Failure to do so may result in damage to your boat, bodily injury or death. Never overload your boat beyond the capacity recommended by the U.S. Coast Guard or the manufacturer. Many wakeboard boat manufacturers offer some sort of automatic or semi-automatic ballast system in their new boats, and there are a few aftermarket companies doing the same thing. Although those are excellent options, if you have a few tools and the mechanical inclination, you can set up your own ballast system and maybe save a few bucks in the process. This article will show you how to install a semi-automatic ballast reservoir filling and draining system in your boat.
Examples are fat sacks, waterbed mattresses or plastic gas tanks.
When this system is installed and working properly, it eliminates the need to move pumps and hoses around, saving a lot of time and irritation, while keeping you and the floor of your boat much drier. The ballast can be filled and drained while the boat is stopped or underway, engine running or not. This information is intended as guidelines and examples of how different systems can be installed. There are many ways to accomplish the same results. When you understand the concepts and begin designing your installation, you will find ways to tweak and improve your system to meet your demands.