A couple of years ago, I took some pictures of a 260 being built at Hunter's Florida factory. I posted them on the photo forum at the time, but for some reason those photos are no longer viewable on the forum. Several 260 owners have emailed me and asked me to provide the ballast tank pictures again. I have finally found my original photos and reposted them along with a couple of others I had not previously posted. One question about the water ballast tank (I keep my boat in a slip year-round for the most part). I often notice some water filling the depressed area around the vent plug. If I remove the plug, at least a gallon of ballast water will gush out and then stop. I usually then remove a few gallons more from the ballast tank with some tubing and a 12v pump, but the small void I create under the vent opening usually disappears within a few weeks and the vent starts slowly weeping water again. Are any of you 260 owners that keep your boats in the water having a similar experience? I know I could tighten the vent plug more but I worry that might overpressure the tank seeing how fast the water gushes out initially when I remove the plug. Bernie
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Ray Bowles
Bernie, I have a H26 with a very similar ballast
tank system. It sounds like the problem starts with the tank taking in water at cooler temperatures and expelling water at higher temps like a car radiator/surge tank system. The only way this can happen is when the ballast tank cools in the evening the water ballast volumn shrinks, creating a vacuum, and then draws in lake water through the ballast tank filling plate and gasket. In the day when the ballast tank and contents heat up the water expands, thereby pressurizing the tank (which also makes a tighter seal on the filler plate gasket) and the only place for the water to go is out your vent. Now when it cools again the tank is low, vacuum starts and you have this circling cycle of filling, expelling. The problem has to be in the filler plate and gasket. Possibily there is dirt or crud between the gasket and tank, the gasket and plate or the plate is not tight enough. This last one is one I would be carefull of. It is possible that the tank walls are so thin that the tank flexes independant of the rod that tightens it up. Over tightening could cause greater problems if it is possibe to over tighten it. Looking at my owners manual tells me that the rod is not threaded enough to over tighten. Take that for what it is worth. If my wife saw this answer she'd laugh like mad as she claims I'd make up any confusing answer to baffle her or the kids. Good Luck, I will follow this question for probably better solutions. Ray S/V Speedy
tank system. It sounds like the problem starts with the tank taking in water at cooler temperatures and expelling water at higher temps like a car radiator/surge tank system. The only way this can happen is when the ballast tank cools in the evening the water ballast volumn shrinks, creating a vacuum, and then draws in lake water through the ballast tank filling plate and gasket. In the day when the ballast tank and contents heat up the water expands, thereby pressurizing the tank (which also makes a tighter seal on the filler plate gasket) and the only place for the water to go is out your vent. Now when it cools again the tank is low, vacuum starts and you have this circling cycle of filling, expelling. The problem has to be in the filler plate and gasket. Possibily there is dirt or crud between the gasket and tank, the gasket and plate or the plate is not tight enough. This last one is one I would be carefull of. It is possible that the tank walls are so thin that the tank flexes independant of the rod that tightens it up. Over tightening could cause greater problems if it is possibe to over tighten it. Looking at my owners manual tells me that the rod is not threaded enough to over tighten. Take that for what it is worth. If my wife saw this answer she'd laugh like mad as she claims I'd make up any confusing answer to baffle her or the kids. Good Luck, I will follow this question for probably better solutions. Ray S/V Speedy
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Jeff Peltier
Ballast seeping
I believe, from past experience that if you have a heavily loaded boat, the water level can be higher than the tower. I have had this happen when I forgot to close the valve and stopped at a rafting party where a group ended up sitting in our boat. I went down to see water shooting out the vent hole. The other part of the equation is the seal on the bottom of the boat isn't 100%. This I have also confirmed by closing the valve before lowering the boat into the water and motoring to the access for a reqatta only to find several gallons drain out when back on the trailer and valve open again. After playing around with this at a later date, I discovered what I thought was tight on the boat lift, became loose when I lowered the boat into the water. This from the water pushing up on the (Not very rigid) bottom narrowing the gap between the top and bottom of the holding tank. This same lack of rigidity has caused some cracking on the bottom inside the holding tank area which I have discussed with Hunter and I believe they are in the process of correcting. Jeff Peltier
I believe, from past experience that if you have a heavily loaded boat, the water level can be higher than the tower. I have had this happen when I forgot to close the valve and stopped at a rafting party where a group ended up sitting in our boat. I went down to see water shooting out the vent hole. The other part of the equation is the seal on the bottom of the boat isn't 100%. This I have also confirmed by closing the valve before lowering the boat into the water and motoring to the access for a reqatta only to find several gallons drain out when back on the trailer and valve open again. After playing around with this at a later date, I discovered what I thought was tight on the boat lift, became loose when I lowered the boat into the water. This from the water pushing up on the (Not very rigid) bottom narrowing the gap between the top and bottom of the holding tank. This same lack of rigidity has caused some cracking on the bottom inside the holding tank area which I have discussed with Hunter and I believe they are in the process of correcting. Jeff Peltier
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Nils Anderson
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Bernie
JPG Files
I just went on the photo forum and all the jpg file in the new post "260 water ballast tank" are still working. I am not sure why you are having a problem receiving them. The ones in the old posting, "factory tour" definitely don't work anymore. Hope this helps.
I just went on the photo forum and all the jpg file in the new post "260 water ballast tank" are still working. I am not sure why you are having a problem receiving them. The ones in the old posting, "factory tour" definitely don't work anymore. Hope this helps.
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Jim Loats
Here's a wierd idea.
Bernie, I think that Jeff is on the right track. From your previous postings, I recall that you have put lots of additional equipment into your boat. Anyway, the center of gravity in your "yacht" is now lower than most other H26's and probably lower than it was designed for. My idea is for you to put an extension hose in the vent opening for your ballast tank. Use clear tubing so you can see how high the water wants to rise. Maybe there's a way to have that hose be long enough so you can plug it while there is still a column of air under the plug. If your plug is higher than the "resting" level of water, then the constant leakage might not be a problem. It sounds good to me, but it's probably B.S. But hey, it's an idea. Jim S/V Grizzly Bear
Bernie, I think that Jeff is on the right track. From your previous postings, I recall that you have put lots of additional equipment into your boat. Anyway, the center of gravity in your "yacht" is now lower than most other H26's and probably lower than it was designed for. My idea is for you to put an extension hose in the vent opening for your ballast tank. Use clear tubing so you can see how high the water wants to rise. Maybe there's a way to have that hose be long enough so you can plug it while there is still a column of air under the plug. If your plug is higher than the "resting" level of water, then the constant leakage might not be a problem. It sounds good to me, but it's probably B.S. But hey, it's an idea. Jim S/V Grizzly Bear
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Bernie
Tank Level
Jim, When I am alone on the boat and pump down the level in the ballast tank to create a void, the water level will settle about an inch below the top of the vent opening if I open the bottom ballast valve. This indicates to me that the vent hole is about an inch above the outside water level for this condition. My ballast valve appears to seal fairly well since I made certain the neoprene seal was bonded to the valve seat when it was replaced about a year ago at the Hunter factory. If I have three or four people sit in the cockpit, the vent will overflow if the vent hole and ballast valve are left open as the top of the tank vent hole area is then clearly below the outside water level with that much extra weight in the cockpit. Since the top of the ballast vent is still a few inches below the lowest teak step, I am considering fiberglassing a short piece of three inch diameter PVC to raise the effective height of the vent hole opening to keep it below the outside water level even with several people on the boat(I never see any leakage by the ballast valve handle). Any comments about this idea?
Jim, When I am alone on the boat and pump down the level in the ballast tank to create a void, the water level will settle about an inch below the top of the vent opening if I open the bottom ballast valve. This indicates to me that the vent hole is about an inch above the outside water level for this condition. My ballast valve appears to seal fairly well since I made certain the neoprene seal was bonded to the valve seat when it was replaced about a year ago at the Hunter factory. If I have three or four people sit in the cockpit, the vent will overflow if the vent hole and ballast valve are left open as the top of the tank vent hole area is then clearly below the outside water level with that much extra weight in the cockpit. Since the top of the ballast vent is still a few inches below the lowest teak step, I am considering fiberglassing a short piece of three inch diameter PVC to raise the effective height of the vent hole opening to keep it below the outside water level even with several people on the boat(I never see any leakage by the ballast valve handle). Any comments about this idea?
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Jim Loats
Bernie, Ya got me!
Sounds like you have already tried my idea. My only thought would be to try a temporary tube to see if it will fix it before you invest your energy in the more permanent solution. This is a tuffy. Jim S/V Grizzly Bear P.S. I also can't view your photos in the Photo Forum.
Sounds like you have already tried my idea. My only thought would be to try a temporary tube to see if it will fix it before you invest your energy in the more permanent solution. This is a tuffy. Jim S/V Grizzly Bear P.S. I also can't view your photos in the Photo Forum.
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