RZ2 basic ballast to Surf plus

[Duncan]

None that I could tell, I've been on WABoatings boat and it worked very well, the drain and vent hoses are well above the waterline even when heavily ballasted.

If I had it to do over, I would run all lines forward to avoid the auto-drain issues.

[adamsjstt]

Is it necessary to run the thru hulls above the rub rail? Or will that be to low?I am looking at the same location as WAboating's but about 1 inch below the rub rail

[Duncan]

Is it necessary to run the thru hulls above the rub rail? Or will that be to low?I am looking at the same location as WAboating's but about 1 inch below the rub rail

The drain for my pair of bow sacks is below the rub rail (factory position) and I have never had an issue with auto draining. That should not change if you run drain/vent lines from the rear (the bow thru hulls should always be higher than the highest portion of the rear sack.

[talltigeguy]

Is it necessary to run the thru hulls above the rub rail? Or will that be to low?I am looking at the same location as WAboating's but about 1 inch below the rub rail

I am going to go out on a limb here and state that I think this problem is not nearly as big as it is being made out to be. Now I am sure I am going to take a quick beating...so watch this.

On my old 24V and my current boat with big custom sacks, the level of the top of the sack is still barely below the level of the overflow, so self draining is a trivial problem. I see about a gallon come out during an entire surf session (about 8 pounds). It is a small trickle.

It seems only necessary if your boat is especially shallow, or the sack is so tall that it is above the level of the overflow when the boat is in surf mode. Even keeping in mind the lean, and the rise.

I would still put the overflow in the front of the storage locker, but below the rubrail. It just looks so much better, IMHO.

This is a full custom sac (almost the same specs as the enzo sac, but it was made before they created the enzo sac). The overflow is in the rear compartment, towards the front. No water is coming out.

[IDBoating]

It seems only necessary if your boat is especially shallow, or the sack is so tall that it is above the level of the overflow when the boat is in surf mode.

Exactly. In my ultra-ballast system, my fat sacs go all the way to the top of the rear storage lockers - which means they are well above the rubrail. I was concerned about self-draining and placing the vents and drains forward insured they would always be above the top of the sacs. Doesn't mean everyone else has to do it, but it's a bombproof solution that doesn't require valves or loops or anything else. It just works!

[Duncan]

I am going to go out on a limb here and state that I think this problem is not nearly as big as it is being made out to be. Now I am sure I am going to take a quick beating...

//Bill Cosby voice// Let the beatings commence ...

On an RZ2 with sacks going to the top of the rear lockers and the boat heeled over so water kisses the rub rail when at surf speed, you will auto-drain unless you take measures to prevent it (e.g., drain AND vent to opposite sides; check valves; run lines to bow, etc).

Our sack will lose a quarter of its water over 30 minutes or so.

[duffymahoney]

Always put valves inline or vent to the other side. A sac can easily lose a 1/3 or 1/4th of it's total weight while surfing. Just easy to do. I just vent and drain to the opposite side. Works every time.

[IDBoating]

Always put valves inline or vent to the other side.

That's the advantage of my approach - you don't have to route hoses to the other side AND you don't need valves. The natural angle of the boat insures the outlets will be above the sac.

[Duncan]

Always put valves inline or vent to the other side. A sac can easily lose a 1/3 or 1/4th of it's total weight while surfing. Just easy to do. I just vent and drain to the opposite side. Works every time.

And just routing the vent to the opposite side is not enough (my current set up). This off season I am routing the drain to the opposite side as well.

[duffymahoney]

Sorry I run, vent and drain to the opposite side.

[Duncan]

Sorry I run, vent and drain to the opposite side.

Wise advice I wish I had received when I put my locker sacks in originaly

[IDBoating]

Wise advice I wish I had received when I put my locker sacks in originaly

Easy to fix, just takes some longer hose.

[duffymahoney]

Also use check valves, keeping air out of the sac is super important. I can tell a difference in the wave if I don't "burp" the sac while filling. The check valves help, but I always seem to get air in them.

If you have an aerator system then check valves on fill, vent and drain lines. If you have impellar, then just check on vent lines. I don't know a lot about impellars. I installed a system on my first v-drive but I ripped it out and installed aerators. I hate the loud noise and battery drain of the large pumps.

[IDBoating]

Also use check valves, keeping air out of the sac is super important. I can tell a difference in the wave if I don't "burp" the sac while filling. The check valves help, but I always seem to get air in them.

I solved that problem by having the vent line at the highest point in the sac. Air then naturally vents during fill, no burping required.

I don't have any valves anywhere in my ultra-ballast system (didn't want the valve restriction slowing my fill and drain times) so I gave a lot of thought to letting gravity and buoyancy do things naturally.

[duffymahoney]

I have the vents on the highest point, but it still can trap air. I have designed 4 systems now and I continue to learn a little everytime. I use flapper style 1 ways and I get no noticeable flow loss. I still have to burb, my sac fills the space so well and the pumps are so fast that it can trap air even with the vents at the highest point.