I'm taking delievery of a "new to me" 260 this week (I hope) and plan to put her right in the water. Once lanched, I don't expect to take her out again for at least a year+. Question is, given this, what are the thoughts as too filling the ballast the normal way (with salt water)and adding bleach vs. trying to fill with fresh water and adding bleach. Logic seems to be that I'm better off with fresh water with no "stuff" growing in it and no issue of leaving salt residue but if so, how "easy" is it to fill with fresh water via the vent? Please be gentle to a new Hunter owner! Fair winds, Bill
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vent
Even the "fresh" water from our lake is putrid after awhile. I think ours has been in the water a year, we bought it in Nov, and just moved to another slip. I opened the vent once and the stench would knock a buzzard off a manure wagon. I poured some bleach in and it seems to have helped, best solution is not to open the vent. As for filling the tank through the vent, you would have to have a hose small enough to allow air to escape from the vent as water fills the tank. The vent is pretty small as it is. It would take alot of water and with a small diameter hose, I am guessing < 1/2 inch, it would take forever to fill it. Should be doable though.
Even the "fresh" water from our lake is putrid after awhile. I think ours has been in the water a year, we bought it in Nov, and just moved to another slip. I opened the vent once and the stench would knock a buzzard off a manure wagon. I poured some bleach in and it seems to have helped, best solution is not to open the vent. As for filling the tank through the vent, you would have to have a hose small enough to allow air to escape from the vent as water fills the tank. The vent is pretty small as it is. It would take alot of water and with a small diameter hose, I am guessing < 1/2 inch, it would take forever to fill it. Should be doable though.
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Paul Akers
Consider the weight
Consider the weight of the water. Salt water is more dense that fresh water and weighs more. I don't know how many gallons the ballast tanks hold, but I'd go with what's recommended by the mfg.
Consider the weight of the water. Salt water is more dense that fresh water and weighs more. I don't know how many gallons the ballast tanks hold, but I'd go with what's recommended by the mfg.
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Rick Webb
I Fill Mine With A Hose
I have been filling with a hose and adding a gallon of bleach every year for the last five years, never a whiff of odor. I Bought a handy little gadget for RV tank filling that has a lenght of 1/2" pvc hose atached to a shut off valve. The Valve hole is the same diameter as the hose threads. The first time I filled mine with the hose after the tank got full and started spraying water out I pulled the hose out of the hole and water erupted from the vent hole. Seems I had pressurized the tank some as there was not enough room for the air to escape from around the hose as the water filled the tank. I through the end of the hose out of the boat and jumped up to go turn the water off. As I exited the boat the hose reentered. I was sure I had as much water in the boat as in the tank when it was all done. Get or make the tank filling contraption is the best advice I can give.
I have been filling with a hose and adding a gallon of bleach every year for the last five years, never a whiff of odor. I Bought a handy little gadget for RV tank filling that has a lenght of 1/2" pvc hose atached to a shut off valve. The Valve hole is the same diameter as the hose threads. The first time I filled mine with the hose after the tank got full and started spraying water out I pulled the hose out of the hole and water erupted from the vent hole. Seems I had pressurized the tank some as there was not enough room for the air to escape from around the hose as the water filled the tank. I through the end of the hose out of the boat and jumped up to go turn the water off. As I exited the boat the hose reentered. I was sure I had as much water in the boat as in the tank when it was all done. Get or make the tank filling contraption is the best advice I can give.
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crazy dave
if you can fill with tap water
IF you folks only knew what was in the Potomac River near D.C. you would fill with tap water. Suggest doing this but also add bleach too. Micro organisms will grow and die even in the abscence of sunlight and oxygen. If you do not treat, just open up the vent and you will run for dear life. If only I could patent the smell, I have a few folks that deserve the smell.
IF you folks only knew what was in the Potomac River near D.C. you would fill with tap water. Suggest doing this but also add bleach too. Micro organisms will grow and die even in the abscence of sunlight and oxygen. If you do not treat, just open up the vent and you will run for dear life. If only I could patent the smell, I have a few folks that deserve the smell.
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BillP.
RV gadget??
SO, when you connect this RV thing to a garden hose it steps down to a size that both fits in the vent whole and allows space to vent air? Bill
SO, when you connect this RV thing to a garden hose it steps down to a size that both fits in the vent whole and allows space to vent air? Bill
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Robert Avent
small diameter garden hose
I just put a small diameter cheap garden hose down the vent hole, opened the valve on the bottom and let it run slowly for half hour, then closed the valve and the vent hole. No pressure on ballast tank, just gravity made the stinky water run out the bottom to be replaced by tap water.
I just put a small diameter cheap garden hose down the vent hole, opened the valve on the bottom and let it run slowly for half hour, then closed the valve and the vent hole. No pressure on ballast tank, just gravity made the stinky water run out the bottom to be replaced by tap water.
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Rick Webb
Exactly Bill
You could do the same thing by cutting the end of the hose off but you still would not have the vale to turn off the hose. You could kink the hose to turn it off I guess. This gadget made it real simple. I'll try to take a picure of it tomorrow. I already promised someone a picture of my new stern rail but did not go out there because of the rain today.
You could do the same thing by cutting the end of the hose off but you still would not have the vale to turn off the hose. You could kink the hose to turn it off I guess. This gadget made it real simple. I'll try to take a picure of it tomorrow. I already promised someone a picture of my new stern rail but did not go out there because of the rain today.
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BillP.
Thanks! Rick
I'd appreciate the photo - where did you pick up the gadget - I thought it was a stupid question to ask until I saw that we are apparently neighbors!! I have a Catalina 270 at the docks near Guiseppies (SP) in Niceville! Thanks again, Bill
I'd appreciate the photo - where did you pick up the gadget - I thought it was a stupid question to ask until I saw that we are apparently neighbors!! I have a Catalina 270 at the docks near Guiseppies (SP) in Niceville! Thanks again, Bill
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Rick Webb
Guiseppi's I Know it Well
I bought mine at the Base Exchange here at Eglin but I think they have the same thing at Wally World. I'm in the book give me a call if you can not find one you can use mine and then figure out if it worth the three buck investment yourself.
I bought mine at the Base Exchange here at Eglin but I think they have the same thing at Wally World. I'm in the book give me a call if you can not find one you can use mine and then figure out if it worth the three buck investment yourself.
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Dan Connelly
salt weight
The weight of the salt in a full ballast tank of average sea water should be about 60 to 70 pounds. This should not change stability much. It might make a difference if you want to lighten the boat for racing.
The weight of the salt in a full ballast tank of average sea water should be about 60 to 70 pounds. This should not change stability much. It might make a difference if you want to lighten the boat for racing.
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Paul Akers
salt weight
Since the boat is designed for use in either fresh or salt environment, then I would assume that either type is allowable. I'm not familiar with the water-ballast models, but is there a way to take in the ambient water for ballast? Or must it be "hosed" in? If it must be "hosed" in, then I would think that the specification would be for fresh water to be used.
Since the boat is designed for use in either fresh or salt environment, then I would assume that either type is allowable. I'm not familiar with the water-ballast models, but is there a way to take in the ambient water for ballast? Or must it be "hosed" in? If it must be "hosed" in, then I would think that the specification would be for fresh water to be used.
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Ron Mehringer
Paul
Paul - The wb boats have a hole in the bottom of the hull which is covered by a metal disc. The disc acts like a valve and is on the end of a threaded rod. When you turn a wingnut inside the boat, the plate moves away from the hull and allows water to flood the tank. Flooding via hose can be done, but is not standard practice. Ron Mehringer h26 Hydro-Therapy
Paul - The wb boats have a hole in the bottom of the hull which is covered by a metal disc. The disc acts like a valve and is on the end of a threaded rod. When you turn a wingnut inside the boat, the plate moves away from the hull and allows water to flood the tank. Flooding via hose can be done, but is not standard practice. Ron Mehringer h26 Hydro-Therapy
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