Ballast Question Re: 2000 X-star

Can someone tell me what the 3rd port in my ski locker is for on the Ballast.

Ok to be more specific...when looking down with locker door open there are three...upper left and upper right and a lower one.

The lower one is the drain and the upper right one is the water...What is the upper left one for??

I'm trying to come up with an automatic ballast system for under the front seats and can't figure out the significance of the attached port???

It's most likely the overflow.

That was my first thought... but it doesn't seem to work if that's the case!!(Sack has burst in the past)

I'd like to use that entry into the locker sac to drain the bags under the bow seats with the pump for the drain for the locker sacs.

What do you think?? is this just wishfull thinking??

MasterCraft uses a 3 valve (port) system on their bags - drain, fill & vent. There shoud be NO POSSIBILITY of bursting a bag in a properly configured MasterCraft ballast system. If I were bulding a custom system, I'd go with the three port bag setup.

Regarding bags under the front seats, I personally wouldn't bother. The amount of water you can get under the front seats is minimal compared to the effort you expend to make it happen with plumbing, electric, etc. I'd put 300-400 lbs of lead up front and still have room for Coast Guard equipment.

If you haven't already, you may want to expand your rear tanks by either removing the stock tanks and adding 500 lb. fat sacks on each side or adding a rectangular hard tank to to fill up the vacant space beween the stock tanks and the engine.

That way you end up with about 2,000 lbs of ballast, all hidden.

RTMunroe,
There have been a few cases of bags bursting from a kinked vent line.

I'd follow what BTLowe said, those are some simple and inexpensive solutions to help you out.

KG

My only fear with the lead is towing...there seems to be mixed feelings about this and I'm not sure as to which way to think.

The reason I am drawn to the water is for the fact that it can be removed from the boat.

Thanks for the input guys.

I have a 99 XStar and i use 2 x 500 in the rear and 375 in the ski locker and the same bag on the floor 375 in the bow area. Thats 1750 lbs trust me its enough.
Md

Thanks for the input Marco. I know what you saying about the about amount of weight and I can't agree more.

I actually the like the boat weighted with roughly 700lbs total in the back and front locker full plus about the same amount of weight as you roughly 400lbs distributed in the front.

My goal was an attempt to keep the walkthrough clear.

I like the idea of lead...trailoring just makes me nervous.

Thanks again for the input.

If you have a standard MC trailer, it will have load ratings on a label near the tongue.

On my X-9 I towed with 400 lbs. of lead in the boat based on this rating and the overall boat weight with gas & gear. I also tow with a Suburban.

You need to make the decision based on how far you tow, with what, and what you're comfortable with. I decided I was comfortable with 400 lbs of lead, but no more...

have 2000 x star have put 2 fat sacks in the back storage area and also added lead up front works great but it would be nice to have a ballasts tanks with a switch on the dash . most people like my wake .