I have had my Hunter 240 for just a year and I am finally going to be leaving it in the water starting this month (fresh lake water). I just want to know the best way to handle the water in the ballast, I am thinking that we will need to treat the water, but could use some suggestions. Pulling the boat out every now and then is an option, but would like to do that as little as possible. Thanks everybody.
Water Ballast
- Thread starter Capt Woody
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Slime will build up on the inside, but in fresh water, I can't think of a problem if the valve is closed. Many people keep their water ballast boats in the water all year. Anything you put into the tank will end up in the lake.
Bleach, too
I do the same as Rick, and I'm on fairly fresh water, Lake Erie. I've done it for the last three years and just pulled my 260 today. The draining ballast water had a very faint bleach odor (it's had 1 gallon of bleach in for 5 months) and the water looked clean and clear. A flashlight view into the vent hole showed a very clean tank. Mike
I do the same as Rick, and I'm on fairly fresh water, Lake Erie. I've done it for the last three years and just pulled my 260 today. The draining ballast water had a very faint bleach odor (it's had 1 gallon of bleach in for 5 months) and the water looked clean and clear. A flashlight view into the vent hole showed a very clean tank. Mike
A 1/2 gallon of bleach is what I use on my H260..
One treatment each time you refill your ballast tank and will leave it filled for a long period is sufficient. I often leave it for the season (4 to 5 months) with no treatment in either salt or fresh water. Been doing this for 16 seasons with no problem. However, it is considerably warmer in FL than MA, so I would add the bleach to be safe. Fair winds, Tom
One treatment each time you refill your ballast tank and will leave it filled for a long period is sufficient. I often leave it for the season (4 to 5 months) with no treatment in either salt or fresh water. Been doing this for 16 seasons with no problem. However, it is considerably warmer in FL than MA, so I would add the bleach to be safe. Fair winds, Tom
Bleach
In NJ & PA a 1/2gal of bleach has always been more than enough for my h26. You can always add more but can't take any away. If you don't add bleach things may go fine for quite a while, but then all of a sudden the stink builds up fast. Ron Mehringer h26 Hydro-Therapy
In NJ & PA a 1/2gal of bleach has always been more than enough for my h26. You can always add more but can't take any away. If you don't add bleach things may go fine for quite a while, but then all of a sudden the stink builds up fast. Ron Mehringer h26 Hydro-Therapy
For a Different Reason
When we got our 23.5 in 1993, the curse of the Zebra Muscle, an invasive species, was just becoming known in Lake Erie. Since we trailer our boat between Lake Erie and various smaller inland lakes in Ohio, I was concerned about contributing to the spread of this critter. So, I contacted the people at the Ohio Sea Grant Foundation at Ohio State Univ. They recommended putting 4 ounces of chlorine bleach in the ballast tank on the 23.5, saying that this would be enough to take care of the muscle larvea in the tank, but not enough to do harm to the water life around the boat ramp when the tank was drained. Over an extended period of time (our ballast tank is never full for more than a week), the chlorine will break down and disipate. But I would think that it would be better to add a few ounces every month or so than to dump a larger amount in all at once. Fair Winds, Rob S/V Kinship
When we got our 23.5 in 1993, the curse of the Zebra Muscle, an invasive species, was just becoming known in Lake Erie. Since we trailer our boat between Lake Erie and various smaller inland lakes in Ohio, I was concerned about contributing to the spread of this critter. So, I contacted the people at the Ohio Sea Grant Foundation at Ohio State Univ. They recommended putting 4 ounces of chlorine bleach in the ballast tank on the 23.5, saying that this would be enough to take care of the muscle larvea in the tank, but not enough to do harm to the water life around the boat ramp when the tank was drained. Over an extended period of time (our ballast tank is never full for more than a week), the chlorine will break down and disipate. But I would think that it would be better to add a few ounces every month or so than to dump a larger amount in all at once. Fair Winds, Rob S/V Kinship
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