Installing my first ballast

[ereed969]

Mikes Liquid Audio hooked me up with everything I needed to install my ballast. I was super excited so I headed home early the day I got it. That happened to be the same day that a huge wildfire startd in the city I live in. Then when I got home I realized I was locked out of my house. My wife and kids werent home. So I took advantage of having no wife and kids there to bug me, and so I started the install. I wanted to take the boat out the next day so I drilled all the holes first, so the adhesive could start setting up. When I drilled the hole for the intake I didnt calculate right and it ended up being dirrectly ubove a cross beam on my trailer. I had no room for the drill. Unfortantly I had to drill from the inside of the boat. I was super nervous about doing that but it looked perfect. No chipping at all. Then when I drilled the vent and discharge I bought the wrong hole saw. I ended up drilling that with a wood auger bit. I was really nervous about that. But with some luck all holes turned out great. Once I was installing the intake pump I noticed there was not enough room for the ball valve and pump so after changing my origanal plan I got it all Put together. The drain and vent hoses where pretty easy. After the sac and hoses were done I started wiring in the switch. I had to call Mike to explain to me what went where on the switch. I was lucky to have bought all this stuff from such a cool guy. I took off all the side panels to run the wires and gave the boat a nice good cleaning. I counldnt believe how much crap was behind those side panels. I swapped out one of my accessory switches and put the rocker switch. I was stoked that it fit so good. It actually looks like its from the factory. With the system finished I put the boat back together. It was getting late and the fire was out of control. 98 degress and 25 mph winds there was no way I was going on the lake to test the ballast for leaks. Until my wife said lets just drop the boat and trailer in the water and test it. We also wanted to take the kids to watch the helicoptors get water out of the lake for the fire. They had been doing it all day about 200 yards from our house. SO we loaded up and went to the marina. I wanted the boat close to the dock so I could get in and out easy. I didnt think it was that big of deal. Besides we launch at this marina a couple times a week. So I am guiding my wife as she is backing up the boat then BAM....Both tires on the left blow out. Damn. Those tires were only 4 weeks old!!! I was not very happy neither was my wife thinking it was her fault. But on the good side the fat sacs filled great. No leaks and just the flip of the switch it was filling up. I got a small glimpse of what it would be like to have a new boat. I loved it. No more lead weights needed and fat chicks. LOL

[ereed969]

These pictures wouldnt fit

[chpthril]

Looks great Eric! Thanks, it was a pleasure to work with you. Glad the install went well, but sorry to hear about the tires, Ugh!.

I like the pics: Ballast install......check the fire.....more ballast install......check the fire again...back to the ballast.....look at the fire one more time! Im used to drilling holes in boats, but not having wild fires that close to the house! That would make me nervous!

[ereed969]

Yea there was a couple thousand people evacutated. Everything seems to be fine now. Other than there is a black film over everything in my boat

[hyphen79]

Nice job! I live in Reno, and your fire(s) are all over the news. I heard some hunters, or people being not being very responsible started the fire buy their firearms.

[ereed969]

Yea I dont have any guns so I dont know what pre cautions they can make but Im sure this was a pretty penny fighting this one. They are still dumping water on it today from planes and choppers.

[skippabcool]

Looks like you already got to enjoy your install. Looks good and hope that you and your family stay safe from the fire.