Hmmmm,
Sounds like the PO was using a pump to 'pull' the water out of the ballast tank and flush it overboard at the cockpit/outboard well drain. That could work but I have 2 concerns. 1) If the hose going in the vent hole is a snug fit and the fill valve is closed, where does air get into the tank to replace the water pumped out? 2) If the ballast tank isn't filled to overflowing (hard to do) how does the pump get a prime to start pulling water from the tank? Did the PO show you a switch to turn the pump on and off? Or when you found the pump, were there any wires and where did they go? Chris is right about blowing the ballast water out... but then Chris is a pretty smart guy! I just bought a small air pump at Walmart ($12.00). It is intended to fill inflatable 'stuff' and is rechargable (built in battery), or can run on 12v DC or 110/120v AC. I just plug mine into the 12v DC outlet at my electrical panel (cigarette plug) and in just 10 minutes I can hear bubbles 'grugling' up from under the boat. I did need to make a short extender tube between the pump and the fitting supplied with the pump so it will reach into the inspection area with ease. I just used it for the first time today and was thrilled at how quickly it worked. Heck, it took me 20 minutes to fill the darn thing with a garden hose when it was sitting on the trailer beside my house and there was a hurricane headed my way. I figured the ballast would help keep it from moving. And the boat didn't move an inch... OK, OK, it didn't move a centimeter, even in 100mph sustained winds! Or should that be 160 kph winds? BTW, my Dad was born and raised in London, Ont. and I summered for many years on Lake Erie near Kingsville.
