Chris-

Your diagram looks good, and I don't see anything I would recommend changing. We have a lot of customers doing simple aerator pump based ballast systems like this, so I think you'll be really happy with the results.

Just a couple of comments:

- With only two fill pumps you won't really need a "manifold", you'll basically just need to split the supply to feed two pumps using one of our intake tee fittings.

- As long as you have a ball valve attached directly to your thru-hull you don't need to use bronze (definitely don't use brass in a boat, it will corrode), and plastic is cheaper and lighter.

- Depending on what size pumps you're planning on using for filling that may necessitate upgrading to a larger intake.

- You have a check valve between the fill pump and bow bags, but you're missing one between the fill pump and rear bag, so add one more to your parts list.

- Assuming that you will always be filling and draining both bow bags at the same rate (since you have a single common fill pump), you could combine the two vents and two drains together, instead of combining the vent and drain from each bag. That would allow you to lose the check valves, which would reduce your cost by ~$30 (if you buy the check valves from us).

Quote Originally Posted by Fman View Post
I am getting ready to install a similar surf system in my VLX, I also found out wakemakers has changed up a couple items. You will need a one way check valve on the fill lines to the bags, apparently when the boat is driving it is sucking water out of the bags once water is filled in them. The water flowing under the boat creates a negative drag and pulls water out.

They are also not recommending using "vented loops" anymore. If you run the fill line up and over the rear compartment area (as high up as possible) you will not get any water in the bags when driving the boat.
Careful making blanket statements with the information we give you, our conversation regarding check valves vs. vented loops was specific to your setup, and certainly doesn't apply to all systems.

Quote Originally Posted by Fman View Post
They also are now selling the RULE 1100GPH tournament series ballast pump, which has a 3/4" NPT thread to 1" outlet. I am going with these pumps, they put out about 18GPM which is really good, you will fill a 750lb sac in about 5 minutes. Also going to use them for the drain pumps. I think they run about $50 a piece.
We've been really impressed with these pumps so far, and while they're a little more than a 1200GPH Attwood Tsunami, they don't require any additional adapters to install (so the net price is essentially identical), take up less space, and they include both the straight and elbow discharge fitting, which is a huge advantage when installing the system.