Does anyone drain the Ballast Tank before trailering?

[Mergatroid]

We have some very steep and slippery ramps which to deal. I read in the archives that draining the ballast tank with a auxiliary bilge pump, just prior to motoring to the ramp, may be a good idea to help float my h26 onto the trailer.Any thoughts?

 

[Kidd]

Sounds logical to me.

The boat will be lighter and float higher and be easier to handle.

 

[Bruce]

Sure

When I had my H26 I would have to launch it with the plug closed so it would float higher and get off the trailer, then motor to deeper water and open it up to fill. The opposite would also work very well.

 

[George]

Ballast Tank

Logical but not very practical unless you really need that inch or two that emptying the ballast will get you. How long will it take you to pump out 238 gallons of water?You might get away with it just to load the boat, but Hunter warns that this boat is very unstable without it's water ballast.

 

[crazy dave condon]

missing the mark

I am not sure why folks are having a difficult time to off load a water ballast boat from the trailer. If the ramp is not long enough and/or the ramp instead of falling but rises underwater or is leaning to one side will pose some difficulty. In one case with a 240, the owner could not launch cause he was trying to use a ramp that was only 6 feet long and then he went into the mud. If you will back up and then hit the brakes, you can "jerk the boat" off the trailer which many will do. If you cannot get it back onto the trailer, then the ramp sounds like the problem and/or you may need to extend the tongue. You may want to look at other ramps. I have always been able to drive the boats up onto the trailers.

 

[dave]

heavens to mergatroid even!

the issue, I think is that off loading is no problem, but the difference of the waterline while the ballast tank is full makes it difficult to get the boat settled on the bunks and all the way forward. I have had such difficulty in the past as well. I get it on as far as I can, which is usually about 85% or so, then pull out just far enough to get the hull out, then drain, plug, back in, float to final position, pull back out and open drain to allow residual water to drain. May seem like a PIA, but it has worked for me when I have had to deal with a ramp which seemed to have been built for bass boats only judging by the grade.

 

[Rick Webb]

Sounds Like the Problen is the Weight not the Depth

Am I reading that correctly? What are you pulling it out with?

 

[crazy dave condon]

steepnes of ramp

ok, Jordan Lake is in my front yard. IF I am getting this correct and I think you are at the same ramp I am thinking about, the ramp is steep. When you have a steep ramp, you will have to roll the trailer further into the water. I am not sure if you are using the tongue extension or not. In most cases, you will not get the boat all the way up but most of the way. If that is the case, I will drain the water out while still on the ramp and then pull up onto the flat parking lot and then drive and brake forcing the boat to slide forward. You can also drain the water and closing off the tank and then refloating still attached to the trailer thus bringing the boat further up. Another issue could be the bunk board cloth. Have you tried the new materials out of plastic on top of the bunk boards. Sure helps to ease the boat up when winching.Then there is the question of the pulling vehicle. If too small, then I can understand some of the problems. However, steep ramps do tend to be a problem and the only way around that is what I have stated .

 

[Mergatroid]

Ramp and tow vehicle is the problem.

While loading, I also have resorted to pulling out, draining and refloating.It just seems to me that you could shorten the cycle if you already have the ballast tank drained.As to how long it takes to drain 238 gallons of water, it depends on the pump.500 gph pump, about 30 mins. Not long as you prepare to motor from the slip to the ramp. Of course you need to account for the instability but I do not intend to beat to windward on the way to the ramp. But Dave's reply does point to other possible problems. I have always known there is a difference in the angle of the boat's waterline as you float it onto the trailer and the waterline at rest on the trailer. Seems no mater what you do, the boat ends up "rocking back" toward the rear of the trailer, which causes the need for the "stomp the breaks" methoid of seating the bow on the rest.

 

[Landsend]

why would you not drain it?

nm

 

[Deucer]

Steep Ramp

Fortunately, around Biloxi none of the ramps are too steep, but I think the question needs clarifying. Megatroid, are you having problems gettting the boat on the trailer (and my simple picture in my head would say a steep ramp would HELP get the boat on the trailer....steeper ramp should mean deeper water, right?), or is it your tow vehicle can't pull the boat out of the water?If the latter, then draining the boat would lose 2000lbs of weight making it easier. Anything you do to lighten the boat will help. You mentioned a slippery ramp. That's one of the reasons I bought a 4X4 to tow with. One, you have the front wheels pulling (and ought to be on dry pavement) and two, you have the low range to get the boat out of the water. If you can use the tongue extension to keep the rear wheels dry, that should also help (but kind of a long shot)Hope this helps.Deucer

 

[WallyQ2]

Re; Draining method in archives

Just another view point. I've read in the archives, you can set up a bilge pump in the water ballast by cutting into the top of tank under the folding step. Whew, to much work. I use a pony pump (under $20.) with alligator clips that attaches to the battery terminals. It has a garden hose connection that fits snugly into the ballast vent hole and drains the tank, if I'm in a hurry, while motoring to the dock. I also use it to drain my head waste tank. (NOT into the Lake !!, but sewage drains for campers or even the septic tank at home)

 

[soling42]

Drain it at the ramp, not underway

MergSeems like it's primarily a truck issue but these are very squirrly boats without a full tank that is sealed, especially with the mast up motoring and (omg)NEVER under sail no matter what tack. If I had crew onboard I'd personally never move this thing from the dock without a fully topped off and sealed tank. Draining it while heading to the ramp is a real potential problem IMHO. I suppose it could drain while off loading crew and gear at the ramp dock, but be patient if you do. I considered doing the tank bilge pump mod(link below) because we love to trailer the boat and often have to use ramps that are typically used for much smaller boats. I haven't done it because I had concerns with the covers screw on lid leaking when the boat heels heavily. With the increased force of the ballast weight pressing on it, failure is not an option.Maybe some sort of large gate valve replacing the vent with a pickup tube down into the tank. Then a portable pump could be attached with a hose clamp. It all seems like a lot of trouble. I've had some ramp close calls too, but always got it on the trailer somehow. Usually by getting it on, pulling up slightly and draining it then refloating it for the final set.Maybe just keep a $10 tow strap and a cold beer handy for a quick pull some day IF you need help getting it out. I always keep a strap in the truck, thankfully havn't needed it. Michaelhttp://www.sailboatowners.com/upload/display.tpl?folder=73171271691&fno=17

 

[bart5008]

Tank draining

I have a Hunter 240. I tow it behind a front wheel drive '94 Town and Country Chrysler van. I admit the front wheel is not the best platform to tow with, but I have no problem as long as I have good tires on the car.I usually have to put the boat back in to seat it properly on the trailer after I haul it up the ramp and the tank drains. My car will pull it up a steep ramp with the tank full.