How do I blow out the ballast?

[Robspan]

I have a 1994 M26S. I launch at a steep ramp, and when I pick the boat up, it's very difficult to get it onto the trailer correctly, and then to pull it out. I have seen some posts about some people who use an inflator to blow the ballast out before they come out of the water. This might solve both problems; however, I've tried to do this but the vent hole is hard to get to.Can anyone describe exactly what they use to blow the ballast water out? Thanks.

 

[Ed]

Use a Coleman mattress inflator

Take a Coleman rechargeable air mattress inflator and stick the tube into the vent hole. You take out the "transom" plug and put electrical tape around the tube until the fit is tight. Then unscrew the T-nut until you can push the bottom exhaust vent rod all the way down. Turn on the inflator and in a few minutes, the bubbles will start coming out from around the gunwales. I leave the inflator on and pull the boat up a foot or so to get the rest of the water out, then pull the boat the rest of the way out. BTW, always secure the Mac with an extra rope at the bow. It helps keep the bow forward and the boat from falling off the trailer if the main rope breaks.

 

[Kaizen]

Blow the balast

Actually if you leave the blower on for about 20 minutes or so, it took me that long to go get the car and trailer from the parking lot, the balast will be empty. The boat rises about 4 inches. I use a short length of 1 inch rubber heatet hose and stick the coleman hose inside it. The combo is a perfect fit fot the vent hole.I hook up two stern lines to "steer" the boat from the back of my van without even getting my feet wet.

 

[Robspan]

Thanks

Thanks for your responses. Apparently, the Coleman doesn't come with a hose any more, but I should be able to use the heater hose.