2001 SAN Ballast Upgrade Install

[cinco]

Finally finished my winter project of installing integrated ballast into my boat. I was tired of spending 20 mins filling up ballast and stepping over guest on my boat to get to ballast bags and fill them. I read a lot of information on this web site and others before I built up the courage to start drilling holes in my hull. As of now, the system has not been lake tested, so the verdict is still out on functionality. I will break down the project up into three sections: parts used, plumbing, and electrical. Overall, I am very pleased with the final product and I hope the information I share with you will be helpful if you decide to install your own ballast.

Big picture set up: stock pump, two new reversible pumps, two rear sacks, integrated bow sack and ski locker sack (all fly high). Removed stock internal rear ballast

Materials:
From www.wakemakers.com :
2 x Rear Fly high sacks (750 lbs ea)
1 x Fly High Ski Locker sack
1 x Integrated Bow Sack
2 x Johnson Ultra Ballast Reversible Pump
2 x 1" Bronze Thru-hull intake
1 x 3M 4000 Marine adhesive
30' 1" Ballast Hose
32' 3/4" Ballast Hose
7 x W736 3/4" Fly-Rite Quick release Connect (Fly High)
7 x W742 3/4" Elbow Fly-Rite Quick release Connector
2 x W743 1" Flow Rite Quick release connect
2 x W746 1" Elbow Flo-Rite Release connector
2 x Three way ballast rocker switch
2 x Ballast rocker switch panel ends
1 x 3/4" "Y" Barbed fitting
1 x 3/4" "T" barbed fitting
2 x 1" Thread x 1" Hose Barb Fitting (Screws into Ball Valves
2 x 12 Gauge Inline ATO Fuse Holder
40' 12 gauge Marine pump wire
4 x 20 amp ATO Fuses (couple of extra)
From Home Depot:
2 x 1" Ball Valves
20 x 1/2" - 1 1/4" Hose clamps
Zip Ties

Plumbing:
Remove rear seat and its base. Remove engine compartment dividers. Remove stock ballast tanks. Install Pumps, use rubber grommets that come with pump to install. See pictures, let me know if you have questions, don't install too low.

Drill thru-hull holes. Go to www.wakemakers.com and look up their article on doing thru-hulls, it is an awesome "how to." You will need at least 1-3/8" hole saw bit for the thru-hulls. A 1-5/16" might be optimum but could not find one. Drill a hole in a piece of scrap wood first to ensure the hole will work for you. Use the 3M 4000 sealant on both sides.

Install ball valves and tighten everything down and let it sit over night. Install 1" thread x 1" barbed fitting.

Plumb the rear sacks. I used 1" to the bag and 3/4" hose for overflow. This way I could use the existing 3/4" thru-hulls and they will be able to handle the Johnson's pump flow rate (TBD).

Plumb the ski locker and the bow sack to stock pump... Feed the 3/4" from the ski locker to engine compartment where the existing hoses feed thru over the fuel tank. Plumb overflow from ski locker sack to bow sack. I used a "T" fitting to feed into both sides of the bow sack. The overflow from the bow sack i plumbed to the Ice Chest drain thru-hull and connected using a "Y" fitting to allow both the bow sack and the Ice Chest to drain through the same hole. I routed the overflow hose up and over so the ice chest could not drain into my bow sack. By nature of the "Y" fitting fluid dynamics and keeping the plug in my ice chest, I am not to concerned with the bow bag overflow filling up my ice chest. NOW, whether or not the stock pump can handle filling both bags through the overflow of the ski locker bag is TBD. I'll Let you know.

Heading to bed for now, I will pickup on the electrical portion later. For now here are some pics.

[cinco]

Better Pic of Diagram

Better Pic

[crobi2]

Great system! I like where you mounted the Johnsons. It will be easy to replace the impellers when they get old.

I guess you used the old aerator pump off of the old 3/4" scoop? If you put an inline valve in your ski locker just before the locker bag, you can just open the ski locker to get to the valve for the locker and integrated sacs instead of the seacok in the engine compartment.

Be interesting to see if the aerator can fill both the locker and integrated sacs.

Thanks for the pics.

P.S. What prop are you going to run?

[crobi2]

Do those pumps come with rubber washers to isolate some vibration?

[delmage171]

Which prop are you going to run while running that much weight? I upgraded my ballast as well on my 210 and I am undecided

[Chexi]

Do those pumps come with rubber washers to isolate some vibration?

The Johnsons do. I cannot speak for the Jabscos.

[crobi2]

Thanks Chexi!

I can't wait to find out how well the locker and integrated bow sacs fill and drain with the old aerator pumps. If it doesn't work, it wouldn't take much (except more money) to slap on another Johnson and mod the scoop on the bottom of the hull.

[jward]

I fill 2 750's, center tank and integrated bow sac all with the 3 stock aerator pumps. By the time we hook up the rope, rider gets ready and boats up to speed everything is full.

[GC]

The Johnsons do. I cannot speak for the Jabscos.

The Jabsco pumps do as well.

[crobi2]

Thanks GC, one of these days I'm gonna break down and get me some.

[crobi2]

@ Jward - Do you just use the valves on the intakes and then have separate pumps for draining?

[MI-Nick]

thanks for posting this. i'm soon to embark on a similar project with a '99 SAN...very interested in the wiring portion.
are the pumps just bolted through fiberglass??

[ckdollar]

Estimated price?

[cinco]

MI-Nick - The pumps are bolted through the fiberglass. Drilled the holes using a template and used lock washers on the back side, I don't anticipate any issues. I will post the wiring section in a couple of days. Let me know if you have anymore questions.

ckdollar - Estimated price is $1200-1300.

[MI-Nick]

thanks. i might use an aluminum plate on the backing side or the pump side or both...but i'm paranoid like that...