Integrated front ballast...

[Eric Z]

Just wondering if anyone has addaed a automatic front ballst to their boat? If so can you use the existing middle pump. I was thinking you could add some hose and a splitter. Also maybe a valve to switch from front ballast to middle ballast. I would like to use my old bags from the back after I upgraded. Any pics would help also.

[adsman]

I have an 07 lsv and just upgraded to 750s in the rear. I took one of the spare 400's and put it in the compartment behind the driver seat (for gooofy surfing) and tapped into the rear ballast line using an assortment of fittings that you can get at the depot in the garden and plumbing departments.

I originally used that clear/braided hose that most people use on aftermarket ballast installs, but on my first test, I found it kinking alot. T osolve this, I found a product that is pretty much exactly the same as the tubing that they use in the factory ballast lines. The stuff I found is called 'flexpvc' ... http://www.flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=8619907.8314*ob68h2&product=2_Flex_PVC_Pipe_3/4_inch

I tested the sytem with the clear/braided hoses and it worked perfect with a 3 way valve on the fill line and another on the empty line. Kinking was an issue. I am confident that the flexpvc will solve that.

so far the upsides of 'tapping into' an existing ballast line is:

1. it is VERY CHEAP
2. Nice and hidden

the downside is TIME.... you have to fill one bag, then flip your 3 way to fill the other. If you want to fill FAST It would be much faster to put your bag where you want it and use a tsnami pump to fill/empy "manually"...

I will post pics when I have V2 of my install complete.