Mac 26M water ballast fill time

[mlin2001]

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 experience here? I'm a bit worried there is something wrong.

Thanks!

[Jimmyt]

You have to give a bit more info before I can determine what you're seeing. Mine takes a few minutes (have never timed it). I launch empty with the valve closed. I motor away from the ramp and either run empty out to deep water or fill as I get in the river (if it's rowdy out in the bay). So, I idle along, open the valve, and after several minutes, get the Admiral to check the vent funnel. If she verifies that water is through the vent hole to the funnel, or at least to the underside of the vent hole, I close the valve. And then I check it myself.

So, is the boat already in the water? Did you leave the valve open during launching? 30 second fill time seems too quick, unless you are doing something to partially fill it before your timing starts.

Shouldn't be too hard to figure out though.

Welcome to the forum!

[mlin2001]

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 only other piece of information I can provide is that I have a 60HP Evinrude E-Tec engine. Not sure if it is considered a very heavy one. But even with a heavier than usual engine I don't think it will bring the fill time from 5 mins to about half min.

I will try again next time under way to see if it is still the same...

[mlin2001]

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.

[Jimmyt]

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 if they aren't familiar with Macs, they may not have. If the boat was nose down or dead level it may have retained water even if the valve was opened.

You say you tried it twice with the same result. How did you empty it?

[mlin2001]

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 if they aren't familiar with Macs, they may not have. If the boat was nose down or dead level it may have retained water even if the valve was opened.

You say you tried it twice with the same result. How did you empty it?

I actually have never emptied it yet. Since I don't trail the boat and I don't use it as a power boat I always keep the ballast full. I filled it up once when I got the boat from the previous owner; and once after the ballast was supposedly emptied by the boatyard when they paint the bottom.

[Jimmyt]

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 you have crew at the helm it's not bad at all.

Draining on the ramp with the trailer is safe and easy.

Several members use an air pump in the vent hole to blow the bilge. Not sure how dry you can get it using this method.

Bottom line, I think that it takes longer than 30 seconds to fill, but I've never timed it. Always doing other things while it's filling. Hopefully, I'll get a chance in the next couple of weeks to try it and see. Maybe some of the others have actually timed it.

Did you stick the tank to see if it was actually empty either time?

[mlin2001]

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 you have crew at the helm it's not bad at all.

Draining on the ramp with the trailer is safe and easy.

Several members use an air pump in the vent hole to blow the bilge. Not sure how dry you can get it using this method.

Bottom line, I think that it takes longer than 30 seconds to fill, but I've never timed it. Always doing other things while it's filling. Hopefully, I'll get a chance in the next couple of weeks to try it and see. Maybe some of the others have actually timed it.

Did you stick the tank to see if it was actually empty either time?

No I didn't. I should do that next time. Talking about draining the ballast, how fast do you have to go? Is 10 mph fast enough to drain it?

[Inquisitor]

I've never timed mine either, but I'd guess mine's about a minute. Doing the Math, M has 138 gallon tank, 4" line can do a maximum 260 gallons/minute. Doubt the flow rate is anywhere near that... but if you were taking on 100+ gallons in 30 seconds and something was wrong, you wouldn't be "suspecting" anything... you'd know it in one big hurry! You'd be doing the Roger "holed" test live, up close and personal.

I've heard people backing up while filling and I tried it once... backing barely idle speed and walked to the vent (< 10 seconds)... was already filling the funnel. Plugged the vent jiffy quick that day... and won't do that again.

[NiceAft]

mlin,

If your 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 valve. If there is water in the supposedly empty tank, you will see wet wood.

What year is your Not that this makes a difference; I’m just asking.

[Jimmyt]

Inquisitor brings up a good point. I'm almost always going forward as my tank is filling. My flowrate is going to be lower than sitting still or reversing.

I believe 10 mph is fast enough. I'm usually running around 19 mph while mine is draining, though.

[Russ]

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.

Draining: Opposite only under WOT. Then close valve and plug vent.
This get most out. However, once on the trailer I re-open the valve and on the way home on the road more water sloshes out. Probably a few gallons that gets trapped and accelerating from a stop releases more and keeps tailgaters at bay.

[mlin2001]

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.

Draining: Opposite only under WOT. Then close valve and plug vent.
This get most out. However, once on the trailer I re-open the valve and on the way home on the road more water sloshes out. Probably a few gallons that gets trapped and accelerating from a stop releases more and keeps tailgaters at bay.

Thanks for the feedback Russ! I'm now less anxious knowing there are other boats that also fill up the ballast in less than a minute.

[mlin2001]

mlin,

If your 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 valve. If there is water in the supposedly empty tank, you will see wet wood.

What year is your Not that this makes a difference; I’m just asking.

It's 2005.

[Inquisitor]

... keeps tailgaters at bay.

- Yeah, I bet it does... most might recognized it being an RV black water tank emptying!