Managing the water ballast in my Hunter 240

Dolphin55

Dolphin55

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Apr 14, 2018
72
Hunter 240 San Diego
I love this forum. Gives me access to a wealth of knowledge regarding sailing and my boat. As I continue to prepare for my voyage to Catalina Island, I have a question regarding the water ballast system in my Hunter 240:

When should I close the valve? For instance, do I keep it open when I am loading max capacity of 8 people? But I noticed the boat was sitting unusually low in the water. Should I allow it to self-adjust to the payload?

I typically always keep it open so that it self-adjusts. The only time I think it should be closed is during knock-down conditions so that the ballast will stay inside the tanks so that it can self-right in case of a knock down. Please critique my thinking.
 
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rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,714
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Whoa !!!

you absolutely need to close the valve. And be sure the valve gasket is not leaking. While on a heel you will lose water and the boat won’t recover from a knockdown.
 
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Dolphin55

Dolphin55

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Apr 14, 2018
72
Hunter 240 San Diego
Makes sense. Perhaps that is why tacking was so difficult when I had a crew of 8 last time. We were heeling in a 10+ knot wind and the boat was not responding as usual.

So, at what point do I close the valve? After the last person gets onboard? BTW, I did recently replace the gasket.
 
Dolphin55

Dolphin55

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Apr 14, 2018
72
Hunter 240 San Diego
Crazy Dave Condon said:
Second @rgranger

the original plans came from me. The only time to open valve is putting boat in and out of water; others, keep it closed.
8 people is overloaded and unsafe!!!!!
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Dave, but the boat is specified to hold 8 people max. Also, at what point do I close the valve after launch - do I wait until everyone and everything is loaded?
 
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twalker H260

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Dec 2, 2003
766
Hunter 260 winnipeg, Manitoba
You should have an air vent next to the wing nut for closing/opening the water ballast. On launch you open vent and fill valve. Fill until water is near/just under vent hole - may require pushing down on fill valve rod. I don’t usually like having anyone else on board during this process as the boat can be a bit unstable until it’s full. When tank is full you close the valve and seal the vent.

On haul out removing vent seal and opening ballast tank is the last thing I do before pulling out on the trailer.

Fill valve remains sealed at all other times in the water. If open with 8 adults aboard and vent open you will likely rapidly get water flowing out the vent.

I believe our 260 is also rated for 8. But 4-6 adults would be max for us for a longish day sail. 2-4 can work for overnight. (We’ve done that with our kids) the only way I’d take 8 aboard would be if at least 2 and preferably 4 were children. Working the boat with 8 adults aboard would be very difficult. (Our guests and crew are generally non sailers)
 
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Crazy Dave Condon

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Jun 8, 2004
10,499
-na -NA Anywhere USA
@twalker H260

thank you. I appreciate the time you spent writing. What many do not know being around sailboats, I believe in having fun but safety comes first. No one knows what I experienced in life
 
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Crazy Dave Condon

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Jun 8, 2004
10,499
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Each boat has it’s righting moment but th center of gravity in water ballast boats is higher up as you do not have a weighted keel below the boat hull plus the centerboard bracket which weighs appx. 105 pounds controls drift sideways.

It is your boat, you do what you want to do with it but in case of accident with injury, the captain is held responsible
 
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twistedskipper

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Aug 12, 2018
163
Hunter 26 Carter Lake, Colorado
twalker H260 said:
If open with 8 adults aboard and vent open you will likely rapidly get water flowing out the vent.
Click to expand
This is the key fact. I hope it was not lost in the conversation.

The ballast tank will fill to its top with the boat empty. There is nothing to be gained by trying to fill it more with a heavy load aboard as it will just overflow the tank into the boat interior.

The water ballast on the Hunters was not designed or intended to be in any way adjustable or optional.
 
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Dolphin55

Dolphin55

.
Apr 14, 2018
72
Hunter 240 San Diego
twistedskipper said:
This is the key fact. I hope it was not lost in the conversation.

The ballast tank will fill to its top with the boat empty. There is nothing to be gained by trying to fill it more with a heavy load aboard as it will just overflow the tank into the boat interior.

The water ballast on the Hunters was not designed or intended to be in any way adjustable or optional.
Click to expand
Yes, this would explain why the boat did not handle well with the valve open - it sat too low in the water and would not respond to tacking well. Thanks again. These are important lessons for me.
 
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Crazy Dave Condon

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Jun 8, 2004
10,499
-na -NA Anywhere USA
I respect you for asking. There are no dumb questions because I beat everyone asking.

once, I asked the manager of a sailboat rental many questions without revealing who I was, I left to go to the head. He asked if I was Crazy as I came back in. Well I told him my nickname and he was unsure if he would let me rent the Beneteau for a week. Then I told him to look at my company website. He became puzzled. I told him I was asking questions that my customers asked in the past. We both learned something that day and was grateful for all the referrals I sent to him in the coming years
 
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