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-   -   New Ballast System (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=778236)

crill23 04-05-2010 2:13 PM

New Ballast System
 
Looking into installing a new ballast system for our 2001 X-Star. Since I know little about these kind of things, how hard is it to install a new ballast system yourself? Or should I go the route of having a marina or a "boat specialist" do it for me, since I do not want anything to be messed up? Any pros and cons of going these ways? Appreciate the input and thanks for your help.

mnwakerider 04-05-2010 2:40 PM

It really isnt that hard to do. You can really easily put the standard Fly high 750# sacs in the back of your boat. Just remove the hard tanks and get some new fittings to connect the bags and you are set. Really pretty easy in terms of installs. That is where I would start. With that much weight in the back you will want to get some more weight up the nose. That Hull Shape (205V) really likes weight up front. You can add the Integrated bow sac up there and it will tuck away under the seats. Doesn't get you the full 1000 pounds but its out of sight and good to go. With that you essentially just need to reroute your overflow from the KGB ballast (ski locker area) and have that fill the new bag and the take the vent line on that bag to the threw hull/overflow.
All in all its a couple of hours worth of work. And it is by no means rocket science.
I have some directions on a similar boat (current X-2) that will show you how to do it all. Only difference will be where your hose and vent lines are.

Give me a shout if you want more specifics on how it would work.
john brine
john@waterskis.com
www.waterskis.com

tampawake 04-06-2010 7:40 AM

The thing that is going to suck on your boat because I have the same one but in a 2002 is the stupid way they bring water into the boat. The through hull is too small and it goes to a box that all the ballast pumps suck water out of. You cant fill all three bags at the same time or even two at the same time. Its one at a time and sucks. I am going to have two new through hulls added to my boat so I can fill all three at the same time. If not it takes forever since I went to 450's in the back.

ironj32 04-06-2010 10:39 AM

I've got the same boat as you guys. I put in 4 thru-hull intakes, with 4 reversible pumps...works wonders!

tampawake 04-06-2010 12:14 PM

Jay you filling center sack with 2 pumps or integrated bow. What did you do for empty lines?

ironj32 04-06-2010 5:48 PM

I'm using 3 Jabsco Reversible pumps for the two 750's in the rear, and the integrated bow sac. I'm using the factory pump setup for the ski locker, which, now that I think about it, might actually use two aerater (sp?) pumps....so I'm using 5 pumps, lol. Sorry for the mix-up!

wkbrdrchad 04-07-2010 1:50 PM

I did installed my own ballast a couple years ago, it was a little time consuming, but overall not too difficult (once I got over the fear of drilling holes into the hull of my boat). The benifits are cost for sure, but also just having a better understanding of your system if you ever have to repair or change something in the future.

I have a 2001 Prostar 205V, so the same hull but I started my ballast system from scratch, where I'm assuming you'd be retrofiting your existing set up. Here's a link to the post I made showing my install, I tried to do it as close to the factory standard as I could, so far it's worked very well!

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/m...tml?1214879899


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