Ballast Bag Setup for Direct Drives

[CC2MC]

Does anyone have a good ballast bag setup for a direct drive? I have seen some of you with a little newer prostar that can put a bag under the rear seat. My 94 PS 205 rear seat does not allow for that with the way it is built. I am going to take a closer look at it this weekend to see if there is anything relatively easy that I can do to modify the under seat storage to house a bag. I typically have a few people riding in the boat that like to sit in the back so I don't really want to take the back seat out. I also don't really want to put a bag on each side of the motor box, unless that is my only option. I am not going to be running more than about 800lbs in the back. and I will have my ski locker available for the front bag.

I am also thinking about pump options. I think I like the price of the Tsunami 1200 gph pump and the fact that it is a faster pump than the reversible option. If I get the Tsunami pump, will I have to get two, in order to pump water in and also back out, assuming I permanently plumb these in. From the research, I will have to put a thru hull fitting in for both the intake an outtake. Where is the best spot to put the intake thru hull fitting?

[jfw432]

Yes, if you use the tsunami pumps, you will need one to pump and one to fill. I could never make my pump drain very well and ended up paying for 2 tsunami's, lots of fittings, and then bought a johnson ballast pump anyway. Lots of people use them so they must work but it wouldn't work for me no matter where I put the drain pump.

I ran the ballast bags on the rear seat for a little while so 1-2 people could still sit back there but it looked hideous and got crowded when we stopped to switch people. I ended up taking the rear seat out as a trial run to see what people thought. Everyone who voiced an opinion seemed to think it was easier to get in the boat and less crowded. I also let people sit on the ballast bags now. I thought it would be a big deal but most of my friends don't care where they sit and more than half the time there is at least one seat that's open in the boat. People seem to prefer sitting on the engine box or ballast bags because they get a better view of the wakeboarder.

[CC2MC]

Originally Posted by jfw432

Yes, if you use the tsunami pumps, you will need one to pump and one to fill. I could never make my pump drain very well and ended up paying for 2 tsunami's, lots of fittings, and then bought a johnson ballast pump anyway. Lots of people use them so they must work but it wouldn't work for me no matter where I put the drain pump.

So, what did you end up doing with the old Tsunami pumps?

[maristardd]

94 Maristar 225 direct drive - Sumo Sac Jr V 450 on each side of engine box, and Sumo Utilisac 300 in bow ski locker. You don't lose the rear seat, and the Sumo Jr.s each side of engine box are pretty low / still allow you to easily get up and back, at least in my boat which I realize is a little longer than yours.

[jfw432]

Originally Posted by CC2MC

So, what did you end up doing with the old Tsunami pumps?

The drain pump I just removed. The fill pump that was drilled into the hull was left in place and now I can fill up the bags with the tsunami and the johnson ballast pump so I can fill my bags before most people are ready to go.

[CC2MC]

Originally Posted by jfw432

The drain pump I just removed. The fill pump that was drilled into the hull was left in place and now I can fill up the bags with the tsunami and the johnson ballast pump so I can fill my bags before most people are ready to go.

So do you have the Tsunami plumbed into both bags, split with a T fitting? Same goes with the Johnson?

[Ben]

I don't board much but plumbed in two pumps a while back (now I wish I did a heater instead). One for the permanent bag in the locker. Other with a quick connect for a rear bag. Two holes in hull, one for each reversible pump (ballast puppy I think), are behind the motor box on either side of propshaft.

My back seat is never in and rarely have a lot of people, so I can get away with this.

I have seen guys build custom boxes in the back but then you end up with a sunpad instead of seats....

Good luck. The wake is nice with the extra 1000 lbs of water. Not huge, but nice.

[CC2MC]

Originally Posted by Ben

I don't board much but plumbed in two pumps a while back (now I wish I did a heater instead). One for the permanent bag in the locker. Other with a quick connect for a rear bag. Two holes in hull, one for each reversible pump (ballast puppy I think), are behind the motor box on either side of propshaft.

My back seat is never in and rarely have a lot of people, so I can get away with this.

I have seen guys build custom boxes in the back but then you end up with a sunpad instead of seats....

Good luck. The wake is nice with the extra 1000 lbs of water. Not huge, but nice.

I think 1000 lbs should be fine for me for now as I am just a novice wakeboarder, but I think the added weight would give me the size wake I need to begin learning new things. As I learn more, I may add more weight or upgrade the boat all together.

Unfortunately I missed my prime window at learning new things, as I am in my 30s now and when I fall, it takes a little longer to recover than it used to. Plus I never really learned how to wakeboard when I was younger although I grew up going to the lake. Skiing, kneeboarding and tubing but the later two I can no longer do bc it really takes a toll. I went boarding behind a friend's 205 with around 1000 lbs in the back and the wake was very nice so I look forward to adding the extra weight but want to set it all up right to begin with.

Thanks for the input. About how long does it take to fill the bags?

[Ben]

I've never timed it. I would guess the front is 2-3 minutes and maybe 5-7 for the back? With two pumps this obviously happens at the same time.

[CC2MC]

Thanks, Ben. When the bags are filling, is the engine timer running as well? If so, is there a way to bypass the hour meter? Maybe if I linked it directly to battery...