Thanks to a very good friend, my H26 is now at his dock in Barnegat Bay. Problem is very shallow water at the dock. If the tide is very low, we get stuck in the muck. I'm thinking about getting some sort of A/C power driven pump to remove ballast, so the boat floats up and allowing me to leave dock even at low tide. I'd simply flood the tanks once I was away from the dock. Any suggestions for what kind of pumps and hoses I could use to get the water out quickly? Thanks, Ron Mehringer s/v Hydro-Therapy
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dan vereker
don't do it !!!!!!
ron, i have spoken to greg at hunter. the ballast tank is not designed to take any kind of pressue including using a hose to refresh the ballast h20. proceed with caution! dan stardust s/v
ron, i have spoken to greg at hunter. the ballast tank is not designed to take any kind of pressue including using a hose to refresh the ballast h20. proceed with caution! dan stardust s/v
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Rick Webb
Shop-Vac
I think this is a good news bad news deal. Some time ago there was a similar discussion and one person mentioned that he used a shop-vac to blow the water out. With the valve open and the nozzle in the vent hole the is enough pressure to force the water out. I very much doubt that there is enough pressure nor a good enough seal between the hose and the tank to do any damage. Hopefully these things were engineered enough to take the expansion of the water and air in the tank when the temperature rises from the 40s when we put the boats back in the water to the 90s or above in the middle of the summer. I have removed the vent and gotten a face full of air from the thing. The bad news is I doubt it will raise your boat up enough to make a significant change. Let us know what you come up with.
I think this is a good news bad news deal. Some time ago there was a similar discussion and one person mentioned that he used a shop-vac to blow the water out. With the valve open and the nozzle in the vent hole the is enough pressure to force the water out. I very much doubt that there is enough pressure nor a good enough seal between the hose and the tank to do any damage. Hopefully these things were engineered enough to take the expansion of the water and air in the tank when the temperature rises from the 40s when we put the boats back in the water to the 90s or above in the middle of the summer. I have removed the vent and gotten a face full of air from the thing. The bad news is I doubt it will raise your boat up enough to make a significant change. Let us know what you come up with.
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Mark
I think
I think Ron means a 12 volt water pump to suck the water out? I so I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work. A hose placed in the vent hole but I think be prepared to wait a while.. There sure is a lot of water to pump out!
I think Ron means a 12 volt water pump to suck the water out? I so I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work. A hose placed in the vent hole but I think be prepared to wait a while.. There sure is a lot of water to pump out!
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Crazy Dave Condon
trouble?
The responses are right on. Now for another item. No water and the boat bobs like a cork. If you have alot of folks on the boat and they are on top of the boat without water, will there be a repeat of the MacGregor 26X that went over without water in the ballast and two kids were drowned? Think seriously and you may want to consider spending some money and get a good slip somewhere. Crazy Dave Condon
The responses are right on. Now for another item. No water and the boat bobs like a cork. If you have alot of folks on the boat and they are on top of the boat without water, will there be a repeat of the MacGregor 26X that went over without water in the ballast and two kids were drowned? Think seriously and you may want to consider spending some money and get a good slip somewhere. Crazy Dave Condon
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Ron Mehringer
Clarification
Just to clarify, I'm looking to pump the water out with a hose as opposed to blowing the water out with air pressure. So, no risk of damage to boat. The H26 is along side a 50' pier and tidal range is about 6". At low tide she touches bottom just enough to keep me from backing out. Looking to raise her an inch or two, back her out, flood tank, and let people board from end of dock. See picture.
Just to clarify, I'm looking to pump the water out with a hose as opposed to blowing the water out with air pressure. So, no risk of damage to boat. The H26 is along side a 50' pier and tidal range is about 6". At low tide she touches bottom just enough to keep me from backing out. Looking to raise her an inch or two, back her out, flood tank, and let people board from end of dock. See picture.
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Rick Webb
I Did it Once
Using a pump that goes on a drill using my cordless drill. Stuck one end of the hose through the vent hole the otherin the sink. It took an awful long time. I did have another thought on the shop-vac though how about one of the big air pumps for inflateables. If one was concerned about too much pressure you could feel it as you pumped. If the valve is open you would need a huge volume of air to create any problems.
Using a pump that goes on a drill using my cordless drill. Stuck one end of the hose through the vent hole the otherin the sink. It took an awful long time. I did have another thought on the shop-vac though how about one of the big air pumps for inflateables. If one was concerned about too much pressure you could feel it as you pumped. If the valve is open you would need a huge volume of air to create any problems.
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Bob Fliegel
Bilge Pump
Dear Ron, last fall when I took my boat out of the water, I had some (minor) problems getting the boat properly on the trailer. Even with the trailer extension out all the way, it was tough getting her on the trailer straight. This year I was going to try to connect a hose from the bilge pump to the water tank vent. I have a half hour trip from my boat slip to the boat ramp, and since the motor will be running, my battery should have plenty of power to pump a good portion of the water out of the tank. I figure there is approximately 200 gallons of water and whatever I can get out should make it easier to get the boat on the trailer. Secondly, I always wanted to know if the bilge pump really works, this might just be a good annual test. I only keep fresh water (and a little lemon scented bleach) in my W/B tank so I don't think I will be doing any damage to the pump.
Dear Ron, last fall when I took my boat out of the water, I had some (minor) problems getting the boat properly on the trailer. Even with the trailer extension out all the way, it was tough getting her on the trailer straight. This year I was going to try to connect a hose from the bilge pump to the water tank vent. I have a half hour trip from my boat slip to the boat ramp, and since the motor will be running, my battery should have plenty of power to pump a good portion of the water out of the tank. I figure there is approximately 200 gallons of water and whatever I can get out should make it easier to get the boat on the trailer. Secondly, I always wanted to know if the bilge pump really works, this might just be a good annual test. I only keep fresh water (and a little lemon scented bleach) in my W/B tank so I don't think I will be doing any damage to the pump.
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Tom
Foot pump...
With my previous WB boat -- a MAC 26 (sailboat, not motorsailor) -- I had to get into a shallow ramp a few times. I used a bellows type foot pump, like those used to pump up inflatable boats, to blow air into the ballast tank to displace water through the open valve. Here is the procedure: 1. Open the valve all the way. 2. open the vent hole. 3. Insert output hose from pump into vent hole. 4. Have spouse operate foot pump. If your spouse stops to rest, plug the vent hole so the water doesn't come back in. Actually, I did this singlehandely, and wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis -- too much work. An electric pump (low pressure, hi volume) could be used, but there is probably greater risk to damaging the ballast tank. I know people who use a 12 volt pump to pump the water out the vent hole and into the sink using a small diameter hose. In this case the valve is left closed. You need to make sure that there is enough space around the hose so that air can get into replace the water you are pumping out. As noted in a previous post, the boat is much less stable without full ballast. Fair winds, Tom
With my previous WB boat -- a MAC 26 (sailboat, not motorsailor) -- I had to get into a shallow ramp a few times. I used a bellows type foot pump, like those used to pump up inflatable boats, to blow air into the ballast tank to displace water through the open valve. Here is the procedure: 1. Open the valve all the way. 2. open the vent hole. 3. Insert output hose from pump into vent hole. 4. Have spouse operate foot pump. If your spouse stops to rest, plug the vent hole so the water doesn't come back in. Actually, I did this singlehandely, and wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis -- too much work. An electric pump (low pressure, hi volume) could be used, but there is probably greater risk to damaging the ballast tank. I know people who use a 12 volt pump to pump the water out the vent hole and into the sink using a small diameter hose. In this case the valve is left closed. You need to make sure that there is enough space around the hose so that air can get into replace the water you are pumping out. As noted in a previous post, the boat is much less stable without full ballast. Fair winds, Tom
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Dave Royce
Centerboard
Do you get stuck with centerboard up? If that is the case then you sitting on the bottom. If not the case way not raise the centerboard prior to entering the slip to give yourself the clearance needed from the bottom.
Do you get stuck with centerboard up? If that is the case then you sitting on the bottom. If not the case way not raise the centerboard prior to entering the slip to give yourself the clearance needed from the bottom.
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Ron Mehringer
cb is up
The centerboard is up, as is the rudder. The bottom is very soft, and the rocking of the boat in the waves actually washes the mud away from under the cb, so the boat never really sits full on the bottom. But the bottom aft of the cb doesn't get disturbed and can cause the boat to get hung up as we back out. Or the boat will drift sideways a bit after the lines are let off, thus leaving the "channel" and get hung up. Raising the boat a couple of inches by removing ballast should be enough to let me get out. Ron Mehringer s/v Hydro-Therapy
The centerboard is up, as is the rudder. The bottom is very soft, and the rocking of the boat in the waves actually washes the mud away from under the cb, so the boat never really sits full on the bottom. But the bottom aft of the cb doesn't get disturbed and can cause the boat to get hung up as we back out. Or the boat will drift sideways a bit after the lines are let off, thus leaving the "channel" and get hung up. Raising the boat a couple of inches by removing ballast should be enough to let me get out. Ron Mehringer s/v Hydro-Therapy
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Frank Ladd
I think it is worth about to inches maybe three
On my 23.5 It will raise it about two or three inches. As long as the bottom valve is open the pressure cannot build any higher than the pressure would be if you open the bottom valve without openning the vent. Use a low pessure Hig volume air pump until you see bubbles come up the side of the hull. Make a placard that says ballast empty and keep the weight low in the boat until you get in deep enough water to fill the tank. If you forget to open the ballast tank the boat will remind you and it may be dangerous and costly. Why not use your motor to push some of the mud/sand from under the slip instead? I know a lot of marginal slips that are dredged with a small outboard each spring.
On my 23.5 It will raise it about two or three inches. As long as the bottom valve is open the pressure cannot build any higher than the pressure would be if you open the bottom valve without openning the vent. Use a low pessure Hig volume air pump until you see bubbles come up the side of the hull. Make a placard that says ballast empty and keep the weight low in the boat until you get in deep enough water to fill the tank. If you forget to open the ballast tank the boat will remind you and it may be dangerous and costly. Why not use your motor to push some of the mud/sand from under the slip instead? I know a lot of marginal slips that are dredged with a small outboard each spring.
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Rick Webb
330 GPH
How long is it going to take to pump the tank out? I would bet you do not get more than 250 GPH out of it after lifting the water up to the pump and then pushing it higher and up over the side. How long till the tide comes back in? How about borrowing a powerboat and running it in and out of the slip. One other thing I've noticed on mine is that the centerboard drags through the mud much better going forward than back. Maybe just mooring stern in will make the difference. I was in the same situation as you a couple of years ago until our marina was dredged out. I am pulling for you man.
How long is it going to take to pump the tank out? I would bet you do not get more than 250 GPH out of it after lifting the water up to the pump and then pushing it higher and up over the side. How long till the tide comes back in? How about borrowing a powerboat and running it in and out of the slip. One other thing I've noticed on mine is that the centerboard drags through the mud much better going forward than back. Maybe just mooring stern in will make the difference. I was in the same situation as you a couple of years ago until our marina was dredged out. I am pulling for you man.
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Jeff Peltier
Drill the Vent hole out!!
and put a bigger plug in, then you could get a reasonable size hose down there to pump the water out. Jeff Peltier
and put a bigger plug in, then you could get a reasonable size hose down there to pump the water out. Jeff Peltier
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