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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Water Balast

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tight
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/25/2007 : 15:57:29

I have a 1996 Catalina250 water Ballast that was put in the water in Galveston May 07. Two weeks ago of fear that the water was in there for to long I pulled it out and drained it. Now I have it filled with fresh drinking water and have added 1/2 gallon Clorox. Will this do any damage to the ballast tank and how often should that water be changed?

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 09/25/2007 : 16:35:28

Bill,
It sounds like you've got your boat out of the water? I'm sure the WB guys will jump in here, but if your boat is out of the water I'm pretty sure you don't want the tank filled. It would seem to me that the boat was designed to support the weight of the water ballast while in the water, not out of it.

Also, that's a pretty large water to chlorine ratio. The [url="http://www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/emerg.html"]EPA's site on water purification[/url] indicates that you only need 1/8 teaspoon of bleach per gallon to disinfect water to make it safe to drink, I'd guess that no more than that would be necessary to keep marine growth at bay inside the tank (I could be wrong, but that's the ratio we use in our drinking water tank). That'd work out to about just over 3 ounces of bleach per the 150 gallons or so in the tank. In a short search on the web, I couldn't find anything that indicates higher levels of bleach would do any damage to fiberglass, so maybe it's no big deal.

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bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 09/25/2007 : 18:26:14

Bill, I know of no change out schedule for the water in the ballast tank. Mine is in there for 5 months and emptied because the boat comes out for the season. Chlorox is a good idea. How did you fill the ballast tank with fresh drinking water?? Other WB owners will chime in here and there are plenty of post's on this subject. Most other owners just open the ballast valve and uncork the vent tube and let her flow. There are also several good procedures in the archives on removing the ballast while still in the water.

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zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2007 : 14:14:05

Bill I fill mine in the begining of the season and it doesnt get emptied until I pull it out in Nov. Bleach is good but I use more like a 1/2 gal. Prior to pulling the boat out, I blow the ballast (info from our forum, thanks) which makes it sit higher in the water and easier to put on the trailer in shallow water at the launch site. Prior to that I used to put it on the trailer, open the valve, and let it drain on the way out, and over to winter storage.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 09/27/2007 : 06:49:27

Bill, I believe the ballast tank holds 120 gallons (approx). 10% would be 12 gallons! so you should be fine with 1/2 gallon. I would add it after some water is in the tank so as not to expose the rubber on the valve to direct chlorine.

We drain our tank every pullout, it's not unusual to see a piece of sea grass exit the drain valve with the water, must get sucked in during the launch process, so I would agree with the need to reduce growth during extended long periods on the water.

Filing the tank with fresh water is just a long process... hose into the air vent in the anchor locker, but you have to allow air to escape so the fill rate is pretty slow. (Unless you happen to have a ramp or crane into your swimming pool

)

Paul

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willy
Captain

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USA
422 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2007 : 09:54:07

I have since 1993 filled my water ballast with only hose water (never bay) and I have never added anything to it and never had any stink, growth, or anything but crystal clear water pour out at the end of the season.

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Ray Seitz
Captain

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USA
416 Posts

Response Posted - 10/09/2007 : 19:14:12

From page 24 of the 250 owners manual:

USEFUL TIPS

1. Don't trailer or store the 250 out of the water with water in the ballast tank.

5. When keeping the 250 in the water for long periods of time a few ounces of chlorine bleach may be
added to the ballast tank water thru the air vent to prevent growth inside the tank, rinse the vent hose
with fresh water after adding chlorine.

I always use lake water with a little bleach - can't say how much exactly but I would guess 1/4 cup. Water stays in there all summer unless I take the boat somewhere else for a week or so.

Edited by - Ray Seitz on 10/09/2007 19:18:10

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.