mlin, If your :macm: is never out of the water, what may be the easiest way to tell if the ballast is empty is to listen for water splashing around in the ballast. You can also get a long wooden dowel with a diameter slightly less than the vent valve diameter, and carefully insert it into the vent ...

I fill the ballast by stopping the boat and opening the vent and valve. It goes quick. I never timed it but I'd say less than a minute. You can tell when the vent stop venting air and water starts splashing. Before calling it done, I rock the boat back and forth to make sure all air is purged. Drai...

I'm also looking to replace my jib and can use some suggestions. Anyone using one of the jibs below? Are they working well? Without UV it's $450: http://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/7204-1v0.htm From the description: this sail does not have a UV cover, you must either take it down when not in use or ...

To drain ballast on the water, I open the transom valve and pull the vent plug. Then I make a planing run for a few minutes, watching over the transom for flow to stop. When it stops, I use my foot to close the transom valve, then slow down. Not the safest thing I've ever done, but not too bad. If ...

Now thinking of it, I never checked if the water ballast is completely empty or not before filling it up...my boat was hauled out at the boatyard for a bottom paint. They opened the valve while working at it so I assumed the water ballast must be empty. I would hope they would have emptied it, but ...

Now thinking of it, I never checked if the water ballast is completely empty or not before filling it up...my boat was hauled out at the boatyard for a bottom paint. They opened the valve while working at it so I assumed the water ballast must be empty.

Thanks for the response. I filled the water ballast at the dock, not under way. I did this twice and it took only half a min before the water starts to come out of the vent. I did check the water level afterwards, even on the next day to confirm it's full by sticking my finger into the vent. The onl...

I'm a new 2005 26M owner. According to the manual it says the it takes 5 or 8 mins or even longer to completely fill the water ballast depending on how much weight there is on the boat. But I found my water ballast fills way too fast...it's full within 30 secs. Has anyone here had the same experienc...