Another 1995 Nautique Super Sport Ballast Install

[hal2814]

I’ve been reading tons of threads on doing a ballast install on Super Sports and with a few Black Friday deals I finally pulled the trigger on the pumps and plumbing. I already have 2 800lb Big Bags in the rear, a 450lb fly high in the ski locker, and a 540lb under the playpen (that only partially fills due to available space). I’m planning on 3 x 1” intakes, 3 Johnson reversible pumps, and 1” tubing throughout (including vents). I plan to fill and drain from the bottom using the wakemakers diagram.

There are still a couple of things I’m uncertain about. I don’t know how to plumb the playpen bag in with the ski locker bag. My first thought was to route the vent hose from the ski locker to the playpen fill and then use the playpen vent for both. I think a serial connection like that would fill just fine but I’m concerned the ski locker bag would collapse before the playpen bag was finished emptying on drain. Would a y fitting be better? It seems like that would solve the draining problem but it seems like it could potentially not fill properly if either bag can freely vent. Does anyone have experience with that?

I’m also thinking about pump location. I know a lot of people use a metal bracket near the ski pylon on later models but I still have the center floor pylon. I could fashion a metal or wooden plate to bolt onto the two vertical metal supports. Or maybe just mount them on the ground near the two rear batteries? Is there an advantage to the above-the-v-drive spot?

Then there’s the switches. Space is tight on the dash. I could probably fashion an external box and run the switches there but that’s would look awful. I’ve seen some people use the space near the throttle but mine is tighter than usual due to the heater. I’m thinking there may be room for a rocker switch panel to the left of the safety lanyard. Or maybe toggle switches would be better given the space?

That’s where I am and my thoughts for now. I’ve included pictures of the engine compartment area and dash for posterity. I’ll add pics as I go along. Any answers to my above questions or comments are welcome!

[glassywaters]

I'll throw you some love...not an expert on ballast, but I have done a few installations. First, I wouldn't reinvent the wheel, a lot of good information on OG SAN ballast installations on the site. Honestly, I would just mount the pumps behind the back rest on a metal sheet like everyone else. Also, you mentioned the ski pylon and if you have a good tower I would just remove it and give you more space. Second, to solve the piggyback issue some people installed a ball valve after a Y to control the pace of fill and drain for the ski locker and bow sacs. I've never done this, but in theory should work fine. Third, toggle switches could work and save space, I've seen that done on here and it looks good. However, Wakemakers makes a set of Left, Center, and Right switches that form a compact single unit. Although, I think you can make the side panel work for either solution. If you really get into it, removing the side panel and customizing it for your heater, switches, etc. isn't that hard to do. Clean up all the stickers and make it your own. Finally, lugging all that weight around I hope you have an upgraded prop. And get yourself Perfect Pass for Christmas. Good luck!

[hal2814]

Thanks for the reply. I think you’re right on not reinventing the wheel on the metal sheet. I’ll just have to do a little more fabricating since I don’t have the pylon framework to work with back there. The pylon is out of the boat already. I put a plastic disk from a desk in its spot to cover the hole. I’m going to measure the yellow sticker under the heater controls (lanyard warning). If there’s enough room for switches there I’ll probsbly go that route. If not, I’ll just do toggles. As far as prop, I’m already lugging that kind of weight around. I’ve just been using sumo and tsunami pumps. Last summer I got an ACME 1234 to replace my old Michigan Wheel prop and it’s amazing.

[glassywaters]

https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...allast-install

https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...allast-install

Couple install ideas for your pumps. I believe your engine crate should be similar.

[Sjimbert]

Do you guys happen to know what the storage capacity ballast is on the storage next to the engine? I am having a super sport 1998

[hal2814]

The bag in the pic is a Sumo Big Bag 800. It fits but I had to move the batteries closer to the bow to get them to for well. I could probably go bigger but I don’t trust the half walls in the engine compartment.

[kylem03]

I’ll throw my .02 in on the locker/bow piggyback setup. I’ve tried a few routes and am still not 100% satisfied. First I piggybacked them using 1 Johnson pump to fill and venting both bags through the vent plumbed in to the foremost fitting of the playpen sac. I didn’t like this because to fill the playpen sac the locker sac would have to be over full and would push up on the locker lid. I then switched to putting a y in the fill hose to the locker sac with a ball valve stuck at 2/3 open to the playpen sac. The bags are independently vented and fill at about the same rate. My gripe now is the time to fill both bags exceeds the time to fill the rear 750s (I have the 650 locker sac + 4-500 under the bow) and it isn’t quite as easily adjustable. For wake boarding I’d generally like the belly full and a little extra up front but if we are surfing I might like more in the nose to lengthen the wave. For this reason I am putting in another Johnson pump so to be able to fill each forward bag independently. Also, you can run 2 reversible pumps off of 1 thru hull without a loss of Pump capacity so it’s worth considering since even accessible thru hull space (to be able to turn the ball valve just in case) can be challenging.

As for switches, i made an aluminum panel that is bolted just below the dash on the radio side and is out of the way but easily accessible and visible. The lighted rocker switches are nice so you can see if a pump is still running.

I also mounted the pumps to a shelf fabricated to hang between the aluminum uprights behind the back seat.

Kyle

[Sjimbert]

Would you have pictures?

[kylem03]

There are a few on of 3 here https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...016-2017/page2

a few more throughout here https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...er-sport-rehab

[brit_hunsicker]

https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...allast-install

You can check out my thread from last winter. I mounted my three pumps on a wooden board in the driver side compartment. My switches are mounted out of sight near the old vent knobs.


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[Sjimbert]

Incredible work!


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[hal2814]

I’m finally getting back around to this. I’m ready to drill the thru hull intakes. I found a spot on the starboard side of the boat opposite the engine water intake with enough room for three intakes and room to operate the manual shut off valves. I measured the area, built a jig for my initial hole saw pilot holes based on the measurements, and used the jig to test the intake placement on a piece of plywood. That looks good. I do plan to put the whole intake setup mounted on the plywood down in the spot I want it to make sure my measurements were right and there really is enough room before I start drilling. Any advice on the spacing would be appreciated before I actually start knocking holes in my boat.

For the pumps I cut some plywood large enough to mount them on that fill fit between the posts coming up from the rear seat divider. It’s external grade plywood coated in polyurethane. I also found out that m5 hardware is what seems to fit the mounting holes for my Johnson pumps best.

That’s all for now. Hopefully in the next week or so I’ll have the pumps mounted and plumbed. Then I can work on venting and electric. It’s been a fun project so far. I’m especially grateful for all of the posts here (and elsewhere) showing their installs.

[brit_hunsicker]

My only word of advice, which I’m sure you’ve seen from reading other threads, is drill from the bottom of the hull and go in reverse until you get through the gel coat. Otherwise you run the risk of chipping or spider webbing your gel coat.


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[hal2814]

I'm finally back with an update. The ballast install went well. I'll be adding a few posts explaining the process. This first once is scouting locations. I took a look at the engine compartment, the ski locker, and under floor to run hoses. There's an access hole to run to the ski locker and another to access under the bow seating. I ended up going with a piggyback approach there where the vent from the ski locker feeds the intake for the bow bag.

It looks like pic attachments are showing up without explicitly inserting them so I'm going to do that for the next posts.

[hal2814]

The pump install was pretty straightforward. I just mounted the wooden backing plate and mounted the pumps to that. I lost a fender washer so I had to make due with what I had.