Adding ballast to 2008 22Ve - mls6722

[mls6722]

I had an interesting experience yesterday - while emptying the port sac, the kids were swimming and getting on and off the boat. I thought it was strange when I saw a small puddle on the port side floor, but first thought was all these kids were dripping alot of water. Next I looked at the drain through hull fitting and noticed nothing was coming out. I opened the locker to find several inches of water above the bag and a disconnected vent line (on the downstream side of the check valve between the drain and vent). The bilge was quite full and the automatic bilge pump did not come on. I now have a clean bilge . The clamps are the plastic ratcheting type and I just reinstalled them and tightened them all. No real harm. Good idea to make sure you have a functioning bilge pump. I also carry the Tsunami that I used to use to manually fill sacs. It came in handy to speed the process of getting the water out of the bilge.

[IDBoating]

I looked at the drain through hull fitting and noticed nothing was coming out.

One of the reasons I really like my above-the-rubrail drain thruhulls... the water flow (or, in your case, the lack of it!) is very obvious. It helps to keep you aware of what is happening with the ballast system. Here's a photo:

The bilge was quite full and the automatic bilge pump did not come on. Good idea to make sure you have a functioning bilge pump.

Was the pump itself nonfunctional, or just its switch? Were you able to manually turn on the bilge pump at the helm and have it start pumping? (If your pump motor itself failed, I have solution for that coming soon... stay tuned!)

I also carry the Tsunami that I used to use to manually fill sacs. It came in handy to speed the process of getting the water out of the bilge.

Yep, excellent idea. We do exactly the same thing and it's one of the reasons I bought the Tsunami pump in the first place: As a last-ditch backup to get rid of all that water. Might take a long time but as long as I have a cigarette lighter outlet whose fuse is good we'll be able to dump the water. I think having a standalone ballast pump is an essential insurance policy on any boat with a ballast system. I'd hate to try to get a fully ballasted boat on its trailer in an emergency!

[majestic]

Sorry for your Troubles MLS, but good tip on the tsunami.

It seems every contest we keep trying to sink the Z3's when hoses are not connected or someone removes a fitting and doesn't put it back. Trust me it takes a while to even begin to sink a Tige��

I complete understand the concept of the above rail through hulls but they sure are ugly up there .02. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

[IDBoating]

I complete understand the concept of the above rail through hulls but they sure are ugly up there.

Yet I've actually gotten compliments on them... "Wow, those look factory!" and stuff like that. I wasn't going for appearance, though. My focus on putting them there was to insure no passive draining without having to cross the hoses to the opposite side. They work perfectly, AND they give the driver a solid visual indication of what's happening during draining.

One more thing: They're great for hosing down an unsuspecting surfer or boarder as you pull up next to them . It's the last thing on their mind... you slide up next to them... hit the switch... and they get a nice fat one inch stream of water right in the face or on the head. Entertains the folks who are waiting for their turn in the rotation!

[docdsc64]

I have read many of your posts. Thank you for responding. So, would installing a 3rd impeller pump to a "t" splitter, connected to each bow sack, solve the bow filling/draining solution? Where would the bow intake best be placed? MLS6722 used aerator pumps to fill, and a pump on each sack/tank to drain. I want to keep the installation clean, reliable and as simple as possible. Using larger hoses decreases resistance, so could I fill the bow sacks from the vent lines from the rear sacks, and install drain pumps in the bow compartments?

[chpthril]

So, would installing a 3rd impeller pump to a "t" splitter, connected to each bow sack, solve the bow filling/draining solution?

Yes, you can split the flow from a single pump, whether its an impeller pump and aerator, to two bow sacs. With a check valve in the vent line, an impeller pump would also drain the two sacs.

Where would the bow intake best be placed

3 impeller pumps can easily be fed by a single 1.25" thru-hull with a 3-way common manifold. Or 2 can share a single 1" with a 2-way manifold.

Using larger hoses decreases resistance, so could I fill the bow sacks from the vent lines from the rear sacks, and install drain pumps in the bow compartments

In theory, it will work. In practical application, it will work. It will still be slow, heres why. yes, larger hose reduces friction, but it also holds more water. This adds to the head-pressure. Even though impeller pumps are less susceptible to head-pressure than aerator pumps, they still effected. Some once the primary sac is filled, the flow rate through the vent to the secondary sac will not be the same rate, much slower due manly to the distance.

Installing a dedicated drain pump would solve the draining hurdle.

[docdsc64]

It makes sense to me to use 1 1/8 inch through hull connected to a ball valve ,connected to a manifold with three outputs to, 3 separate pumps. One pump to each rear sack and one pump split to the two front sacks. It looks cool having all the vents together but is it better to have the vents as close to the sacks as possible?

[skippabcool]

It looks cool having all the vents together but is it better to have the vents as close to the sacks as possible?

Most of us have cross vented (taken the vent from the sac on one side and venting it to the opposite side of the boat) either by design or taken the factory and cross vented so that there is no passive draining.