Gravity filled ballast?

johnathon_03 · Newbie Joined: 04 Jul 2009 Posts: 35 City: Puyallup

I am wanting to put a ballast system in my 90 Supra SunSport. I was thinking about trying to make it a gravity fed which would fill really quick and save alot of time plus some money on the pumps! Of course use pumps to empty everything.

Is there anyone out there that has done this before? If so I would love some advise!!

I am also wanting to make the over fill vavles look clean like alot of the boats today. Does anyone know of a good place for me to find the fittings and finishing pieces? If I make a gravity fed sysmet them I would would problably drain out these vavles aswell.

Thanks alot!

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

MB Has a system using gates on the 09 Tomcats. It does have back up pumps as well.

Might want to look into that, but their system connects into intergrated hard tanks.

You can find examples on Youtube.

Wazzy · Addict Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 706 City: Illinois

Calabria has used this style for years... If I am not mistaken.. open the gates & drive forward to empty.....

yellj · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2009 Posts: 31

FlyZone CR · Posted: Sep 15, 2009 5:44 pm Post subject:

Pure Vert

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

kartman · Posted: Sep 16, 2009 7:13 am Post subject:

every one with a MB where i live pulls it out and dumps the valves on the ramps. its quite impressive!

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

Impressive I am sure... but if its totally filled (2400lbs in the Tomcat) that is way to much extra weight on the trailer and hell, that is like strapping a bayliner 180 on top of your boat and pulling it up the ramp with your truck. THinking this may be highly inconvienient on a busy day when the ramp is wet and slippery.

dbismyname · Posted: Sep 16, 2009 9:31 am Post subject:

Yeah but doesn't it empty in like 60 seconds flat? If this is the case and you open the gates as you're pulling out then the tanks should be empty before you make it to the top of the ramp. Or just pull the boat out of the water slowly.

kartman · Posted: Sep 16, 2009 10:19 am Post subject:

i would never do it that way. its alot of weight on the bunks of the trailer. what you do is dump them as your on your way to the ramp. kyle f, how do you like your MB? im stuck between looking at a tomcat, and an epic for next season.

yellj · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2009 Posts: 31

Boost Deuce · Criminal Joined: 24 Apr 2009 Posts: 94 City: Fort Collins

i think your trailer will be OK having that extra weight for just a few seconds.

seems to work for this guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYhawR_IU-E

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

kyle f, not having pumps keeps things real simple.

And the system (at least in Pro-Vs) drain out a lot faster that 60 seconds. We used to just leave them open all the time in a friend's old Pro-V. Never really noticed it to be honest. It completely empties the tank so quickly it really didn't make a difference.

I'm sure if we were constantly racing around the lake and such we'd have noticed it, but with typically 10+ on the boat anyway, speed wasn't much of a concern. When we weren't pulling, we were usually dead stop chillin anyhow.

Ralph · Posted: Sep 16, 2009 9:00 pm Post subject:

I tried filling my ballast with gravity but discovered it doesn't weight much so went back to using water. Ha ha. Seriously, Sanger has a pure vert option now too. Purevert is the best ballast concept period.

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

I use my boat for more than just pullling, even if it is the primary function. Just like my truck... its primary function is to get the boat to the lake, but doesn't mean that my family never rides in it. So its nice having A/C, Air Bags, Anti Lock Brakes... etc.

I think having pumps would siimplfy things for other scenerios to be able to empty the tanks whenever and however you want.

My boat has drain plugs to the tanks, and I believe its only a 1/2" opening. However, I will pull the plugs sometimes out on the water to fill faster, but pullin the plugs will not top the tanks off. Even if the gage shows full, I can still run the pumps for a minute or two before water starts coming out of the vent tubes.

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

kyle f, dude, were are talking about maybe 15 seconds of "open gates" to empty (on plane), flip switch and the gates close no ballast. The motion of the boat over the water creates a vacuum, and the water is literally sucked out of the compartment.

It happens so fast, there is no need to have pumps. Pumps would just complicate the system unnecessarily - creating an unneeded potential failure point.

Ever shotgunned a beer? Same idea here.

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

yellj · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2009 Posts: 31

Not even a Widebody Laughing

, from the windshield back to sun deck, about same as the Tomcat (Southern Ski has a loaded 09 Tomcat for $49.9k)

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

Nope, not even a wide body. I liek the boat, but I need the room more. I always have too many dang people with me and I wish I had the wide bow of the Tomcat.

bjeremi · Soul Rider Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 433 City: Owasso

Yeah I really dont understand why all the boat manufactures just don't chalk up and pay the royalties for this system. It just seems so robust, simple, and quick. It's the quickness that is simply amazing. Not to mention you get that cool dive dive dive, air bubbling up from the sides.

yellj · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2009 Posts: 31

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

Its rated for that... Mine is rated for 12, but wehave had 14 (5kids) in it confortably,but it would have been nice to have the extra bow space of the pickle fork.

I have been in both and the Tomcat felt roomier.

yellj · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2009 Posts: 31

onlyinboards · Criminal Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 84

I've had both the Tomcat and the TWB. The only place the Tomcat gains space that I've noticed is the bow. The bow is HUGE on that boat. You can put 4 adults easily and comfortably in the bow no problem. But from the windshield back... it's sooo close to the same size (which is incredible considering the TWB is only 21' vs 23'6)

As for the gates and adjusting on the fly... it's no problem. Getting the tanks to half or a quarter is very easy. I would NEVER want to go back to a pump system after having the Pure Vert system.

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

The bow is always heavily used in my boat. Mine is about 50/50 use to wakeboarding and entertaining. If it wasn't I would have got a 21' boat.

I think some of misunderstood my point. I like the gates. I only dislike not having the pumps for occasions when you may choose to use them. I wish mine had the 4" gates because even the 1/2"( I think that is the size of the current plugged holes) are much faster than the pump.

However, I feel thegage on my dash is more of a refrence that an absolute reading.

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006