make-a-wake.com ballast system

nyone have any input on the make-a-wake.com RC III ballast system?

After custom building a ballast puppy based manifold for my old PS190 (finding out how much all the little peices end up costing, and the time involved in building it cleanly), and the rising prices of the pumps, it seems like a pretty decent price for a 3 pump system fully setup and ready to go.

This setup would be for my 98' VLX... I would go with a 1.25" thru hull scoop, to a seacock valve, and then to the manifold. Pro-X VDrive Sacs in the rear and a tube sac in the locker with overflow on each sac out the side of the boat.

-gvb

Hey gvb, I had the folks at Make-A-Wake.com create a system for me utilizing my custom Fat Sac, that theroretically holds 1300-1500 pounds of water.

They did a great job for me. Clean system, everything is labeled and ready to basically just attach to my battery and that huge sac.

The folks there were also great with free advice. When I had Barefoot International make up that custom sac I had a port at the bottom installed, ERRONEOUSLY thinking that a positive displacement type pump needed this. These guys explained the physics behind it and how the building water pressure as the sac filled would slow the fill time slightly. So I can use the fill port at the top without any degredation in performance. Being that the pump is positive displacement it'll drain through the top without any problems.

IMO, they are great to deal with and I like the system they made up for me.

mind me getting and idea on the $$$

http://www.make-a-wake.com/pages/880714/index.htm

I paid more for the custom sac than the pump system.

Surfdad,

I think I asked before, but how do you control the valves?

Hey Tall, I just have the one sac (wakesurf). I think you were setting up a system with bags to the front and rear. I just have the one bag and hence no valves. I have an overflow with a swing type check valve that is connected to the port (on the bag) which is HIGHEST when the boat is fully weighted. Like gvb suggested, I connected a thruhull to a nylon seacock. I just flip the switch and everything goes into the one bag. This is what we get as an end result.

Surfdad,
Do you mean to say that your system will not fill up the right side of the boat only the left side. I would think that you should plumb the system to fill both sides. On the off chance that someone might want to ride on the dark side.
Dennis

Dennis! Luke, I am your fffaaatherrr!!! We'll always carry the tsunami as a backup and that's what we'll use to fill sac's for the DARK side of the boat when you come out and ride. Well, for the 8 seconds that we'll allow you to ride that side. Are you ready for the snow yet? Or still gripped by fear of the fluffy white stuff? Trust me, it won't hurt you.

I can attest to the MAKE-A-WAKE.com system. It's easy to use and does a wonderful job. I have a 2000 mastercraft 205v with a RCIII. I put it in myself with little effort. It fills my twin 350's in the back and the center 600 lb sac in no time flat. It also looks cool as hell when I empty them because it shoots the water out 15 feet beside the boat. Factory systems just kinda trickle the water out! BORING! If I would have thought about it and drilled the hole just a little bit farther up the side I would easily be able to spray other boats as I floated past them. I still may move the hole one day, just to make my wife think I'm crazy!.

Right on... thanks guys..

I pulled the trigger on the RCIII system and two new Pro-X VDrive sacs to replace the old ones.

Going to move my batteries out from the trunk to under the seats when I install the system.

Oh, and by dark, you mean the RIGHT (correct) side of the boat ;)

I think I phrased my question wrong. I mean how does the switch work - It looks like it is Radio-Controlled (RCIII)? You don't run any wires and it is done with a remote switch?

Will that hold up in a marine environment?

Hey Tall, on MY system the switch is three position, fill/off/empty. It's contained in a black plastic box which is affixed to the mounting...I want to call it a "board", but it's some fairly thick plastic material. I wanted everything in one location and hidden from view. I pop the engine cover and then hit the switch to fill or empty. I'm not sure if they offer a remote control version for activating the switch.

Talltiqeguy

Jeff has a local operated single pump system. The RCIII and RCII are multi pump systems that are operated from 3 way switches mounted in or under your dash. The system comes with a wiring harness that plugs into the pumps and switches. Sort of plug and play.

I have an RCIII system in 2000 X-STAR. It's super fast, overflows are a must to have. I can have all my bags filled before the tow vehicle driver gets parked and back to the boat. With the same fill/empty switches and an automatic valve it's a breeze to operate. The self revering pumps suck the bags dry and tight. The system it's self is virtually drop in and run the wires to the dash and mount a control box. Running the hoses to the bags takes all the time up to install it. I installed mine in less than 3 hours.

How do you get the water to the pumps? Do you T off the intake?

Thanks for the info Jason...

Where did you mount your RCIII system, and where did you mount the control box? Have any pics?

I am planning on using a dedicated 1.25" thruhull scoop, to a seacock, then 1" to the intake of the pump manifold.

I also was planning on installing a separate thruhull overflow for each sac and the pump manifold (4 total). What kind of check valves do you use on the overflow and where did you get them?

Only think I am worried about is power draw. I imagine without the boat running (probably even with it running) there is a pretty significant amperage draw (and voltage sag) with all 3 pumps running through like 40' of wire.

-gvb

I am curious as well. Do you T into the existing system to bring the water in and out? I have a 2006 X2 (or will in 2 weeks) and planned on installing extra ballast, but if this system works as well as it seems, I would be very interested. The website just isn't clear on how it works as far as getting the water in and out of the boat.

You can get the water in however you'd like. The inlet on the manifold is 1" hose barb. If you want, you can hang a hose over the side of the boat, use your existing drain plug hole, or install a dedicated thru-hull for the system.

Dedicated input is the best way to go.

-gvb