Like pretty much everyone now-a-days, most of our customers are looking to save money wherever they can.  Because of that, it’s not uncommon for them to head down to their local Home Depot or Lowes when it comes to buying a ball valve for their integrated system.  On the surface it may seem like a good way to save a few bucks, but take a look at the picture above and maybe you’ll change your mind.

Although it looks almost identical to the ball valves we offer, it has one key difference, and that is (quite obviously) the metal that it’s made out of. Cheaper ball valves you can purchase at Home Depot are made of Brass, a metal that is fine for the common plumbing applications for which they are sold by home improvement stores, but is a poor choice for use in a boat.

Due to the environment your boat will be used in, all metal components below the water line or in contact with the water are subject to galvanic corrosion. It’s for the that reason that Correct Craft, Mastercraft, Malibu, Supra and every other manufacturer use tracking fins, prop struts, rudders and all other underwater hardware that is made out of bronze (exceptions are the use of other non-corrosive metals like stainless steel in the prop shaft, and nibral in the propeller).

The picture above (courtesy of Marine Cruising) clearly shows the risk of using a brass ball valve where a bronze alternative should be used. The result is not only a complete failure of the function of the ball valve, but also significantly reduced strength in the body of the fitting itself, which could lead to fracture and ultimately complete failure of the fitting. The results of that a failed ball-valve (or any thru-hull intake fitting) obviously have the potential to be disastrous.

So when it comes to installing a ballast system, do yourself a favor and spend a few bucks more to get the right tools for the job.

This seems to be a popular topic lately, both on the forums, and for our ballast experts on the phone, so we figured it would be beneficial to write a full guide on how to design a ballast system around a reversible impeller style ballast pump. As usual, there are multiple ways to accomplish the same goals, so this shouldn’t be taken as the definitive guide on ballast system installations, but rather a recommendation on how to install a fully functional system that operates correctly based on our years of experience. Feel free to deviate from these plans where you see fit, or contact us if you any questions.

With that out of the way, let’s move on to the good stuff!

The Basics
Impeller style pumps (like Jabsco’s Ballast Puppy) are unique because they can pump water in both directions, which means you can use one pump to both fill and drain the same ballast bag(s). Additionally, impeller type pumps act as a check valve when not running, preventing the flow of water into or out of the bag which simplifies the design of the system.

Design and Layout
In general, all ballast systems that make use of reversible pumps will have the following principles in common, although the specifics may vary from one installation to another depending on the applicable goals or constraints.

The system design we’ve outlined in this article does use one check valve fitting which allows the water being pumped out of the bag when draining to exit the boat above the water line. This is a popular option for many people because it results in a visual and audible indication of when the bag is draining, and when it’s empty. Alternatively, removing the check valve, wye fitting and attached thru-hull vent will result in a simpler and cheaper system that fills and drains through the thru-hull intake fitting.

Water Source
Regardless of the specifics of the system, you will need to find a source of raw water to use to fill. This can be a dedicated intake fitting installed specifically for the ballast system, or can make use of an existing drain plug fitting in the bilge using our available brass integration fittings. We DO NOT recommend using the engine’s raw water intake as the source of water for your ballast system. The risk of damage to the engine is not worth the small amount of convenience during the installation.

Pump
This system makes use of a reversible impeller type pump manufactured by Jabsco. Their Ballast Puppy pumps are incredibly popular in this industry, being used by Mastercraft, Nautique, Supra, Moomba, Centurion and others in their factory ballast system.

Plumbing
The specifics of your installation will depend on your particular boat, but the basics outlined here are generic regardless of the boat.

Immediately after the thru-hull intake fitting install a brass ball-valve as an emergency shut-off point to allow you to immediately stop the flow of water into the boat if something goes wrong.

If you choose to implement a system that drains above the water line, next install a check valve fitting to prevent water from draining back through the intake.

Next is Wye fitting to redirect the flow of water out the thru-hull vent fitting when draining.

Then comes the pump, and finally you can make your connection to the bag. Because reversible pumps fill and drain through the same bag connection, you only need two connections to the bag, one for filling and draining, and one for venting. We recommend using Fly High’s Flow-Rite Quick Release Connector system for all bag connections so that you can quickly and easily remove the ballast bags for cleaning, winterization or storage.

Both the drain and vent hoses are terminated with thru-hull vent fittings that match the factory style.

Here is a summary of the parts used in this single bag system, along with an approximate cost for a system of this type. Obviously the total cost will depend on which bag you choose, whether or not you implement the above water line drain, and a host of other factors. If the cost is of concern to you, contact us and we can help you locate ways to save some money.

Hopefully you found this article informative, and it helped to answer some of your questions regarding wakeboard ballast systems using reversible pumps. If you have any other questions, or would like help designing a system to meet our specific needs, please contact one of our ballast experts and we would be glad to assist.

Whether you’re designing a new ballast system, or trying to upgrade your existing system to fill and drain faster, one common question is how best to design the system so it is as uncomplicated (and also inexpensive) as possible.  One of the tools that we use when helping people design a custom ballast system is a product called a vented loop.

As shown above, a vented loop is a “U” shaped plastic fitting that is installed in series with the fill pump when using aerator pumps.  During filling, the vented loop is invisible, functioning as a section of hose without any limitations.  The beauty of the vented loop only comes into play when the the fill pump is turned off, which means there are no drawbacks to implementing its use.  When water is not being forced through the fill hose, air (but not water) is allowed to pass through a vent at the top of the loop, which allows the column of water from the vented loop to the fill pump to drain down to the level of the pump.  

It is this column of air (typically at least two feet long) that prevents water from siphoning into, or out of the ballast bag when the pump is not running.  Many people are under the impression that water is forced past the fill pump due to the boat running at speed, but it’s not possible to develop that much pressure, and it actually just the siphoning process that allows the bag to fill or drain.  The vented loop solves that problem by creating a break in the column of water running from the pump to the bag, so siphoning is not possible.

To function correctly, the vented loop needs to be installed close to the ballast bag in question, and as high above the water line as possible.  For forward ballast bags, the typical installation location is under the driver’s dash up near the windshield.  In the back of the boat, up under the gunnel, whether in direct drive or v-drive boats, is typically the best location.

If you have any other questions about the vented loop in particular, or ballast systems in general, please feel free to contact us.

Gear Up For Summer, Warm Weather and Flat Water Will Be Here Soon!

The weather is warming up, and that means it’s time to start thinking about getting the boat out again and enjoying time on the water with family and friends. If you’ve been contemplating adding ballast to your wakeboard boat for the last couple of seasons, it’s time to revisit those plans so you can be ready to hit the water.

We’re getting ready for longer days by making sure we have all of our products in stock and ready to ship out to you, so send an email or give us a call at (888) 338-6085 to get your wakeboard ballast questions answered.