Winter (?ha!) ballast project update

[Miljack]

Well, I was finally able to get my winter ballast project (ran WAY into season!) installed and tested in our boat. The boat is a '99 ProAir (direct drive) and the summary of the project is as follows;

Install fill pumps X 3 (Tsunami 1200)
Install drain pumps X 3 (Tsunami 800)
RV gate valve
Fill pump manifold
Plumbing for system
Electrical wiring (about 120 feet)
Ballast switches x 4
Removed stock rear hard tanks
Install new "sub floor" for trunk
custom ski locker sack
2 "semi-custom" trunk sacks

I have some pics, and I have yet to get a photo of the improved wake, but I should get some of those soon.

the subfloor-used 1/2" HPDE with reinforcements in both directions. I used 1"x2" alum. rect. tubing running fore and aft and tied into the bracket used to hold the lifting ring.

The picture of the sack full from the side is just to show approx. volume of the bag. They measure 19" x 19" x 42", they are the "Gravity Games" OEM bags from Supra. I thought they would better fill the space than the standard V drive bags, full they are 565 pound each, I have no idea how full they get in my application, but they look pretty full.

I'll do a better post and write up on the project when time allows.
My first observation is the wake is great! I need to fiddle with speed and how much weight to run front to rear. I also noticed that I probably need a bigger manifold for the fill pumps. The system drains pretty well, and will almost suck the bags flat.

BTW, thanks to everyone that answered my questions, as I basically copied whatever I could, and tried to learn how to make a system like this functional. I probably went overkill on some things, but I didn't want to mess with this once it was installed. So far, so good...
I'll post wake pics soon...

Jack

[mcbridek]

RE: Winter (?ha!) ballast project update

What is the fitting on the Tsunami pump ? I purchased the pump this winter and had given up trying to find a fitting that would work on the input line to the pump. Can't believe they did not use standard threads. I installed a very similar system on my 99 Sport - use 1600 GPH Rule pump on the input line and the 1200 on the output all through 1" ID pipe. Fill time is really fast. I use a single bag - I like your dual bag setup - have to think about that. Also have the same switches in your picture.

[Miljack]

The fitting I used on the Tsunami intake is a PVC reducer bushing, I believe it was a 2" id to a 1 1/2" I think. I went to Lowes with the pump and started mixing and matching to get the right size. The rubber gasket you see is a sink drain washer, and it's half round shape sealed perfectly between the bushing and the pump housing. I ended up using two of the washers per pump mounted on the manifold, one on each side of the bushing. I then took the plastic nut for the pump and screwed it into the back side of the bushing. I then tightened the pump, and aligned the outlet so that it was pointed straight up, and marked the bushing and the manifold so that when I glued them together I could get the outlet in the right orientation (I wanted them straight up, depends on how you're mounting the pumps). I also shortened the intake threads on my pumps so that they wouldn't block the flow through the manifold.

My thinking on the twin bags in the back was that I could try to help level the wake with only a driver on board, it works ok, but more people is better!
I used all 1 1/8" id bilge hose for all of the fill side, and 3/4" id for the drain and vents. It fills quickly, and will prime the pumps while sitting still, but fills faster when moving. The bags empy without having to prime the pumps, and will empty the bags while riding back in. The RV wastegate has been working great.
I got a PM about the switches, the switches themselves are standard double pole, double throw (DPDT) with indicator lights for each position. Waytek has them, but they're easy to find, just do a search for Carling marine switches. The covers that you see with ballast labels are from Mastercraft, and are pretty cheap.

My manifold was built from 2" id pvc tubing with 2 x tees and 1 x elbow for the three fill pumps, and is as close as I could get it to the through hull (1 1/4" scoop style strainer). I am going to run some numbers, but I think the manifold needs to be pretty big to support those three intake pumps. When filling the bags sitting still, one pump will "steal" water from the other pumps. When idling forward all three pumps will fill. I don't know yet if going to larger id tubing will fix this, or if I will need to really increase the volume for the pumps.

Jack

[Miljack]

Wake pic finally

I'm attaching a wake pic of the new and improved wake behind our boat.

Rider=5'9"
boat speed=23.2mph
rope length=70'
Ballast=~1500 water + 4 crew(and junk)~700#
water depth=~10-15'

other riders have commented that the wake doesn't produce a "trough" as on a weighted 2001 or SAN.

Let me know if you have questions.

Jack

[wake_fun]

RE: Wake pic finally

Looks good!

[rbalan]

RE: Wake pic finally

Nice wake, looks rampier than most weighted-down Nautiques including mine. I did not even think about the absence of a trough, but coming from a 89 to 2000 Air, there definitely is less of one on mine as well. Are you satisfied with the size and shape of your wake, or do you plan to do any tweaking or additional ballast?

Oh yea, thanks for your help with my ballast project as well!

[Miljack]

thanks for the notes, the wake now is about all I'm planning on with the exception of maybe some small moveable lead to help with the side to side balance. I might get a bag for the floor to use for wake surfing. I'm also thinking about re-routing the inlet fittings to get the sacks to fill completely in the trunk. Right now, when they start getting really full, the trunk pops up.

On the empty side of the sacks I'm using 800gph Tsunamis and 3/4" hose. These are pumping the ballast out the vent/through hulls. I have a check valve in the vent line and a t where the vent and drain lines connect. When the bags are empty they are typically flat, almost like a raisin if you will. The rear bags empty quickly, the locker sack takes a while, but it's huge. I've got the rear empty pumps down under the trunk floor, both hanging out near the bilge pump, so the pumps will have a prime from gravity. The trunk sack empty valve is in the back of the bag, and in the locker with the bag, so when the bag is full, it will give some "pressure" to help prime the empty pumps. So far, the whole system is working great, and won't fill while running with the RV valve closed.

Let me know if you have any other questions.
Btw, my boat is a Pro Air, the TWC hull.

thanks,
Jack

[Bremsen]

Here is another pic. I don't think the pics do the wake justice. This one shows a little better the lack of a trough I spoke of. It is a bit more rampy than my SN2001, but it still has the nautique lip and kick that thows you more up than out. I'm not the rider in the pic so I opted to blur his face. IIRC he's was about 5'10 also...same speed/length except with 6 guys in the boat. ~1k lbs or so. I'm 6' and it was above my knee that day.

Thanks again for the pull. The ballast system works very nicely.

[rbalan]

That 2nd picture is more like what I expected with that much weight in there.

[Sbt3]

Jack, can you take some pictures of the pumps, valves and manifold that you used and where you mounted them. I currently have 3 simer reversible pumps running but am considering going to the aerator pumps. One of my pumps is going bad I think and they are becoming harder to find.

[Miljack]

I tried to take a pic of the manifold as installed on my boat, but there's no room! I got a picture of the crank pulley instead. My manifold is setup transversely under the engine. I am attaching a pic of a manifold/valve setup that I used as a guide when building mine. A guy with the handle "yooper" on ww did a great write up on his system, which I utilized quite a bit on installing my system. This pic shows two pumps, and my system has three, but you get the idea. I would make the manifold as large as possible if you get it down under the water line as it will prime the pumps.
The RV "waste" valve works great and is plumbed after a brass ball valve, and in front of my manifold. On my setup I had to use two 90 degree elbows, but I was able to use 1.5" id hoses to try to keep the volume up.

thanks,
Jack

[wake_fun]

Could you replace them with Jabsco's?

I currently have 3 simer reversible pumps running but am considering going to the aerator pumps. One of my pumps is going bad I think and they are becoming harder to find.

[bcrandall]

What is an rv waste valve & what is it's function? Is that what the yellow pieces are? What is that black "plate" in the pic? thanks.

[wake_fun]

The black piece is a gate valve and the yellow pieces are the pumps.

[Sbt3]

with the aerator style pumps do you need to shut off the supply everytime you are done filling? I know with the impeller pumps they don't let water by when not in use. I assume that is what the gate valve is for.

I could use Jabscos or I found a few simers online but I would like the aerator cause I think it would be a little quicker. I am going to see if I can limp my system through the summer. The real pain is I hard plumbed my manifold so I will have to redo it to replace one of the pumps.