2006 22ve - Factory Ballast

[TrevorTrav]

Purchased my brand new used 2006 Tige 22ve in Feb. I love it. Now trying to dig into it a little deeper and configure it to surf. The ballast system I have is what the factory installed. Four hard tanks (two rear and two under the consoles). I've done the math based on the size of the tanks, and I know the tanks aren't all square, but can someone tell me what the factory tanks (when filled) weigh?

My math gave me an approximation of 600lbs;

Two 200lb tanks in rear and two 100 lb tanks in front.

I know there's a few guys on here that will know this info...as well as what I need to do to make my boat a better surf machine...I'm all ears, however, not interested in pulling out the current plumbing this season (maybe next). I know I'll sacrifice time to fill with the older pumps, but I don't care...it's time on the water.

Also, can someone settle a debate for me; when the ignition key is rotated to the left...does the engine hour meter still run? (I don't think it does...but a pal of mine thinks so).

Thanks for any help!

[chpthril]

Key to left? not then engine ECM, where the true engine hours are stored, does not accumulate hours.

The factory system for an 06Ve was stated as 900. 400# bow and 250# each rear locker. However, your 06 sounds like a very early 06Ve, and has the ballast system carried over from the retiring V series. It was a little less in the bow.

You can remove the rear hard tanks and install larger sacs. However, the issue will be the factory fill hose reaching the top of a taller sac when filled. Easy right? Just install new hose......except, those pumps are prone to getting brittle with age. When you attempt to remove the old hose, the outlet nipple tends to come off with the hose. You can stack a sac on top of the rear tanks, and gain another 300# or so, and manually fill then with an over the side pump. Downside is, when you get serious about a plumbing upgrade, those sacs arent big enough to give you the weight you need.

[TrevorTrav]

Key to left? not then engine ECM, where the true engine hours are stored, does not accumulate hours.

The factory system for an 06Ve was stated as 900. 400# bow and 250# each rear locker. However, your 06 sounds like a very early 06Ve, and has the ballast system carried over from the retiring V series. It was a little less in the bow.

You can remove the rear hard tanks and install larger sacs. However, the issue will be the factory fill hose reaching the top of a taller sac when filled. Easy right? Just install new hose......except, those pumps are prone to getting brittle with age. When you attempt to remove the old hose, the outlet nipple tends to come off with the hose. You can stack a sac on top of the rear tanks, and gain another 300# or so, and manually fill then with an over the side pump. Downside is, when you get serious about a plumbing upgrade, those sacs arent big enough to give you the weight you need.

Valid info...I'm glad you responded chpthril (I know you're the Mr. Miyagi of anything Tige related)!

Yes, I've noticed the stiffness to the hoses and understand an overhaul on my plumbing is eminent. I've already replaced three pumps which empty my ballast tanks, as well as one of the cartridges they fit into.

The dimensions of my current factory ballast tanks couldn't possibly give me 900#...so I'm sure you're right with my early '06 22ve model.

As for adding sacs in my rear lockers on top of the current hard tank ballasts...I'm concerned with the sizing; my rear port doesn't allow for the same size tank as my rear starboard (rear port side has a "shield" for the gas tank hose and it decreases the amount of space compared to the rear starboard).

In addition, I am concerned if I take out my rear factory ballast hard tanks for a sac that runs from the transom and under the starboard and portside seats, that I will push the sac against the floor speakers (I've thought about building a "shield" for those speaker areas).

I've looked at some options that people mention on this site, along with info from my local SWELL dealer (deals FATSAC), and am SOMEWHAT confident in what I want to do...but again, I'm all ears.

I'm thinking;

Take out rear port and rear starboard factory ballasts and put in Wakemakers 70L x 25W x 10H (710#) sacs in both sides. I will run this off the current pumps (should take 9 min to fill). Also take out the forward port and starboard factory ballasts and put in the FATSAC Brick 16L x 16 W x 16H (150#) in both forward sides. I will run these off the current pumps as well (less than 4 min to fill). I already have 300# of lead bags (6 bags) to put in the bow to assist as well.

Am I out of my mind? Is there another angle I'm not seeing?

At the end of all of this, I can't seem to find rear ballast sacs that will fit real great...

Also, I hate the idea of losing a bunch of storage, but it is what it is...right?

Boats are fun!

[Majr808]

I bought Chpthrill's custom ballasts that go under the seats (L shaped bags like 1300lbs IIRC) for my 05 22v. You are right about them pushing up against the speakers. I had to reconnect the wires once.. not a huge deal if it's once in a while but I could see the wires getting damaged over time.

Rear locker bags really do take up great storage.. My lady was kind of upset with me getting the bags and us no longer having a good place for an ice chest. So I built this little carpeted wooden shelf as a compromise. The shelf holds our ice chest. Takes away the top 14" storage on the starboard side... but we usually only fill that side 50% anyways because most ride port. When we need to fill port 100%, I just pull the shelf off and slide it on the side of the bag and throw the ice chest on top of the bag on the starboard side which is then filled 50%. Kept my lady happy and us surfing a great wave.

[chpthril]

Mr Miyagi didnt just know karate, he could teach. And didnt he tell Daniel-son something about staying away from those large dojos when sourcing your ballast, um I mean, learning Karate

We have a custom 600# cube sac for the rear lockers, so they do not extend under the seats. This puts more weight further back.

Rather then two 150 bricks in the lockers, id suggest the U shaped bow sac under the seats. Will hold a little more weight and be further forward.

[TrevorTrav]

I bought Chpthrill's custom ballasts that go under the seats (L shaped bags like 1300lbs IIRC) for my 05 22v. You are right about them pushing up against the speakers. I had to reconnect the wires once.. not a huge deal if it's once in a while but I could see the wires getting damaged over time.

Rear locker bags really do take up great storage.. My lady was kind of upset with me getting the bags and us no longer having a good place for an ice chest. So I built this little carpeted wooden shelf as a compromise. The shelf holds our ice chest. Takes away the top 14" storage on the starboard side... but we usually only fill that side 50% anyways because most ride port. When we need to fill port 100%, I just pull the shelf off and slide it on the side of the bag and throw the ice chest on top of the bag on the starboard side which is then filled 50%. Kept my lady happy and us surfing a great wave.

Great idea with the shelf, Majr808...I like that.

Yes, I plan to do something to protect the floor speakers. I've got plenty of left over bunk felt to use on the lumber (that was a project too).

[TrevorTrav]

Mr Miyagi didnt just know karate, he could teach. And didnt he tell Daniel-son something about staying away from those large dojos when sourcing your ballast, um I mean, learning Karate

We have a custom 600# cube sac for the rear lockers, so they do not extend under the seats. This puts more weight further back.

Rather then two 150 bricks in the lockers, id suggest the U shaped bow sac under the seats. Will hold a little more weight and be further forward.

Ah yes, and Mr. Miyagi is about to show me the sweep if i don't ask him more about the custom 600# cube sac!

So, what are the dimensions of the 600# cube sac? I'd plan to put one in rear port and rear starboard...

I'd get the bow sac, but my research is telling me that it will bring me about 260#, and I already have six 50# steel shot bags. My plan is to put the steel shot in the bow (and save what little storage it provides).

I saw a valuable post a couple months back about a custom job you did for a client. I saw the dimensions of the custom sacs on a thread titled, "Tige 22VE Custom Fit Ballast Bags" from wooden2402. Those look to fit the exact dimensions of my boat (obviously), but rather than 88" long (under seats)...I'd like to keep the length at 65, if possible...

I'm waxing my boat this week as well...so I may be back for advice...

[chpthril]

The bow will hold far more then 260#. Shy of doing a pair large custom rear surf sacs, id want to use the lead to supplement the smaller rear sacs.

The cube is basically the L shaped custom Ve/Rz without the leg.

[BCRider]

In my 09VE I have a 1200lbs L shape bag from Chpthril on the port side that is running dual fill/empty on Tsunami pumps. I installed new thru hulls so it's independent. Most of my crew are regular riders so my goofy side is a wakemakers bag that fills the whole locker itself which still produces a great goofy wave. I find goofy takes less weight personally. The goofy side sac is T'd off one of the Port side fill lines. My OEM hard tanks are now independent from the original design (Fill pump fills fatsac in the locker which then gravity feeds to the hard tank as a single system). The advantage is when I hit fill/empty I have three pumps going. The downside I suppose is extra pumps....I have 14 altogether. I had a lot of the parts from a previous boat. I then keep 100lbs of lead just in front of the hard tank step port and starboard. 200-300lbs in the old ice chest location under the passenger seat and 100lbs at my feet under the helm

If I was to do this all over again for simplicity I'd most likely remove the hard tanks and do a custom bag that would fill the whole locker from the bilge up and run under the seats as the current bag does. I'd then run dual fill/empty on both bags with dedicated through hulls.

For the best wave (IMO) the VE wants to be listed damn near to the rub rail on the surf side with a wake shaper on the flat part of the boat near the stern. Some say as far back as you can get whereas I like it about 16" forward so it sends any spray straight back rather than over to the surf side.

Regular: 1550lbs port locker, around 750lbs starboard locker. bow sac maybe half full. Taps 3-4 11.4mph
Goofy: Port bag about half full (700lbs) Starboard 960lbs bow sac full plus 300lbs of lead on top. Taps 2-4 11.4mph. My wife likes 11.6mph

[TrevorTrav]

The bow will hold far more then 260#. Shy of doing a pair large custom rear surf sacs, id want to use the lead to supplement the smaller rear sacs.

The cube is basically the L shaped custom Ve/Rz without the leg.

What are the dimensions of the cube?

Where can I view it (if possible)?

Price?

[TrevorTrav]

In my 09VE I have a 1200lbs L shape bag from Chpthril on the port side that is running dual fill/empty on Tsunami pumps. I installed new thru hulls so it's independent. Most of my crew are regular riders so my goofy side is a wakemakers bag that fills the whole locker itself which still produces a great goofy wave. I find goofy takes less weight personally. The goofy side sac is T'd off one of the Port side fill lines. My OEM hard tanks are now independent from the original design (Fill pump fills fatsac in the locker which then gravity feeds to the hard tank as a single system). The advantage is when I hit fill/empty I have three pumps going. The downside I suppose is extra pumps....I have 14 altogether. I had a lot of the parts from a previous boat. I then keep 100lbs of lead just in front of the hard tank step port and starboard. 200-300lbs in the old ice chest location under the passenger seat and 100lbs at my feet under the helm

If I was to do this all over again for simplicity I'd most likely remove the hard tanks and do a custom bag that would fill the whole locker from the bilge up and run under the seats as the current bag does. I'd then run dual fill/empty on both bags with dedicated through hulls.

For the best wave (IMO) the VE wants to be listed damn near to the rub rail on the surf side with a wake shaper on the flat part of the boat near the stern. Some say as far back as you can get whereas I like it about 16" forward so it sends any spray straight back rather than over to the surf side.

Regular: 1550lbs port locker, around 750lbs starboard locker. bow sac maybe half full. Taps 3-4 11.4mph
Goofy: Port bag about half full (700lbs) Starboard 960lbs bow sac full plus 300lbs of lead on top. Taps 2-4 11.4mph. My wife likes 11.6mph

Great response...I'm taking notes...

I'll admit, I'm REALLY nervous about throwing that much weight in the boat...

[Majr808]

Don’t be surprised if you need to change to a higher torque prop after the weight! I had to…. B.O.A.T

[BCRider]

The boat takes it all very well. The two other things to consider especially once running heavy is replacing the prop. Acme 1235 is pretty common for lower altitude use and the other recommendation is Fresh Air Exhaust to dump the exhaust directly in to the water.

I don't have any real good regular side photos with being the driver but, this is the goofy pic I post a lot. Video screen shot of regular side.

[TrevorTrav]

The boat takes it all very well. The two other things to consider especially once running heavy is replacing the prop. Acme 1235 is pretty common for lower altitude use and the other recommendation is Fresh Air Exhaust to dump the exhaust directly in to the water.

I don't have any real good regular side photos with being the driver but, this is the goofy pic I post a lot. Video screen shot of regular side.

I'll be on the water tomorrow and try to upload a pic of what I'm working with.

I appreciate all the responses here...thank you!

Also, I like the gator step you put on the starboard side. I've already ordered mine and will be here in a couple weeks (it was a no brainer).

[Majr808]

The boat takes it all very well. The two other things to consider especially once running heavy is replacing the prop. Acme 1235 is pretty common for lower altitude use and the other recommendation is Fresh Air Exhaust to dump the exhaust directly in to the water.

I don't have any real good regular side photos with being the driver but, this is the goofy pic I post a lot. Video screen shot of regular side.

Can you elaborate what FAE does? Is there any benefit to the wave? Sometime I feel like I have some prop wash making the wave less clean, I'm not sure if this is normal or if I could fix it.