Ballast Fitting Broke

[TheGilster22]

While out on the lake for the 4th I was having ballast fill and drain issues. Either the ballast were not filling completely or not draining completely. The center ballast was giving me the most problems. As we were getting ready for the final run of the day, the ballast filled and just as it reached 100%, I heard a pop. Opened the ski locker and it was filling with water. The ballast was leaking and we were not sure from where.

We used the ballast pump to drain the ski locker. Opening the drain plugs to allow the water to drain into the bilge did not work. We overrode the ballast pump by holding the down arrow on Connext and removed all of the water from the locker. It took a little work because each press only runs the pump for a few seconds.

The problem was the 90 degree quick connect fitting cracked. It might have been due to the position of the bag and how it was situated in the locker. We were using the locker throughout the week for storage and I am sure the ballast was moved around as things were placed and removed from the locker.

A new $6 quick connect fitting and clamp and everything will be as good as new.

I am going to have to try and recalibrate all of the ballast. Does anyone have any idea where instructions on this can be found?

 

[Scottintexas]

why didn't draining it to the bilge work? did the water not move there? not fast enough? did the bilge not pump it?

 

[TheGilster22]

@Scottintexas the water did not want to drain there. We did have a couple of people stand on the rear swim platform to try and get the water to flow towards the bilge and some water did drain. I never noticed the constant flow of water into the bilge area, as I would have thought would happen. The ballast pump was much faster.

 

[Julian]

Might want to check to see if your ski locker drain is clogged. I assumed that the ballast back was full and pressing against the drain....so no water movement.

I've not seen a ballast calibration instruction manual....but there is a ballast section under the sys button in the connext screen - press and hold SYS for 10 seconds and it will be the last tab (if I recall)

 

[TheGilster22]

Update on the failed fitting.

It is manufactured by Flow-Rite and they sell them for only a couple of dollars, plus shipping.

https://flow-rite.com/products/marine/1-18-fittings/ma-049

I couldn't find any Yamaha dealers on the West coast with them in stock. With another trip Thursday and the boat 200 miles away, I need to find one local. I was able to find one at the local Malibu boat shop since they have an extensive wakeboard and surf shop. The parts manager told me that the elbows have failed before. He suggested keeping an extra on the boat. At $4.75 each and since they will be easy to store, I agreed.

 

[swatski]

Update on the failed fitting.

It is manufactured by Flow-Rite and they sell them for only a couple of dollars, plus shipping.

https://flow-rite.com/products/marine/1-18-fittings/ma-049

I couldn't find any Yamaha dealers on the West coast with them in stock. With another trip Thursday and the boat 200 miles away, I need to find one local. I was able to find one at the local Malibu boat shop since they have an extensive wakeboard and surf shop. The parts manager told me that the elbows have failed before. He suggested keeping an extra on the boat. At $4.75 each and since they will be easy to store, I agreed.

Thanks for sharing! I wonder if those are the same as WakeMakers'? I have never heard of one failing...

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