Do it yourself ballast tanks????

I am getting tired of filling up 4 different fat sacs by hand each time we surf. I also don't want to pay $800 per side to have the dealer put in two automatic ballast tanks. Anyone know of a do it yourself kit or other way to hard wire/plumb in a couple of ballast tanks so i can just push a button and they fill/empty??? Any help is appreciated!

rubber maid garbage can and alot of quick crete. your in there for under 100 bucks.

or, "Sack Up" ditch the "sacs" and buy some lead.
lead= more weight, no time filling, more room in boat and its moveable.
lead also= no money from insurance when your boat sinks.

you make the call!!!!!!

try this link, http://www.wakesiderides.com/viewArticle.php?id=141

one more for you, this has to be one of the best install threads i have seen. good luck.

http://www.wakesiderides.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17225

My family has an Enzo and when we bought it we had wanted to put in more ballast (together with factory). We looked at the factory pumps which were "Ballast Puppies" if I remember correctly. Called the number on the pump. We then found the inlets on the bottom of the boat and called up the Centurion factory and ordered 2 of the inlets and valves system identical to the factory setup. We ordered some sacs from Fly High?? I can't really remember. But when it all arrived the pumps had the switches and wiring instructions. We did a lot of figuring, you know "measure 10 times drill once" I didn't want to ruin our new boat. Once we figured out the placement of the valves in the bottom of the boat next to the factory. I laid under the boat and my brother was in it. I used masking tape on the gel coat where we we're going to drill through. He drilled a 1/8" pilot hole and I did the hole saw through on the under side. We used a lot of silicone and put the valves in, same as the factory. Then we pulled some wires to the dash (for the power from the fuse box and for the switches). We rotozipped the hole in the under side of the dash for the 2 switches and then found 2 empty slots in the fuse box (for power) and hooked it all up. We screwed the pumps under next to the factory one and ground them out. Then we ran clear braided 1" hose from the valves to the pumps then to the sacs. We had to do a little rotozipping of the engine compartment sides so the hose would get to the sacs. We did this all in 3 hours and that was taking our time so we didn't mess it all up. All you need is a Drill, a wiring harness kit (like 10 bucks at a hardware store) some wire, and however much hose you want or need. The only thing that ours doesn't have is an overflow. So we have to watch our bags fill up so they don't rupture. It was very simple. I'm sure you could find a cheaper route by using non-factory parts or cheap pumps but ours has worked flawlessly. If you want I can take a couple pics and post them.

Hope this helps and makes sense.

1.Go to make a wake and look at their systems.
2.then call be atlas and order bw85 pump for around $80.
3. go to home depot for pvc parts and check valves.
4. waytekwire.com for on off on rocker switch w/ light
and save about $600.

Just remember that the simer bw85 is not ignition protected so you don’t want to mount them in your bilge.

I've installed quite a few systems. Simple to complex. What I have found works the best is

1) 1 1" intake hole on the bottom of the hull in front of the prop using a high speed water pickup http://www.fisheriessupply.com/online/ln_menu/product.asp/mode/1/product_id/257072/displayKey/Marine+Hardware/Ntt/mhi/N/0/Dx/mode+matchallpartial/Nty/1/R/7535/D/mhi/catalog_name/FISCO/partnumber/MHI%23HSWP1.000-B/Ntx/mode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/act/A01/Ntk/All. (Same as your engine water intake)

2) Run that through a seacock http://www.fisheriessupply.com/online/ln_menu/product.asp/mode/1/product_id/93450/displayKey/Marine+Hardware/Ntt/seacock/N/0/Dx/mode+matchallpartial/Nty/1/R/24055/D/seacock/catalog_name/FISCO/partnumber/MHI%23SEAC1.000-B/Ntx/mode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/act/A01/Ntk/All (a ball valve that can be mounted to the hull of the boat) this lets you seal the boat off from water if a leak should occur some where in you system.

3) run 1" reinforced hose (I like trident 144 series it is hard to find in 1" http://www.fisheriessupply.com/online/ln_menu/product.asp/mode/1/product_id/12285/Ntt/hose/N/0/Dx/mode+matchallpartial/Nty/1/R/2130/D/hose/catalog_name/FISCO/Ntx/mode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/act/A01/Ntk/All) to a manifold (I like the new factor mastercraft ones four 1" threaded holes in a nice block of plastic with mounting holes in the block sells for $45 from a dealer)

4) From the manifold to your pumps 1 per bag (reversible type simer's or jabsco, make sure you use the new model 18220-1127 with the silicon impellers)

5) Run the fill empty line to a bottom fitting on the bag. The bags use 3/4 thread and the hose i use is 1" make sure you get the right size fittings elbos work better http://www.fisheriessupply.com/online/ln_menu/product.asp/mode/1/product_id/13763/displayKey/A%26M+Industries/Ntt/pvd/N/0/Dx/mode+matchallpartial/Nty/1/R/3180/D/pvd/catalog_name/FISCO/partnumber/PVD%23TE20-1216/Ntx/mode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/act/A01/Ntk/All

6) Run a vent line from a top front fitting on the bag.

7) Place a check valve in line on the vent hose (I like the bozeworth guzler model http://www.fisheriessupply.com/online/ln_menu/product.asp/mode/1/product_id/9191/Ntt/bosworth/N/0/Dx/mode+matchallpartial/Nty/1/R/23790/D/bozworth/catalog_name/FISCO/Ntx/mode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/act/A01/Ntk/All)

8) Run the vent out the side right under the rub rail using a thruhull with a 1" barb http://www.fisheriessupply.com/online/ln_menu/product.asp/mode/1/product_id/93453/displayKey/Marine+Hardware/Ntt/thruhull/N/4294934120/Ne/6/catalog_name/FISCO/R/24056/act/A01/partnumber/MHI%23THMB1.000S/Ntx/mode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/Ntk/All.

Use 3M 5200 to seal all thruhull fittings, and Teflon to seal threaded connections

This system will fill and empty though the bottom water intake. You will have to watch your bags and turn the pump off when they are done emptying.

If you want you bags to empty out the side like some factory systems you can y the intake line coming into each pump with check valves in each line. Run the extra leg of the Y out the side through a thruhull. When the pump is reversed the water will be stopped by the check valve in the intake line and forced out the thruhull. When fill the check valve in the empty line will keep air from entering your system.

For wiring the simer draw 20 amps, and the jabsco’s draw 12 amps. I would you some sort of a distribution block off you battery and then fuse each pump at the block. Make sure you are using a big enough gage wire as the amp draw is significant. Here is a good referance http://www.ancorproducts.com/corp/ancor/Conductor_Sizes_C.html is a good reference for what wire size, remember that your run is the total wire length from the battery to the switch to the pump and back to the battery pos and neg. You can use relay but the switches that come in the box are rated for 25 amps. I always make sure the engine is running and idled up in neutral so that my battery gauge is showing 14v. The pumps run faster and more efficient at higher volts.

(Message edited by masonwakerider on September 11, 2007)

(Message edited by masonwakerider on September 11, 2007)

Thank you to all of you for your replies! Some great idea's! And thanks for the links as well. I now have an off season project for the winter! Thanks!