Ballast Newbie needs a little help

Here's the deal, I've got some bonus points available to use at a shop that has a Skylon 600 lb locker bag and a Skylon 1100 gph pump. My boat (Sunscape 23' LSV) currently has no ballast and needs some weight up front. I'm looking for the cheapest, easiest way to get some weight up front and taking advantage of these points works to accomplish this.

My question is, with only 2 holes in the bag, how exactly do you hook up 1 one way pump (non-reversible) to fill and drain the bag? Can you unhook the pump after filling the bag and cap it? then hook it up in reverse to drain it after riding?

I prefer not to just drain the bag into my bilge. Would it be better to go ahead and get 2 pumps (one for filling, the other for draining)?

What are the pluses and minuses to using the locker drain as a fill point instead of throwing the pump over the side?

I know these are silly questions for those of you that use ballast all the time, but I've never even seen a bag before and am having a hard time visualizing the best (cheapest) way to fill and drain it.

I'd bag some of that grass you mow and use it for ballast

That's sure smell nice in about a week!!!!!!

You toss the pump overboard and hook up the hose to the sac to fill it.

Then you connect the pump directly to the sac and toos the hose over the side to drain it.

Two things,

Do not use your locker drain as a fill point unless you buy a second pump to drain with, as you will not be able to remove the pump and drain until the boat is on the trailer. If you do go this route, you might as well do it right and put the pump in permantly with a sealant adhesive, and then hard wire the pump to an on/off switch at the dash. Also, the Malibu drain plug will be smaller than the pump thru hull so you will need an adapter (available at West Marine or most harware stores. You would also want to hard wire the drain pump for convenience and place the bag upside down on top of the pump to keep it primed.

If you decide to go with just the one pump, go to a waterbed store and buy an extra adapter. Put one adapter on the pump and one at the end of the hose. When filling, throw the pump overboard and attach hose to bag. when full, remove pump and put a cap on the bag. To empty, plug pump into bag and throw hose over side. (you may have to prime pump by squeezing bag or sucking on hose for a second)

The pluses for using the locker drain are convenience (if you hard wire) and you can fill the bag while in motion. The negatives are, you will have to buy another pump to drain, and because the thru hull is smaller it may take a little longer to fill.

A big boat like that and no ballast!! All that space and no "hippo system" or "lead" in your plans? Man you got a great platform to work from--use it-- but if you just want the one sack--kind of goes like this: Place tube ending in bag in one opening--place your pump right in the water--plug it in--fill it up a good amount--then bleed excess air in bag through the other port--continue filling until full or repeat air bleed--then cap it--this will maximize displacement. For emptying, reverse process: Pump now placed in bag--hose outside of boat(or bilge)--plug in--keep water flowing to pump nozzle and she will empty. Also, I would just go to the local hardware store and purchase additional length of PVC tubing as opposed to utilizing drain access as a fill point? However, I own a "big pig" Tige and instead of a ski locker they have a nice "Valdez" sized fuel tank! Might check with your Malibu brethren to see if that flies? You should get by with just one pump--however, at 1100gph you might consider a 2000gph upgrade. I know you will decide to agree after countless minutes of filling and emptying sac(s) all season.....Good luck

One pump will be fine.

On the Skylon Locker sack, where exactly are the two hose connections?

One up top and one on bottom, or both on top?

Both are at the same end of the bag so you can reach them when the bag is in the locker. One to vent (or "burp")and one to fill. Depending on your boat you may need an extention to the hose and or power cord when filling the locker sack. Sure made it much easier for me to keep the pump under water when filing.

If you leave the 2nd cap on when pumping the water out, will it suck the bag closed and shrink it up?

Then you wouldn't need to burp it much when filling it up the next time right?

I like the hard wired, permanent type ideas and will probably work towards something like that as I get more familiar with what it will take to get the wake where I want it.

Also, the way I figured it, they claim 600 lbs which figures to be about 75 gallons of water. At 1100 gph, that's only about 4 mintues to fill. It takes me longer than that to get my board out, rope out, vest on and get on the platform to put my board on.

With just one bag, it doesn't really make sense to get the 2000 gph pump does it?

I'm thinking it'd be better to get one 1100 gph to fill and another to drain instead of one 2000 gph pump no??

Lance, get the 1100 pump as it pumps about as fast as the 2000 and half the cost or I'll sell you a like new 2000 for $100 hose and all. The LSV really like weight up front so you are doing the right thing. I had an LSV and put 875# in front 250 each side in back and a 500 in front of back seat for a big wake! One pump will do the trick as both holes are at one end. Put the sack in the locker, attach hose, and throw the pump in the water to fill and hook the pump to bag and hose overboard to empty! I did add hose to my pumps to reach over the sides. 1" ID hose 12 ft. long. I am going to sell my Phat Buddies also, since I am pulling the factory tanks and putting in a 540# Launch sack on each side in rear.

Then it is settled. I'll order up the 600 lb sack and the 1100 GPH pump and get to wake making!

It was either that or a Hyperlight wetsuit. If they had a drysuit, I'd think about it, but I'm not sure how much I'd use a wetsuit.