Trailer with ballast?

Northeast · Criminal Joined: 22 Dec 2005 Posts: 78

Do any of you guys trailer with ballast already in your boat to save the time of pumping water into the sacs? If yes, how much ballast do you have in your boat when trailering? How many of you use alternate ballast as well, such as old weights, etc.? If you do trailer with ballast, how far do you go and how is your trailer/tow vehicle handling it?

Thanks for the help and feedback.

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

Can't do that, at least here in Colorado. the Zebra Mussel checkers WILL make sure all your ballast is drained.

shaggyboarder · Posted: Aug 26, 2009 5:51 pm Post subject:

My buddy pulls his boat with the factory ballast filled some times but thats about it. Ive known people who leave lead in their boat 500-1000lbs who have towed their boats. Just make sure your vehicle can handle it and stopping distance isnt sacrificed. I wouldnt really tow more than a 1000 lbs of extra ballast personally but thats just me.

b33nine · Soul Rider Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 311 City: Salem-ish

I heard a horror story once about Tara Hamilton back when she was still a big deal in woman's wakeboarding. Apparently she was trailering her boat to the lake for the day and the bearings in her wheels caught fire because of how much weight she was pulling around on. Apparently she never emptied the ballast ever and just pulled it around fully weighted.

Christobull · Addict Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 898 City: Tulsa

Do whatever you want, I just wouldn't want to be on the same road as you are.

ssuter · Outlaw Joined: 21 Apr 2009 Posts: 191 City: Nashville

Christobull, Lol. thats funny. same here

i never pull my boat with ballast in it. It says how much weight is designed for the tailer to handle. I dont think they would put that up there just for fun.

criminally_minded · Posted: Aug 27, 2009 3:50 am Post subject:

I haven't emptied my fat sacks in over 3 years.. I think I filled them when I first got back from living in Canada, and I've since lived in Melbourne, Colorado and Canada again. Towing has never worried me, I live 5 minutes from the river I ride in, and my trailer is rated much higher than my boat. I'm sure that I'm not doing my suspension any favours by leaving it trailered so long with so much weight (500kgs, over 1000 pounds), but I don't have an auto system or even a pump. I fill with a hose which takes ages and when I empty them, I have to let them out into the bilge. I usually do this after I have trailered it anyway so I can let it run out the bilge plug.

If I had a nice new boat with an auto system.. I would be draining it every time for sure. Depending on how far you are towing you'll save some $$ in fuel, and increase your safety. Not draining them isn't the end of the world though.