How much to install a auto ballast system?

In nor cal, where could I take my boat to have a ballast system installed? perfer 3 bag system, btw its for a 03 Nautique Super Sport.
Thanks

I'm doing an install over the winter due to the fact that my local shop charges close to $3000 for parts and labor

bags figure $300-400, jabsco ballast puppies retail at $275 a piece, so $825. $200 for hose fittings wiring ect. And anything over 5hrs they are ripping you off. I used to install ballast systems at a dealership and shop rate was $125 an hour. All added up your $2250 or so.

do some searching on here, it is really easy to do yourself. and save a boat load of money. just read all the articles and figure out which setup you like the best.

You have the whole winter to figure it out and save you a ton of money. As mentioned above, there is tons of information on how to do it right and alot of willing people to lead you in the right direction

You pay for a plane ticket, room and board, and a couple bucks and I will do it for you. Seriously.

There are a few good posts on DIY installs. I wish I could see some of them in person.

i installed one on a customers boat up here in fresno. we really didn't want to install it so we told the customer 3,500 hoping that he would say it was too much but he was totally fine with it. hahahaha. it wasn't that bad to install. Contact Tige Performance Boats in Arizona. their number is 480-655-9055. the owners son makes a aftermarket ballast system call the Rival System. thats the one that i uses and it worked great. you tell him what boat you have and what you looking to do and he'll send you everything you need (pumps, bags, wires, tubing, switches, seriously everything)

I have a used 4 pump Rival system that I will sell

pulled it out of my XTi and don't need it now

Montgomery, I sent you an e-mail

just let me know...thanks

I would not do anything without checking out some of the ballast installs on Planet Nautique. There are several very detailed threads with pictures for SuperAir/SuperSports with 3 bag systems.

Ours was like
$500 - for pro-x sacs
$250 - wire, switches, tubing and fittings
$220 - pumps

about $1000, rule 4000, the best pump ever

I just did my 2000 SAN over the summer and it was really pretty simple. I used jabsco pumps and did everything for around $800. If you want some pics let me know. My design was a 4 sac setup with a Integrated Bow sac which is definately worth doing on that hull.

Yea any pics would be great

find a sbt3...i think thats his name, he knows his stuff
i have these pics he sent me, he may have more help

I wouldnt trust anything glued or soldered in a boat. The vibration will crack the joints in a matter of years. Not coast gaurd approved, not ABYC approved. Use threaded connections or hose.

The copper held up fine without cracking. I wasn't really worried about CGA. I did end up re doing that this year though cause one of my pumps went out. Didn't think about that when I soldered it altogether The systems other than that has been solid and running for 3 years. I just made a pvc manifold and ran individual hoses to each pump but still split off the fresh water intake.

id just hate so see someones boat damaged or sunk, its not more trouble to do it the right way, so why not.

if he hasn't had a problem ever, it would seem he did it the right way

^^ if you go a year, or a matter of years, and don't check your shiz every year you DESERVE to have you boat damaged or sunk.

There's about nine ways from sunday to do a DIY ballast for pennies on the dollar compared to how a dealer would do it (truth in the fact that I could of paid $400 for my dealer to winterize my boat for the same cost of my DI'Myeself' that cost only about $75); but as long as you check on it regularly you will be just fine - that's great dealers/manufacturers do it one way, but check the "ballast doesn't matter thread" for why dealers spew crap to make a dollar; and also look at the overall manufacturing process for why boat companies do certain things to put together x amount of boats a year.

I do appreciate doing it the right way, but at the same time 'doing it the right way' is too damn expensive for some folk when doing it another way will suffice just fine for half the cost.

(Message edited by Sinkoumn on October 31, 2007)

WAlove- I do have a shut off valve in there if there is a problem I can isolate the ballast system. I would definitely recommend that.

I did it on my 95 super sport. It wasn't that bad, I used one bag under the sun pad, one in the ski locker, and two in the back. I only used one pump to save money so after about one beer it done filling up. Its not that hard, all I did was research it on this board first. I have pics if you need them.

600.00 total for me, Thats what they charged me at the dealer to get the factory set up, I already had the two bags for the rear....

Nick, do you have a link to somewhere that has the Rule 4000? I can find it in a bilge pump model only....thanks.

Bump, anything Nick?

i've never seen 4000 gph's in a aireator style (inlet and outlet) The biggest i've seen is 3700 gph. http://www.reddenmarine.com/site/new-detail.cfm?id=RUL17A Are you planning to use one as a fill pump with silinoids diverting flow to seperate sacs. And then seperate out pumps for each sac.

As for soldering in boats, i just though people should know the dangers involved. You post a picture like that and people get ideas. Same kind of risk as installing simers (a non ignition protected pump) inside the engine compartment. Not as big as a risk up top but i'd still run the blower before runnning the pumps.