A question - and don't laugh too loud!

[tg0824SSVGG]

Hey all,

As I have told you many times - we don't use the ballast bags very often
in my boat- as we rarely surf, and for hydrofoiling - you really just don't need
it.

In general, around here - they are so particular about what your boat
has, due to the quagga/zebra mussles, if you have your bags even ON the
boat, you get the "vinyl glove" inspection/treatment, so I leave them at home,
as I did for this last outing.

Over this past weekend, we were riding in some VERY VERY rough conditions,
beating the crap out of us - but we had to get out of the storm. All of the
sudden the bilge starts pumping like mad, and I thought "crap, I cracked
the boat"!!!

At this time, I noticed my phone had come OUT OF THE RAM holder, that is
so tight I can hardly get it in and out when I want to -- I look down to find it
and notice that the damn fill pump for the left rear bag is on. Wifey opens
the compartment, to find 3+ inches of water in there, bilge pump
going crazy.

SO - my question to all of you. Could I easily make a short tube that has
the appropriate quick connect/disconnect things on it to just hook the
in and out hoses together for my bags, so if it accidentally gets turned
on again, it's just pumping the water OUT instead of filling up the boat?

I really would rather not pull the fuses/breakers, because I will forget
I did that and then be all pissy when I want them to work and they don't.

Thoughts? It's funny now - but that water was SO rough, I really
did think I had busted the boat ...

Todd

[Matt Laird]

Why don't you just shut the manual valve before the ballist pump...

[tg0824SSVGG]

hmm - forgot about that (and actually THOUGHT it was closed!) -- like I said, don't laugh too loud!

[Okie Boarder]

If he shuts the valve and turns on the switch, would he possibly burn up pumps?

Some other options could be...

Cap the lines.

Put in a master switch that can't be bumped to kill power to the whole system.

[edgewater1]

airplane toggles, they wont get accidentally turned on"
http://www.hrpworld.com/index.cfm?tpc=Toggle_Switch_-_HD_with_Flip-Up_Cover&form_prod_id=130,53_1180&action=product

[Fman]

You could run a quick disconnect line from the fill fitting to the drain line fitting, if it was ever to come on again it would just run out the drain line. Or as someone else mentioned just turn off your manual valve. The RULE pump can run dry and it wont hurt anything.

[ScottnAz]

The RULE pump can run dry and it wont hurt anything.
That's the beauty of the aerator style pumps, like Rule and Tsunami, you can't do any damage by running them dry.
I like the idea of the quick connect fitting or hose to connect the fill and drain, that way you'll know to (have to) remove the hose when you want to put the bags back in.

[tg0824SSVGG]

Travis, you just described what I was asking about -- now, to figure it out. ...
Any ideas where to buy the connectors?

[ScottnAz]

good ole' wakemakers

[jzelt]

Or just get a few feet of hose and some hose clamps. It would be cheaper than the fittings and shipping.