I have recently purchased a 23.5 water ballasted sailboat. My question is when filling the tank do you have to open the valve or can you just remove the drain plug? The manual says to open the valve but the guy I purchased it from said we only need to remove the drain plug. How full does the ballast need to be? When I look into the drain plug hole it doesn't fill up all the way! Thanks for any help you can give!
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Ron M
You should open the valve, and vent plug, to fill the ballast tank. If the boat is filling with just the vent plug open, then either the valve isn't closed or not sealing right. If the boat is out of the water, check the seal on the valve plate and check to see that the plate is mating flush with the hull. On my h26, the flooding of the tank stops on its own, before coming out of the vent. Ron Mehringer h26 Hyrdo-Therap
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Darren Mayes
Open valve
If it fills up with the valve closed, wouldn't that mean that there is some other opening (crack) in the water ballast somewhere? The air being replaced by the water has to go somewhere. If the tank is able to fill completely with the valve closed - the valve is probably faulty or you may need to check for leaks from the ballast tank - it could be cracked.
If it fills up with the valve closed, wouldn't that mean that there is some other opening (crack) in the water ballast somewhere? The air being replaced by the water has to go somewhere. If the tank is able to fill completely with the valve closed - the valve is probably faulty or you may need to check for leaks from the ballast tank - it could be cracked.
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Mike Collins
The Owner's manual shows the valve arrangement, which is a simple plate with a gasket adjacent to the centerboard. It should be watertight when closed. The only way water will enter is with the valve open and the vent plug pulled out on top in the recess by the ladder to the cabin. You will hear the air rush out the vent like crazy with the boat in the water and the vent open. The bouyancy of the boat prevents the water from rising above the cabin floor level, (it won't sink). By the same token to drain the ballast when you pull the boat out, the vent plug needs to be pulled to allow air to enter (like the vent on a plastic water jug, or gas can). Air in, water out and visa versa. Be sure to close the valve, which pulls the plate up, when the ballast tank is full (not taking any more water). The tank holds approximately 120 gallons of water (1,000 pounds). Be sure also to put the vent plug in when sailing, as the water moves with the boat and can come up the vent if you have the boat heeled excessively. Another thought is to add some Clorox to the water thru the vent hole if you leave the boat in the water for an extended period. The water left untreated can get really stinky. Mike Collins Yacht "C" 1993 23.5
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alan
you don't want it to fill all the way to the top..
...of the VENT HOLE. The tank is considered full when the level is a few inches below the level of the hole which is exactly equal to the waterline of the hull. NEVER drive (sail) the boat with the tank partly full as the ballast (water) will shift to the lee side and tip the boat. Sail at your own risk without any ballast. As the others said you may have a problem with the sealing of the tank valve on the bottom of the boat which can make the boat unstable if water leaks out when heeling hard. alan
...of the VENT HOLE. The tank is considered full when the level is a few inches below the level of the hole which is exactly equal to the waterline of the hull. NEVER drive (sail) the boat with the tank partly full as the ballast (water) will shift to the lee side and tip the boat. Sail at your own risk without any ballast. As the others said you may have a problem with the sealing of the tank valve on the bottom of the boat which can make the boat unstable if water leaks out when heeling hard. alan
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Karen Stone
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Rick Macdonald
How to tell when the ballast is full
Place the corner of a piece of toilet paper over the little vent hole. When the ballast is filling with water the air pushing out the vent hole makes the paper flip up. When the paper settles down flat, the tank is full. If the boat is already in the water you can still open the valve and vent and do this test. Sounds like overkill but I closed the bottom valve too early the first season with my H23.5 and the boat was not very stable! ...RickM...
Place the corner of a piece of toilet paper over the little vent hole. When the ballast is filling with water the air pushing out the vent hole makes the paper flip up. When the paper settles down flat, the tank is full. If the boat is already in the water you can still open the valve and vent and do this test. Sounds like overkill but I closed the bottom valve too early the first season with my H23.5 and the boat was not very stable! ...RickM...
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lberra
ballast valve
With my 93 23.5 often when I go to open my ballast valve. after breaking the wing nut loose I have to give a tap the top to get it to break free then the valve drops down. I do the reverse when closing it I have to pull the stem and wing nut up then tighten.
With my 93 23.5 often when I go to open my ballast valve. after breaking the wing nut loose I have to give a tap the top to get it to break free then the valve drops down. I do the reverse when closing it I have to pull the stem and wing nut up then tighten.
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