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DIY Ballast System
I finally got my ballast system installed, I'll post pics when I take them later!
However, the one problem I had with it was the front bags filling while the boat was moving and the pump was off. Anybody have any ideas on how to combat this? I'm running a T-manifold with two pumps coming off of the drain plug in the hull. The hoses for both pumps run forward about 6 feet then one goes through the gunwale to the back and one splits into the two front bags. The hose going to the two front bags is the one I have a problem with. I was confused about why they fill and not the bag in the back of the boat but one theory is that the hose going to the back of the boat takes a pretty high path to get back there (up around steering wheel height) and the hose to the front bags does not. Think if I just make the hose going to the front bags take a higher route it will be an easy fix to the problem?
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Yes, if you ensure the front fill hose takes a route that puts it above the level of your front bags, it should fix your problem. Another thing you can do is install a vented loop in the hose.
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The hose going to the front does go a little above the sacs, probably about 5 or 6 inches, but I was just thinking it needs to be higher
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So I made a pretty tall loop for the front bags and that solved the problem of them filling when I don't want them to. However, I now have the problem of the rear bag filling when I don't want it to, a problem I didn't have before. I just can't win!
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Okay here are some pictures finally, not the greatest but you guys will get the idea. I'm still having problems with the rear bag filling as we're underway. However, I've been too busy to do anything about it like buying a vented loop so I've just been turning my ball valve off and on. I have absolutely loved having all of the extra room in the boat. Let me know what you think! And I just realized I didn't take a picture of the switch panel so I'll have to do that later.
http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/z...r/IMG_4521.jpg
http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/z...r/IMG_4520.jpg
http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/z...r/IMG_4519.jpg
http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/z...r/IMG_4518.jpg
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Oh and the reason the seat is all messed up in the back starboard corner in that last picture is because I got really anxious while putting the system in that I didn't put the seat back together fully and the sac pushed it up a little. Now I have it all screwed down and everything looks great.
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Looks pretty good. So how much total weight are you running?
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It honestly only comes out to around 700 lbs.. but I'm usually riding with close to 8 people every time so the wake is usually very nice. When I surf I throw another sac alongside the doghouse and I put that ball valve on the front right sac so I can just fill the left side and run around 1000 lbs in the back and left side. We surfed yesterday and the wave was killer, I'm SO satisfied with the project and SO happy I did it. I'm one who absolutely hates a cluttered boat.
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Not too shabby. I've got a bag under my seat, one in the ski locker and two that I put down in the bilge area under the cooler (that I opened up more during the rebuild). I'm getting in the ballpark of 1300# and it throws a pretty good wake.
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That's pretty cool that you got under there, that's a whole lot of unused space up there. I kinda thought I would end up putting a bag in the ski locker like yourself and wakemikey have done.. but so far I'm very satisfied with the wake and I love to slalom ski so having that locker is a big plus for me. We'll see how it goes though.
