Ballast vent 26 X Forward vs. rear

[Gater Dunn]

What year did Macgregor switch to the forward vent for Ballast and what are the pros and con of both systems
still lookin for my first boat

[restless]

my 96 has the rear ballast, but moulding inthe fwd compartment for a frd vent, so guess that was when they switched.
I like the easy access of a vent in the companion way, very good for checking easily n in a hurry. But.. I have a small transom valve which means it takes a long time to empty when one wants to power up. Also coz of the raised moulding up front I can't get a pure purge, so always have a bit of slop going on
I'll rectify all this with a super cunning mod where the frd part will be vented straight into the cb trunk via a ball valve from the cabin Also I'll be fitting a ballast tank level alarm.
Also the older system has a secondary ballast port which has a leakage tendency, 'specially after a night in the sand Shocker to sail off and realize ur on a half tank
Also the second valve causes a bit of drag so you may lose out a small indeterminate amount of speed proportional to velocity.
Any help?

[Catigale]

My late 2002 has the ballast vent forward, under the Vberth, portside locker

[nedmiller]

Our '98 has the vent in the aft under the companionway step. I like it there...very easy and fast to fill--easy to pull the plug when underway so we can drain before loading on the trailer. Our only issue is the valve in the bottom of the boat does leak a bit but it's only a problem when we are running with no ballast and anchor overnight. The slow leak allows the tank to partially fill which can make the boat unstable. We know that now, and always make sure the ballast is empty or full.
SILK

[kmclemore]

My boat should help pin it down. Mine is a 'transition' boat... it has the vent under the step, but it does *not* have the valve in the bottom of the boat... it only has the valve at the back on the transom, and that valve is the later one (larger), not the earlier one (smaller). Sometime after my boat they moved the vent to the front and that was the final transition in the X models. My boat was made in August 1998 (as you can see from the serial # to the right here ===>).

[Gypsy]

My 2000 has the vent portside under the VEE berth .
The big valve is in the transom on the starboard side.

[eddy]

My 1998 has the vent under the Vberth.

[Don T]

Here is a copy of my earlier post.

Hello All,
The history as I understood it:
1. Original boats had the small transom valve and raised bump vent forward. Customers complained it was hard and time consuming to fill the ballast in rough water.
2. Boat modified for center fill valve and vent located under the step. Forward bump vent not drilled.
3. Forward bump removed from tank as it was no longer necessary. Customers complained it was impossible to fill the tank completely resulting in ballast reduced by 200 lbs. Water splashes out of the center valve control rod and runs into bilges when filling. Aluminum washer (w/rubber seal) corrodes and fills the threads of control rod and customers thought the valve was tight when it wasn't causing water to fill into the bilges. (#2 boats suffered this as well)
4. Hole drilled in the cabin sole (at base of companionway step) so water in the bilges will run out under foot so customers can see it and know they are leaking.
5. Transom valve enlarged (moved to opposite side) and vent moved forward again with no bump. Customers complained that with a fully equipped boat, water could overflow the forward tank vent and soak storage items at best and sink the boat if the stopper fell out or was loose. Center valve & vent not installed.
6. Center valve provision removed from the hull and splash guard installed around vent.

My boat (hull # 64) falls under #2 above. I drilled a second vent hole in the forward bump and installed positive sealing screw type plugs in both vent positions. I keep the washer and rod clean of corrosion (lubed with silicone dielectric compound) and intend to make a stainless washer/seal someday.

Don

On edit: When my ballast is full there is no sloshing and opening the center vent produces a geyser.

[kmclemore]

My 1998 has the vent under the Vberth.

Eddy, can you post your boat's hull number?

And a suggestion for all - post it as a part of your profile, as I have done here ===>

Makes it MUCH easier for many of us to determine how your boat was originally equipped, since this information includes the month/year of manufacture.

[Russ]

And a suggestion for all - post it as a part of your profile, as I have done here ===>

Makes it MUCH easier for many of us to determine how your boat was originally equipped, since this information includes the month/year of manufacture.

And easier for us to get a new title and register your boat, then sneak over to your house when you are gone and tow it away.

My dad is a paranoid type and thanks to email forwards, he now blocks his VIN on his car so thieves can't "steal" his car.

[Catigale]

My dad is a paranoid type and thanks to email forwards, he now blocks his VIN on his car so thieves can't "steal" his car.

Whenever you check into a hotel, your blood type is written on that electronic card. Criminals will send prositutes to your room in an attempt to steal your organs. If you wrap it in tin foil (not Al foil) you can prevent them from reading it though...

pass it on..

[Russ]

My dad is a paranoid type and thanks to email forwards, he now blocks his VIN on his car so thieves can't "steal" his car.

Whenever you check into a hotel, your blood type is written on that electronic card. Criminals will send prositutes to your room in an attempt to steal your organs. If you wrap it in tin foil (not Al foil) you can prevent them from reading it though...

pass it on..

That's an urban legend, tin foil doesn't work. You need one of these products.

[/threadjack]

[SkiDeep2001]

Only $4.99 for a RFID CC protector sleeve or $19.95 for 8 + 2 passport sleeves. http://www.idstronghold.com/Credit-Card ... roducts/5/ I didn't even know they had these. I had my identity hijacked 20 years ago, the old fashioned way, before these new chip readers, but I sure as heck don't want to go through that experience again. Thanks for the info Russ I will be contacting my card issuers to find out when they will be switching to the new style cards. It might be prudent to purchase some protectors now, they might jack up the price when everybody has the new type RFID cards. Rob PS: Ooops, just noticed the thread topic, maybe this should be under it's own thread title?

[DaveB]

Mine is the same way with vent under the step, I like it that way as I am bow heavy due to twin batteries and gear and when I fill the air valve is close to cockpit and water ballest is full if no one else is in cocpit. Once filled you close air valve and outlet and load the crew, this puts weight on cocpit, in my case 2 persons 320 lbs that evens the boat out.
Just one person going to bow at 175 lbs to anchor will cavatate prop. it's that well ballanced.
Dave

Our '98 has the vent in the aft under the companionway step. I like it there...very easy and fast to fill--easy to pull the plug when underway so we can drain before loading on the trailer. Our only issue is the valve in the bottom of the boat does leak a bit but it's only a problem when we are running with no ballast and anchor overnight. The slow leak allows the tank to partially fill which can make the boat unstable. We know that now, and always make sure the ballast is empty or full.
SILK

[eddy]

have to look it up, i'll be back.