the case, the safety valve would be the washer acting like a pop-off valve.
just make ur pump fit snug to the opening and not fall out, open the valve push the wingnut and washer down turn it on, and go do something, when you see air bubbles around the water line, Ur Done
when I open the valve, and push the rod/wingnut down, it stays there, and the ballast emptys in a few min..
I will say this about that, I did install sched 40 pvc fittings in the tank opening and reworked them to accept the air pump, and keep it attached tightly while running w/out duck tape etc. so I can continue to get Berea ready to haul-out, when done I put on the pvc end cap to the close the vent off, close the valve, DONE!
at one time in the past we had a blog about this, and some were saying to tight and you could split the ballast tank etc.....if thats the case, the safety valve would be the washer acting like a pop-off valve.
just make ur pump fit snug to the opening and not fall out, open the valve push the wingnut and washer down turn it on, and go do something, when you see air bubbles around the water line, Ur Done
That's a good point and I don't recall it coming up in the other thread that the washer would act like a relief. I should do this but I just drain it on the ramp
I enjoy seeing all the on-lookers gasping in horror as all that water pours out on the ramp.
....a friend of mine had a Mac and one of us would always yell "empty the porta potty" before starting to drain the tank at the ramp. The looks on peoples' faces - priceless!I enjoy seeing all the on-lookers gasping in horror as all that water pours out on the ramp.
hauling out a boat w/1100lbs of water aint as easy as an empty one
goes back on the trailer like she came off, but U do as U want, I dont mind running the pump while Im doing this or that getten her ready to load on the trailer, take about 5-10 min, before U leave the boat to get her on the trailer, close the ballast, turn off the pump Ur done, at my ramp I have to step the mast anyway while in the drink, power line
so my time is spent doing what U prob. do on the hard, so I empty the ballast at the same time, takes about 30sec to install the pump, if thatI'm a MacGregor rookie and just got my 26S less then a month ago. I was thinking about just putting a hose from a bilge pump down the ballast vent hole and the exhaust hose into the galley sink to drain out. Does anyone have any thoughts on whether or not this would work or have any pros and cons to this idea?
Seems to me the drain on the sink would be the limiting factor. It's not able to handle a lot of volume. Seems it would take forever to drain it but if you have time, seems one way to do it while on the water