Currently I throw a 600 LB locker sack in my trunk. Im getting tired of filling and un filling the sack and dealing with the pump and hooking it up the ballast bag ect. What I was thinking is. <BR> <BR>I removed my Stock ballast system. I still have the sea cocks with sea strainers attached to the bottom of the boat. The stock system had 2 sea cocks and strainers for 2 ballast pumps. They were for filling the ballast one for the left ballast and one for the right. Like I said I removed the stock hard tanks so I can use whats left of my system <BR> <BR>What I was thinking I could do is <BR>Get a custom sack with the quick dis-connects made for the trunk. Install a ballast pump omn my exixting sea cocks and stariners 1 that fills the sack and use the 2nd one attached to the 2nd sea cock for emptying. (will this work) do I ned a ven can I empty via the bottom of the boat or does it need a vent and need to go out the side? This way I quickly hook up the bag via the quick disconnects fill the bag and then when Im done attach the 2nd empty line and empty threw the 2nd sea valve? <BR> <BR>I wanted to know what people thought of the Attwood pumps and quick disconnect valves? <BR> <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/518880.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR>Here is what my trunk looks like <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/518881.jpg" alt="Upload">

The quick connects work pretty well - the only problems I've had is that sometimes (only on certain quick connects)they will be super hard to push all the way down so the lock, but that is rare. <BR> <BR>As for draining out the bottom you shouldn't have any problem with that, you'll just have to make sure that existing line goes over the water line to prevent any back flow into the sac. <BR> <BR>For the vent line, I have a similar setup on my locker sac in the boat - 1 fill line, and 1 empty line. What I did was arc the fill line upwards, and at the Apex of it I put a T connection - one end of the T went to fill the sac, then when that got full all of the water would then just vent and push right out of the top of the T (see pic) and out the side of the hull (you could just run that right out your bilge empty hole if you don't want to drill any holes in the boat. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/518884.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by Sinkoumn on November 11, 2007)

One side of my boat has 2 holes all ready from the stock bllast system. One for a vent and one for a overflow. I could use these holes for Empty/Vent

Here's a real pic of the connection: <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/518888.jpg" alt="Upload">

Sinko: Sorry that install is not possable. This is what occupies that space in my boat.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/518892.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR>Thanks for your drawings. These are the empty/vent holes im talking about. The 2 chrom holes in front of the Air nautiques graphic <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/518893.jpg" alt="Upload">

G-Never mind the ballast bags in the trunk, fill it with W-7's<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0>

Aha, I forgot you have that there. But it's still the same idea, that's just where I had to run my lines - my two outputs come out mid boat (see pic below). You should have no problem at all taking over one of the same two on my boat as well (1 for front bilge, and the other is for the vent/overflow). I also have six more in the back (three on each side) because I decided not to drain out the bottom. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/518897.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR>But where your boat has the two outputs you should be all good to setup your ballast using them. I have some more pics of the ballast setup on my wakesiderides profile if you needed any idears - <a href="http://www.wakesiderides.com/rides/index.php?page=out&amp;id=2294" target="_blank">http://www.wakesiderides.com/rides/index.php?page=out&amp;id=2294</a>

So Sinko let me see if I have this right. You have a total of 6 pumps for ballast, 3 fill and 3 drain and 2 bilge pumps that are not involed with the system at all? Then you have 8 thru hull fitting? I just got a '97 VLX and would love to do something like you have but with the fly high sacs. I don't mind drilling holes in the hull or anywhere else. I would want one sac on each side of the engine and one in the ski locker. Then I will be putting the triangle in the front but just planned on filling that with the fly high pump. Any suggestions on what I could do with that. I think it would just be easiest to do that with it's own pump though.

I would use one existing thru hull and seacock, mount this solenoid valve (2w0250, 1", 76$) <a href="http://www.stcvalve.com/I-Solenoid-spec-2W-2S.htm" target="_blank">http://www.stcvalve.com/I-Solenoid-spec-2W-2S.htm</a> <BR> <BR>and use two aerator pumps in series, the first fill pump attached to the solenoid valve at the thru hull, feeding the output of the drain pump. One hose to the bottom of the sack, drivers side, use a QD fitting. One 5/8" hose (vent) from top of sack to pass side thru hull, QD fitting there too.I'd use the tsunami type, they come with that plug which you would definitely want when the sack is out. <BR> <BR>One DPDT on/off/on contura switch needed, the MC dealer sells covers that say "ballast" etc, fill and drain. ll you need to do is switch the hot from one pump to the other, and activate the solenoid when either pump is on. Three wires. The system fills and drains out the bottom thru hull, and you know when its full when it comes out the vent. <BR> <BR>This system is foolproof, uses a minimum of wiring, very little hose, and no check valves needed. It will not siphon and will always prime both fill and drain. You have true watertight integrity when the solenoid valve is closed without having to close a hand valve. Here's a crude drawing.<!--attachment: ballastdoc-518929.pdf*mime_pdf.gif*application/pdf*97.6*Upload*ballastdoc%2epdf --><center><table border=1><tr><td><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/icons/mime_pdf.gif" align=left alt="application/pdf">Upload<br><a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/ballastdoc-518929.pdf" target="_blank"><b>ballastdoc.pdf</b></a> (97.6 k)</td></tr></table></center><!--/attachment-->

hey g. i second what 8 tens said. who needs ballast when you've got dub 7's.

^Nick, yup that's about right. The two bilge pumps were there stock already. <BR> <BR>There is also three thru-hulls for the water pickup out the bottom of the hull as well. There are MANY other ways of doing it, especially if you are looking to make it as cheap as possible, so look around and see what will fit your boat and price budget.

Grant, here is a shameless plug for some ballast pumps/parts that I have for sale. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/8/519023.html?1194881413" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/8/519023.html?1194881413</a> <BR> <BR>I had the idea of adding ballast to my DD but bought a V-drive with built-in ballast instead.

G, you can also just get a Jabsco or Simer pump and fill and empty through the same line, then you can just use the other connection point on the bag as a vent line. That's another option.

Who makes custom sacks with the quick disconnect? <BR>Sinko. Do you have a link for the type of pumps your talking about? Thanks

The one that TR is selling would work. Basically if you went with the fill/empty through the same line you'll need a self priming pump - that's what the Simer and Jabsco are (Simer pumps sell for less), but the price that TR has listed ain't bad at all. <BR> <BR>Heres a link to the Simer style - <a href="http://www.simerpumps.com/asp/Product.asp?PId=368" target="_blank">http://www.simerpumps.com/asp/Product.asp?PId=368</a> <BR> <BR>The model is a Simer BW85P. I think you can buy these at Lowes, Home Depot, or maybe even Menards or Walmart. <BR> <BR>As for the custom sac, Fly High makes customs sacs for a little extra than what the regular sacs cost - I'm actually going to have them make a smaller version of their bow sac to put under the playpen in the bow. <BR> <BR>Whichever route you go, you might want to install a helm controlled cable valve as well. All you need is the valve, cable, knob, and three position rocker switch (minus the switch, you can get them all from Flow-rite, or on eBay). <BR>From the Flow-rite website, you needs: <BR>RK1 - System 1 Actuator - "OPEN - CLOSED" <BR>CC-xx - Control Cable, 'xx'ft <BR>V1 - Valve, System 1 - Barbed <BR> <BR>Here's a topic from awhile back, just to give you some ideas: <BR><a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/198705.html?1100799866" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/198705.html?1100799866</a>

See below <BR> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by Sinkoumn on November 12, 2007)

Looks like this: <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/519070.jpg" alt="Upload">

Does anyone know who makes custom sack's?

I think FlyHigh will build custom sacks. <BR> <BR>I have built several systems, and I really prefer a good aerator system. They are faster, much quieter, draw much less power, and no worry of cooking impellers. <BR> <BR>Check out yooper's posts on this thread: <a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/198705.html" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/198705.html</a> <BR> <BR>I'm running a somewhat massaged copy of the Rival system with Tsunami 1200's, and it works GREAT.

Custom built sac from Fly High: <BR><!--attachment: Custom_Sac_Order_Form-519147.pdf*mime_pdf.gif*application/pdf*123.1*Upload*Custom+Sac+Order+Form%2epdf --><center><table border=1><tr><td><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/icons/mime_pdf.gif" align=left alt="application/pdf">Upload<br><a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/Custom_Sac_Order_Form-519147.pdf" target="_blank"><b>Custom Sac Order Form.pdf</b></a> (123.1 k)</td></tr></table></center><!--/attachment-->