Factory Ballast tank dimensions

[holiday13]

Does anyone know what the dimensions are of the factory ballast tanks, or what the total weight each adds when full? I know that the factory system is 1000 pounds but I think the rear tanks hold more than the fronts. Thanks for the help!

[Tige M.D.]

pretty sure that would be a perfect question for your sales person to answere.

[Gardyloo03]

the factory ballast for 05 is 800 pounds, just a side note its 4 200 pound tanks i believe.

[holiday13]

Originally posted by Tige M.D.
pretty sure that would be a perfect question for your sales person to answere.

I already have the boat and am doing my own ballast system and am trying to decide between doing sacs or seeing about ordering the hard tanks, decisions desicions desicions. I got to see a tank and it looked to hold more than 200 pounds worth but I could be wrong, if that is the case then I am better off with sacs and building my own hard covers for the sacs.

[Matt Garcia]

I personally would choose sacs just because you dont have to sacrifice space.

[holiday13]

I hear you, but what I am looking at is with sacs I really can't store anything on top of them when they are full or empty because of possibly tearing them, where with the hard tanks I will not be worried. I am not looking at putting a ton of stuff back there but I feel it would make the space, even though less, more use-able.

[lee]

The tanks in the front are close to 1/4th the size of the rear tanks. I have been unable to get a weight of the tanks, front or back. We might to take a tank out and fill it then weigh it. We are designing a bag that will fit in the front of 22v's and 24v's to use in ballast installs.

[Paublo]

On my 22V, for my rear bags, I use ones with the covers. That is durable enough that nothing is going to tear or puncture them. I never think twice about standing on them, or sliding or dropping boards with fins over the top of the bag cover.

For the front bags we left off the cover- it just isn't needed. I'm not sure of the actual dimensions, but they are probably about 14" dia. and 30" long. They lay out under the seats and overlap each other up in the nose of the boat. We fill them until they overflow and they fill the compartment completely. We figure that they weigh around 250# to 275# total. With 3- 65# lead bars, that makes it about 450# in the front.

You could use the much larger compartments behind the front seat backs, but then the weight in not as for forward. Another option is to put a bag under the bow filler cushion. This will add about 300# up front that is basically hidden.

You have a lot of options.

[raythompson]

Weight of tanks

Originally posted by lee
The tanks in the front are close to 1/4th the size of the rear tanks. I have been unable to get a weight of the tanks, front or back. We might to take a tank out and fill it then weigh it. We are designing a bag that will fit in the front of 22v's and 24v's to use in ballast installs.

Just figure 7 pounds per gallon of water. You should know the number of gallons a tank will hold.

[lee]

Do not know the volume of the tanks yet. Need to either measure them or fill them with water.

[Tige M.D.]

fresh water weighs 8.35 lbs per gallon, 62.4 lbs. per cubic foot
salt water weighs 8.5 lbs. per gallon, 63.5 lbs. per cubic foot

if you know the gallons or dimensions of your bags or tanks just do the math. hope this helps?

i like the idea of a soft bag vs. a tank. with the bag, you can build a false floor over the top so you don't lose all your storage and you don't lose small items under the bag or between it and bulkheads.

when you do the math, you'd be suprised at how much weight you can
fit into a small area or how much room you still have with 2000lbs of H2O in the boat.

[raythompson]

Ballast Figures

Originally posted by Tige M.D.
how much room you still have with 2000lbs of H2O in the boat.

Be careful. That much weight will put you very close to the weight limits established by the manufacturer for the boat. Add a couple of people and you are over.

Don't know about other states but in TN if TWRA catches you with full bags and four or five people in the boat a citation (an expensive one) will be issued.

[holiday13]

[QUOTE
i like the idea of a soft bag vs. a tank. with the bag, you can build a false floor over the top so you don't lose all your storage and you don't lose small items under the bag or between it and bulkheads.
[/QUOTE]

That is the other option but with the cost of the tanks right from Tige it would be worth while to just buy the tanks rather than the sacs then build the tops and get the right carpet to cover them. Plus I am stubborn and will not be happy till I know how much these tanks hold

[lee]

I guess I will have to out in the shop and measure some and let you guys decide the weight.

[Matt Garcia]

Re: Ballast Figures

Originally posted by raythompson
Be careful. That much weight will put you very close to the weight limits established by the manufacturer for the boat. Add a couple of people and you are over.

Every wakeboard boat that I have ever been in has had at least 1500 - 2000 pounds of ballast plus 4- 8 people. Hardly anyone I know rides with stock ballast.

Most people want the most weight in there boats, wether they are beginner riders or expert riders. And for the people who dont believe in that much ballast will eventually get it....I see it happen all the time..