Rival Ballast Install

[xpjim1]

One more thing.

Tige compensates for feeling neglecting by putting huge bolts in their seats. They must be nearly 3 inches long when 1 might do. Jim pointed out to me these bolts under the seats, and they are worth watching. My surf sack has not had any damage from them, but I will be putting some nylon covers or some sort of protector over the end of them so that I do not have a problem in the future. This pic is looking inside the long storage compartment on the port side. This looks back to the rear port locker that has my life vests in it, and some miscellaneous other garbage.

I looked at mine this weekend. I had some foam packing material that came with a wakeboard about 2 inches thick. I just pushed it over the bolts and it provides great protection from the bolts. The foam material also has a thick skin on one side which I have facing down. I will shoot a picture next weekend. I had nothing to cut the bolts and it was too hot (105) to be doing any more work on the boat

[talltigeguy]

I got my hole drilled and my brass manual valve installed. It works just fine. As is typical for me, I can only do one step at a time, so I did the valve first and then put the boat together. Reaching that valve is a real act of contortionism for me. Luckily, really long arms paid off. I had to all but lay on the engine with my head under the ski pylon to reach it.

Now I got a hole drilled to be able to reach it with just normal length body parts. The seat is about 1/3rd inch thick. Now the problem is that my buff arm hits the edge of the fiberglass and I get little shards all over me. I am looking for something to cover the edges with. Any ideas?

I will get pics of my little trap door when I can. It doesn't look facory installed, but I am pleased it will function perfectly. I went with a square hole, since I did not have any idea what I was going to use for protection from the edges of the fiberglass. Something round would need to come in the perfect size, whereas I can cut something straight along all 4 edges.

[da.bell]

Do you need to remove the stuff you put on the covered edges? If not, why not ducktape. Seems to work under any other application. Just a thought.

[xpjim1]

Take a picture. I might have some left over edging i put on my Rhino windshield that might work. Also what is the perimeter dimensions?

[xpjim1]

Molding looks like this. Not sure if I still have it but will look this weekend

[talltigeguy]

Do you need to remove the stuff you put on the covered edges? If not, why not ducktape. Seems to work under any other application. Just a thought.

I do not have any covered edges. The trap door is bigger than the hole, so it just rests on top of the hole. I just have raw fiberglass edges (cut with the rotozip). Duct tape is a good idea. Even though it might not look 'factory' I was hoping not to have something quite that ghetto. I suppose I can remove it once I find something a bit better.

Jim,
That stuff would be just right, but I wonder if it would not fit. The fiberglass under there was much thicker than that windshield appears. That is the exact stuff I had in mind.

[talltigeguy]

Still haven't gotten time to get something to cover up the rough fiberglass edges, but here is the pic of my access to the manual brass valve. Forgot to take a pic of the valve itself, but I suspect you know what a brass valve looks like, just imagine one of those put on immediately after the intake on post #32.

As I said, it does not look like something from the factory, but I think it will work perfectly.

[zad0030]

(cut with the rotozip)

I love the Rotozip.

[xpjim1]

Sorry Talltigeguy
I must have thrown the leftover away. Could not find it in the garage.

[talltigeguy]

I found some nylon nuts to put on those bolts under the seat. I first cut the bolts down and put the nylon nuts on there. There were a few small scuffs on my bag, but nothing that looked like it might burst soon. Those bags are tough mothers.

[blownC6]

BTW, on the trap door, I do need something that will fit my 16 inch forearm and 18 inch biceps.

I have a Rival system with manual valve and a 6" deck plate for access that, frankly, was just too small for my forearm so I installed one of these http://www.tempress.com/catalog/prod...8d6f7df08e3da2 and now all is good !
Rival 4 pump feed, 4 pump drain system with FlyHigh V-Drive Sacs in rear and a FlyHigh Integrated Bow Sac in front along with 200 lbs of POP http://www.pop-products.com/ up front also, about 1500lbs. total.

[blownC6]

Hmm, lets see if I get it right this time, LOL. Picture of 8" deck plate I used under rear seat for access to manual valve.

[talltigeguy]

Something like that is what I need. Of course now I have a square hole to fit it in.

From the description of the item you used: Weathertight deck plates feature a secure pry-out center, with o-ring seal and grooved flange bottom for bedding compound retention. Perfect for ares that require infrequent access.

That one needs to be pried open, so something with some sort of grab handle would be the simplest.

[blownC6]

Of course now I have a square hole to fit it in.

LOL, yeah that's usually the way it works for me! The cover does pry out, but it takes little effort to pop it in or out. I've never used one, but they also make a "screw on" cover http://www.tempress.com/catalog/prod...8d6f7df08e3da2 that might work for you.

[GVelvet]

Great post. I want to install this on my boat. Where can I buy the Rival ballast system? I tried Googling it with no luck. Thanks.