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Been meaning to make this post for several weeks now for anyone interested in adding supplemental ballast to a 2021 G. Wanted to share that just before Memorial Day I did so to my 2021 G23 and I feel it mimics the 2022 fairly well. I did not go the route of simply adding larger bags tied to the rear pumps. I did not like that solution because in order to fill the midship area the rear must fill first. I wanted the flexibility to fill the supplemental ballast separate from the rears so I needed separate bags and pumps. Controlling the pumps was the tricky part. Certainly could have just added bags, a pump and a manual switch at the dash tucked away but then I wouldn’t know my ballast level. The solution was to custom design bags with Wakemakers that are roughly the same weight as the belly bag and then activate the pumps with a reversible relay that is triggered by activation of the center pump. Effectively this results in the supplemental mid ship bags filling to the same level as the belly bag so I know from the screen what’s in them. The only thing this system lacks from factory is automated actuator valves on the thru hull valves, the ability to fill the supplemental ballast bags independent of the belly or independent of themselves and finally separate readings on the LINC for the supplemental bags. Those shortcoming were minor for me.
Really quite pleased with how it turned out. Couple of tips if anyone takes this one. It’s a lot work! I did it pretty much by myself and spent a good two days. Pull the floor. No other option. The starboard bag overflow vent comes up through a hatch that is under the drivers seat and the port bag overflow is through a hole I drilled next to the battery charger. Magnets are your friend. Use a good strong pair to figure out where to drill holes. For example, for the thru hulls I taped a magnet to the bilge floor where I wanted the hole and once under the boat found the spot with the second magnet. Same with some of the holes drilled for routing ballast hose. The relay power is tied into the bolts in the boat for main power distribution so when the boat switch is off the relay is off. Adding a lot of pictures and happy to answer any questions or chat with those contemplating taking this on.
Really quite pleased with how it turned out. Couple of tips if anyone takes this one. It’s a lot work! I did it pretty much by myself and spent a good two days. Pull the floor. No other option. The starboard bag overflow vent comes up through a hatch that is under the drivers seat and the port bag overflow is through a hole I drilled next to the battery charger. Magnets are your friend. Use a good strong pair to figure out where to drill holes. For example, for the thru hulls I taped a magnet to the bilge floor where I wanted the hole and once under the boat found the spot with the second magnet. Same with some of the holes drilled for routing ballast hose. The relay power is tied into the bolts in the boat for main power distribution so when the boat switch is off the relay is off. Adding a lot of pictures and happy to answer any questions or chat with those contemplating taking this on.
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