Ballast System Fill/Empty Questions/ Tips:

[murphini]

Had ballast system installed in our 2007 24ve for wakesurfing over winter after 2 summers of "almost" surfing with too little ballast that I had to manually fill/empty with a 12v pump.

New system is
-2 Jabsco reversible pumps with dashboard switches,
-2 Enzo bags w/check valves to route the water out the side vs. bottom when emptying.

Boat still in storage so I'm looking to learn from current users on best ways to use system when I finally get around to launching for this season.

I have both regular and goofy riders.

1. Filling Questions:
Do you have to be stopped to fill or can it be done while moving?
If moving, how fast can you be going and still filling a side?

My thought is we'd fill a side as we are driving (at slow speed?) to where we will surf if possible.

2. Emptying:
Same question-I assume you can empty while underway. The boat will be listing so obviously you won't be driving fast. Or I assume I can head toward dock and empty while underway.

How much water will be left in the bags when "empty"? I assume you watching the exit stream and turn off pump when it starts faltering...

3. Switching from Goofy to Regular
Any experience people have on how long it takes to switch sides or best sequence of "HOW TO" empty one side/fill the other, let me know.

4. Which side will surf wake be better on?
In my minds eye it seems that if one side produced a great wake, would a good surfer want to darkside a better wave or wait for the ballast to be moved to own wave on their preferred side?

5. Any pump/intake/switch maintenance or "watch out for" tips appreciated.

Someday (soon) I hope to be the guy posting ANSWERS for others from my vast experiences instead of posting QUESTIONS for all my vast inexperience!

[G-MONEY]

1. Depends on on where your water intake is. I can fill wile under way 5MPH with the scoop intake under the boat in the reverse position.
2. Yes no problems, and not much the pumps and check valves will create a vacuum to get most of the water out.
3. Since you are emptying out the side of your boat you can fill one side wile draining the other.
4. Port side will always be better then the dark side wave. Have you rider wait to surf his/her normal side.
5. Impellers in the pumps will go bad after a few years.

[chadster2]

1) Where are you intake?
2) True
3) Just tell people to switch side
4) Port
5) A) Filling while boat is in muck like trash...
b) Don’t put full boat on trailer
c) make rope short and bring it in soon

[jbort]

when surfing - DO NOT USE A REGULAR ROPE WITH ENCLOSED HANDLE. when surfing because of slow sped its real easy for a hand or arm to get caught in the handle ……YIKES LOOK OUT….. the rider gets dragged and seriously messed up because the boat cannot stop quickly with all the weight. Although the slow speed is advantageous for surfing wipeouts because the falls are much gentler, its lots easier for hands to get stuck in the handle when the hands go flying. Remember the boat is moving lots slower vs skiing or wakeboarding typically 15-25 mph vs surfing which is typically 8-11 mph. The solution is to use special surf ropes w special handle or a knotted rope w no handle or rope like this w stubby handle and no enclosure:
http://www.wakenskate.com/wakeboard/...tted-2010.html

Theres a super ugly post somewhere of a guy who got handle dragged while wakeboarding and nearly had his arm removed - super grisly.



good luck

[majestic]

1. Depends on on where your water intake is. I can fill wile under way 5MPH with the scoop intake under the boat in the reverse position.
2. Yes no problems, and not much the pumps and check valves will create a vacuum to get most of the water out.
3. Since you are emptying out the side of your boat you can fill one side wile draining the other.
4. Port side will always be better then the dark side wave. Have you rider wait to surf his/her normal side.
5. Impellers in the pumps will go bad after a few years.

I would disagree on the comment that the port side will always surf better. I actually think that my Ve wave is better on the darkside!

[murphini]

Thanks for the tips.

-We have a knotted Surf Specific Rope. Agree with that point on NOT using a ski rope or handle rope.
-I'll experiment which side the wake is better on, and post pix.
-It sounds like 5mph is probably a good limit to fill.

Thanks!

[Guapo]

I would disagree on the comment that the port side will always surf better. I actually think that my Ve wave is better on the darkside!

X2

[chpthril]

My in RED

Had ballast system installed in our 2007 24ve for wakesurfing over winter after 2 summers of "almost" surfing with too little ballast that I had to manually fill/empty with a 12v pump.

New system is
-2 Jabsco reversible pumps with dashboard switches,
-2 Enzo bags w/check valves to route the water out the side vs. bottom when emptying.

Boat still in storage so I'm looking to learn from current users on best ways to use system when I finally get around to launching for this season.

I have both regular and goofy riders.

1. Filling Questions:
Do you have to be stopped to fill or can it be done while moving?
If moving, how fast can you be going and still filling a side?

My thought is we'd fill a side as we are driving (at slow speed?) to where we will surf if possible.

It will depend on where the shroom thru-hull was installed. With the Jabsco pumps, you should not have a problem filling under way unless the thru-hull is on the transom or the way forward

2. Emptying:
Same question-I assume you can empty while underway. The boat will be listing so obviously you won't be driving fast. Or I assume I can head toward dock and empty while underway.

It will not like going fast with 1300 lbs on one side, but you should be able to dump while on the move. Ok, that just reminded me of our dogsled ride in AK, funniest thing ever to watch a dog poop on the run

How much water will be left in the bags when "empty"? I assume you watching the exit stream and turn off pump when it starts faltering...

It should not leave much, maybe a gallon or so at most. In theory, the check-valve in the vent line will close off and force the sac to draw a vacuum. as the sac empties, it collapses on itself forcing the water toward the drain outlet. When the stream slows to a trickle, shake! Ok, bodily function joke #2. Well, the 1st was #2, this one was #1 Sorry Just watch the sacs the first few times till you get a feel for how it drains

3. Switching from Goofy to Regular
Any experience people have on how long it takes to switch sides or best sequence of "HOW TO" empty one side/fill the other, let me know.

Flip the full sac to "Drain" and flip the empty sac to "Fill" and relax for a few minutes while the both do their thing. Should take about the same time to empty the one while filling the other and no need to to them one after the other.

4. Which side will surf wake be better on?
In my minds eye it seems that if one side produced a great wake, would a good surfer want to darkside a better wave or wait for the ballast to be moved to own wave on their preferred side?

5. Any pump/intake/switch maintenance or "watch out for" tips appreciated.

When you are done draining, flip the switch back to "Fill for a couple seconds to allow the motor to flip the impeller. This way the impeller fins in the fill position for the next time out instead of in the drain position. If the boat sits for a while, the impeller can stick. This could cause the breaker to trip as the stuck impeller trying to flip is a lot of load.

Someday (soon) I hope to be the guy posting ANSWERS for others from my vast experiences instead of posting QUESTIONS for all my vast inexperience!