Failed GS20 ballast tank pressure sensors

[FunDad]

I have 2019 GS20 and I have just replaced my third ballast tank pressure sensor. The process typically starts with the tanks not filling or not emptying.. Lync says they are either full or empty when they really are not. When I look at the fault tab in setting, the bad sensor will highlight in red and the voltage reading will be high at 4V or higher. Only way we have fixed it is by replacing the sensor. Anybody have a similar issue? I can see one, but I have now replaced all the them since I bought the boat new last year. Can’t believe this is the case on a 2019 boat considering this GS20 model has been out since 2016/2017..

[FunDad]

As a follow up to my original post, I have some good news for those struggling with the pressure sensors in your GS boats. I just received 3 new improved pressure sensors to replace the original units that I had replaced twice on my 2019 GS20. The original units, which I'll take a picture of for all of you when I pull them out, were built from a brass body and the terminals, exiting the sensor were exposed to the water in the bilge. No doubt the dirty water in the bilge would short out the sensor after some time and make the voltage reading go high (4-4.5V) which gave a false reading of a full tank and shutting the pumps down.

Hats off to the Nautique engineers, they now have a completely new design that is much more robust, piezo based and completely waterproof! Here is a picture and the Nautique part number is p/n 200338N. They look great and hopefully will solve the problem once and for all! The waterproof yellow harness is a good visual vs. the old design.

[kylant]

yep, i saw the bulletin with those new sensors and part numbers. they appear to be a much better piece

[Last Mango]

Ours were replaced with the new style under warranty.

Cheers,
James

[Stealth311]

Sorry for bringing back this old thread.

2017 G23 my ballast sensors have failed and the dealer is giving me the work around saying that there isn't a service bulletin for them. Could anybody provide me with the service bulletin for the Sensor replacement to the updated Nason sender so that I can provide it to them? They are trying to charge me $400 to even diagnose the boat, then Sender + labor.

Thanks, Matt

[swainner]

GS22 2018 purchased new in Dec 2018. No trouble in spring of 2019, but spring of 2020 I saw the starboard sensor fail. Its a three hour haul to the dealer one way and a one hour job. Webster Marine ( Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta VA) sent me a replacement v1 sensor which I did myself. I promised to send the bad one back.

No problems in ‘21 or ‘22. Spring of ‘23, we got the the port and belly sensor failed. Now I have to haul it to the dealer to get v2 sensor and software update. I will ask to get the starboard replaced too.

The bad sensors read 4.9 V in red while a good sensor will read 0.7xx volts at empty.

Replacing the port and stern requires you to be a gymnast but is doable. I haven’t tried the belly sensor but I understand you have to remove the gas tank to get to the belly bag. Learned that because I had to have all three bags replaced due to cuts in the bags attributed to metal shavings during manufacturing.

Overall, poor quality parts, workmanship, and designs for the ballast system and this was done pre-covid. Thank goodness it is still under warranty for 6 more months but concerned after that. Hopefully the v2 sensors are more reliable …

[Scooter G]

I haven't had any issues with the new sensors, and almost spot on accurate on the fill & empty from 0 to 100%. What was interesting on my '16, I didn't need to perform a software update, not sure of the answer here. The old sensors almost seemed like a disposable annual maintenance part, scummy late August water could of played a role...

[jpwhit]

IMO, owning both Nautique and MasterCraft boats. Nautique has fallen down on the job from the boat reliability aspects and long-term customer support in the last 10 years. There are just too many issues popping up that either leave you stranded out on the lake or causing many trips to the dealer, for a company that positions themselves as the best of the best boat manufacturer. Even more than a car, boats need to be fundamentally reliable. It's too often the case that you're out on the water without people around.

Some examples of the issues.

- Constantly failing ballast sensors - MasterCraft and most of the other manufacturers eliminated this style of sensors years ago because of reliability.
- Failing Throttle Base Assemblies - these were introduced around 2015 and have been a disaster leaving many boaters stranded with a no-start condition
- Newly designed raw water pumps on the direct injection engine where gears that disintegrate unexpectedly leaving you stranded
- Failing Throttle Control Position Sensors that are NLA. Required customers to replace with alternate supplier and have ECM re-programmed
- Medallion gauge issues and unreliable MMDCs w/o replacement parts available
- Failing LINC display units
- Failing micro-tuners on the latest Nautique Ski Boat

A lot of these issue come down to poor supplier vetting. You can blame the issues on the suppliers, but fundamentally the boat making is responsible for vetting and developing a reliable supplier network and ensuring long term repair availability from the supplier network. And sometimes for very critical parts, the right decision is to produce it yourself, so you have complete control over reliability and long term parts availability.

It's not like other boat makers don't have any issues. A good example is the 2012 MasterCrafts with Medallion display screens. But at least MC realized that was a poor decision and fixed it by the 2013 model year. As a MasterCraft owner I have much less of a feeling of being abandoned to fend for myself as I do as a Nautique owner.

And don't get me wrong, I am currently a Nautique owner and will likely to continue to be. But I'm much more wary and careful about which Nautique's I'll buy. I absolutely love my 1998 Ski Nautique and my 2012 Nautique 200 (pre-Throttle Base Assembly and Pre low cost 200 redesign). But I don't think I'd be willing to buy a recent Nautique Wake Boat over a MasterCraft and I couldn't own the latest Ski Nautique. The latest Ski Nautique is a great example of where I think Nautique has gone astray. Tons of non-essential gadgetry that kills reliability and long-term supportability. Compare that to the latest ProStar. Just a solid, reliable slalom tug, with great wakes and just the essential tech you need to get the job done.

[BasaltRMK]

jpwhit - great points, and I have to agree with you. I love my G, and it’s the best boat I’ve ever owned. But lots of little things need to be fixed under warranty every year, And my previous 2018 was much worse. I know things happen but it’s frustrating. And now I’m starting to get minor gel coat cracks that aren’t covered under warranty (gel is only covered for 3 years / 300 hours). We’re a bit obsessive about the boat and notice things that maybe others wouldn’t, but that seems to be pretty common here and maybe in general when you get to this level of boat.

Scooter G - I just had to replace my 2nd new-style (Nason) ballast sensor in my boat. Port last year, starboard today. Snowed last night and only got to 50 degrees today so good day for it. And at least I’m getting faster at it. Went smoothly, tested it out with a couple of very cold surfs, but I’m nervous now that I’ve had two of the stock new ones that came with my boat go bad.

As far as I know, the only software update, if going from the old style to the new (Nason) sensors, is going into dealer mode and toggling the sensor setting to Nason.

- bob