Sandbags for ballast?

nau7iqu9 · Newbie Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Posts: 2 City: Earlville

I have a 79 Ski nautique wondering if anyone has use sandbags under the bow and had good results. wouldn't be my first choice but im limited for space

Anubis_79 · Newbie Joined: 11 Jun 2010 Posts: 40

It depends on what you mean by "good." It's not going to be the same as a couple ballast bags or a modern boat, but it will improve the wake. I've got two 50 pound bags of sand in my '86 Nautique under the bow along with about 300 pounds of lead in the back. The sand is in duffel bags, and they're about 24x16x6 all flattened out, not exactly small but not ballast bag big. Really, any kind of weight is going to help be it people, sand, water, or lead. The nice thing about sand bags is you can move them around pretty easily to get things just right.

Wakeboarder3780 · Posted: Aug 08, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject:

There was a post earlier about this that stang posted out. Prepare to be flamed for suggesting sand in your boat Wink

(they were hating big time)

Personally sand doesn't bother me - its all weight. I think lead or steel shot would be better but who has that kind of money to drop on ballast? Do whatever makes you happy.

Anubis_79 · Newbie Joined: 11 Jun 2010 Posts: 40

Yea, weight is weight. Some of us don't have V-drives with a ton of room for giant ballast bags, or we just don't want to have to climb all over them. A bunch of sand in a couple plastic bags wrapped up in some duct tape and in some sort of canvas bag is a lot better than nothing. And you don't need to spend who knows how long filling up every time out.

nau7iqu9 · Newbie Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Posts: 2 City: Earlville

I realize a few sandbags in the bow of my 79 isn't going to make a huge difference, just wondering what it will do to the wake or if sand was acceptable

ctgretzky99 · Posted: Aug 10, 2010 7:25 am Post subject:

I used to be against sand, but after a few years of hanging out on the sandbar, and people tracking in so much all of the time, and it being able to just be washed out, I say go for it. Just be sure the bags are strong. A little bit of leaking sand no biggie. A bag breaking open and dumping sand everywhere, probably not good.

Bags of cement mix...no.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

contlee · Newbie Joined: 20 Apr 2010 Posts: 11

I agree with wakebrad, if you need to get weight out of your boat fast due to an emergency. Then sand,lead, or anything besides water is bad news. I know that fat sacks and pumps are expensive but I think that it is worth it in the long run. Not only do they do a better job but also if that situation comes up where you need that weight out of your boat asap. then the fat sacs are going to be much more convenient that the sand, lead, or anything else

LiquidCraftMasterForce · Newbie Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 12

I used sandbags in the back of my mastercraft for a couple years but found a cleaner alternative. I now use 3 plastic 35 gallon trash cans. works like a charm. I fill them with a 5 gallon bucket and it takes maybe 5 minutes to fill them up.

JeffreyCH · Posted: Aug 11, 2010 8:59 am Post subject:

Another thing to consider is tow weight, you'll be dragging sand, lead, whatever all over with you. Less gas mileage, more strain on your tow rig and trailer. Most of the guys that ride with me are all over 200 lbs. stick 3 in the bow and I'm good to go. Only problem with that kind of ballast is the cooler seems to get emptied out pretty quick Wink