drilling holes in ballast scooper ?

[Hillbilly]

So I am going to drill 3 or 4 3/8 holes in the back of the ballast intake scupper, Do you folks think that will eliminate enough pressure from the valves to stop the filling while underway ?

And it's the scupper on the driver side of the boat right ?

[cab13367]

So I am going to drill 3 or 4 3/8 holes in the back of the ballast intake scupper, Do you folks think that will eliminate enough pressure from the valves to stop the filling while underway ?

And it's the scupper on the driver side of the boat right ?

Hillbilly,

Someone from the Supra forum posted on here a while ago saying that's what he did. It's worth a shot and if it doesn't stop your bags from filling, then you can go to step two and cut it out completely with a dremel like tazz and fman have done.

One scupper is for your ballast intake and the other is for your raw water intake. My ballast intake is on the starboard side (driver's side) but please look at yours from inside the boat and make sure!

Let us know if it works or not.

Thanks,

Al

[Hillbilly]

I put a couple smaller holes and 3 3/8 holes, I just need a newer bit mine keeps getting stuck because my batteries on my cordless are almost shot !

I did the whole look inside thing and it is on the driver side. Now I just need the wind to die down, Or I suppose I could just take it for a test ride ? But if it's out might as well get a pull right...lol

[cab13367]

Do you have vented loops installed on the fill lines?

[Hillbilly]

No just the stock set up . I just put 750's in the rear, Thought about doing the switch to pumps instead of sprinklers but I prefer to just use the boat rather then tinker with it.....LOL

[cab13367]

Reason I ask is that u only need to drill out/remove the scupper if u have done away with the sprinkler valves. If u still have the sprinkler valves, ur bags should not fill themselves. If they are, then the little black levers on the valves must be in the wrong position.

[Hillbilly]

I've tried switching them back and forth and they still do it ? It is kind of crazy my boat sat for a stretch of about a month this winter and it all worked fine when I parked it. And then the next time the front pump wouldn't empty ( I checked the fuses and levers) and now my bags fill while under way. I guess that shows me for letting the boat sit too long....LOL

[mmandley]

Take the sprinkle valves out and hit the fill switch, they should open or you will at least hear the motor actuate. Also you can take them apart and make sure something isnt stuck in there. Little stick or something.

Last summer i had issues with them filling my rear bags for a couple weekends. Then it stopped. Then it filled again lol. I figured i picked up something small and it got wedges in there.

[Hillbilly]

I will try that next weekend ! It was windy here this weekend and I took the boat back to storage at 8:30 am on a Sunday.......That does not happen very often.

[cab13367]

I'm curious if the stock Rule will still prime now that you've drilled holes in the scupper ...

Let us know.

[98outback]

Take the valve apart and there is a rubber diaphram in there. What has happened to mine before is a spec of sand gets on it and it doesnt seal which allows water in.

[ian ashton]

My stock ballast also auto-fills. So which valve are you talking, the sprinkler valve?

Any chance I can do this while the boat is in the water, or will that result in a fountain in my engine compartment?

[Hillbilly]

I think it should still prime , Because even though I put some holes in the scupper it should still have upward pressure. I'm hoping just not enough to bypass the valves ! I might get it out this weekend.

[ssmith]

I've always had problems with my ski locker sac filling/not filling and when a sac wasn't in there, the fill hose would constantly leak water into the area. I just changed out the entire sprinkler valve. It cost like $12 from Lowes and took 5 minutes. I bought two more just in case the others go bad.

[cab13367]

Any chance I can do this while the boat is in the water, or will that result in a fountain in my engine compartment?

Ian,

There's a shut off valve at the ballast pump intake. Close that valve then you can take the sprinkler valve off.

Al

[Hillbilly]

I either need to do what Cab did or buy new valves because it still filled under way ! Well at least 1 side did...LOL. I also removed the springs from the valves but didn't run my ballast full because we were trying new stuff this weekend. I am thinking about just filling to where I want and then shutting off the main valve before the pump ! Not a fix but I bet it would work....:lol:

[moombadaze]

I drilled 3 large holes in the backside of my scoop also--still would auto fill at cruiseing speed and above. after getting home this last weeked I spent about a hour under there with a drimil and roto blade-its cut off now, hope to find out this coming weekend if that took care of it.

[cab13367]

I drilled 3 large holes in the backside of my scoop also--still would auto fill at cruiseing speed and above. after getting home this last weeked I spent about a hour under there with a drimil and roto blade-its cut off now, hope to find out this coming weekend if that took care of it.

Stacy, if this is the front bag, it will still auto fill if you are just running hose straight from the pump to the front bag. Reason is that the fill port on the front sac is below water level so the water is forcing it's way up thru the pump, thru the hoses, and into the bag. In fact, I disconnected the fill line on the front sac at one point when we were adrift and water was coming thru it at a pretty good clip. I had to close the shut off valve to stop it. And I removed the scupper and replaced it with a mushroom type thru hull.

Al

[moombadaze]

Stacy, if this is the front bag, it will still auto fill if you are just running hose straight from the pump to the front bag. Reason is that the fill port on the front sac is below water level so the water is forcing it's way up thru the pump, thru the hoses, and into the bag. In fact, I disconnected the fill line on the front sac at one point when we were adrift and water was coming thru it at a pretty good clip. I had to close the shut off valve to stop it. And I removed the scupper and replaced it with a mushroom type thru hull.

Al


Al, no issues with the front bag-its on a flat mushroom thru hull, that I added- and at some point I have the hose high enough it doesnt auto fill sitting still or runing at speeds. The factory scoop thruhull is being used with 2 of the 4 tsunami pumps that fill the surf bag. Last weekend I had it closed off at the ball valve as the pumps were not connected and the other 2 pumps on the flat mushroom style thru hulls did not autofill at speed. I have a total of 4 pumps filling the surf bag. At some point this summer Im putting in a diverter so I can fill a bag on the drivers side for my goofy surf friends.

[cab13367]

Al, no issues with the front bag-its on a flat mushroom thru hull, that I added- and at some point I have the hose high enough it doesnt auto fill sitting still or runing at speeds. The factory scoop thruhull is being used with 2 of the 4 tsunami pumps that fill the surf bag. Last weekend I had it closed off at the ball valve as the pumps were not connected and the other 2 pumps on the flat mushroom style thru hulls did not autofill at speed. I have a total of 4 pumps filling the surf bag. At some point this summer Im putting in a diverter so I can fill a bag on the drivers side for my goofy surf friends.

Stacy,

I'm glad to hear that. So with a mushroom intake and nothing but hose looped high going to the front sac, it doesn't auto fill or auto drain? You're not using a check valve either?

Thanks,

Al

[tazz3069]

I either need to do what Cab did or buy new valves because it still filled under way ! Well at least 1 side did...LOL. I also removed the springs from the valves but didn't run my ballast full because we were trying new stuff this weekend. I am thinking about just filling to where I want and then shutting off the main valve before the pump ! Not a fix but I bet it would work....:lol:

Did you take the Sprinkler Valve apart. There might be something in there. Or the the inside need to be rebuilt.

[Hillbilly]

Yeah I opened up all the valves and cleaned them out and removed the springs.

[brain_rinse]

Those sprinkler valves will hold back over 100psi with the springs in. Taking the springs out allows a little faster flow but also keeps the valves from holding back much water pressure.