Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Santa Clara county boat inspections


hyperlitenerd

Recommended Posts

Well I just got back from the lake anderson where we failed the inspection. We failed the inspection because there was still a trace amount of water in our rear ballast tanks. I understand the failure, and the need for everything to be dry. On the way home, we stopped on a hill to drain the tanks all the way. Also when we got home, we put the boat all the way down on its hitch. The water would dribble out for a long time, and after no more water comes out, you can still hear it gargling. This is a serious problem for us, because we have no way to make sure all of the water is out of the tanks, short of taking the tanks out after every trip, which I can not say I would enjoy doing. So I turn to the malibu crew for any good suggestions on how to remove all of the water from the ballast tanks, and hoses.

TIA

HLN

Link to comment
Perfect excuse to convince your dad that you need the larger fat sacs. That'll ensure all the water is out.

That was my first thought too, and what I would like to do. But in the sake of being thrifty, I'm curious if there are any ways to keep the hard tanks.

Link to comment

I never found a way to drain them completely without removing them. I removed mine and put them in the garage. Replaced them with ProX 750's plumbed in with quick connects. I can remove or instal them in a couple of minutes and they can be drained of all the water easily.

Link to comment

So I am curious, they had you turn them on and a little water came out so they banned you? I drain mine on the launch ramp after every outing, but there is no way to completely drain them. However if you drain them on a large hill or boat ramp, when you are setting level nothing will come out. Your other option is to pull off the side of the road just prior to the inspection and kick them on for any build up of water and when they kick them on 5 min later nothing will come out.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

PLAN B: When they tell you to turn on the pumps turn on the fill switch and not the drain switch. Whistling.gif

Link to comment
I never found a way to drain them completely without removing them. I removed mine and put them in the garage. Replaced them with ProX 750's plumbed in with quick connects. I can remove or instal them in a couple of minutes and they can be drained of all the water easily.

After looking at everything, dad said that we should get sacs, so we went down to the local boat store, they need to order a few items, then I will get it plumbed up!

Is that how they decided you had water in the tanks? They had you turn on the drain pumps?

Yep had to blow all the tanks. The inspector also did a visual inspection of all of the lockers, and bilge areas. The inspection area is slightly down hill, so what little water was in the tanks moved forward to the pumps. The tanks have a 1/2" lip on them, then the hole for the pump, so there is no way to pump all of the water out

Link to comment
So I am curious, they had you turn them on and a little water came out so they banned you? I drain mine on the launch ramp after every outing, but there is no way to completely drain them. However if you drain them on a large hill or boat ramp, when you are setting level nothing will come out. Your other option is to pull off the side of the road just prior to the inspection and kick them on for any build up of water and when they kick them on 5 min later nothing will come out.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

PLAN B: When they tell you to turn on the pumps turn on the fill switch and not the drain switch. Whistling.gif

On our boats if you hit all of the ballast empty switches on the way up the ramp as the truck is pulling you out of the lake, it will get all of the water out that's "reachable" by the pumps. That should get you past just about any inspection regardless of the attitude of the boat, if all they are doing is having you blow the tanks. Now, our boats have the pumps at the rear of all of the tanks, doesn't sound that way with the earlier LSVs.

Yep had to blow all the tanks. The inspector also did a visual inspection of all of the lockers, and bilge areas. The inspection area is slightly down hill, so what little water was in the tanks moved forward to the pumps. The tanks have a 1/2" lip on them, then the hole for the pump, so there is no way to pump all of the water out.

Are the empty pumps on the front of just the rear tanks? What about the center tank (or do you have a bag there)?

Link to comment
So I am curious, they had you turn them on and a little water came out so they banned you? I drain mine on the launch ramp after every outing, but there is no way to completely drain them. However if you drain them on a large hill or boat ramp, when you are setting level nothing will come out. Your other option is to pull off the side of the road just prior to the inspection and kick them on for any build up of water and when they kick them on 5 min later nothing will come out.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

PLAN B: When they tell you to turn on the pumps turn on the fill switch and not the drain switch. Whistling.gif

On our boats if you hit all of the ballast empty switches on the way up the ramp as the truck is pulling you out of the lake, it will get all of the water out that's "reachable" by the pumps. That should get you past just about any inspection regardless of the attitude of the boat, if all they are doing is having you blow the tanks. Now, our boats have the pumps at the rear of all of the tanks, doesn't sound that way with the earlier LSVs.

Yep had to blow all the tanks. The inspector also did a visual inspection of all of the lockers, and bilge areas. The inspection area is slightly down hill, so what little water was in the tanks moved forward to the pumps. The tanks have a 1/2" lip on them, then the hole for the pump, so there is no way to pump all of the water out.

Are the empty pumps on the front of just the rear tanks? What about the center tank (or do you have a bag there)?

The two rear tanks have the pumps on the front of the tanks with above a 1/2inch lip. The center and bow hard tanks have the pumps at the back of the tanks. The center is on the bottom of the tank, and the bow I can not see where the pump is, but that tank has never been a problem.

I think the ones with the in-the-floor ballast tanks have the drains more at the bottom of the tanks, since they had already cut into the foam to do it, it wouldn't be much of a problem.

Link to comment

When I first read this I though of various ways to solve this. One thought, and I don't what you would use, is adding something to your tanks after they are emptied to absorb the water, so none comes out at inspection, then when refilled and pumped out is evacuated. For anyone that's made tapioca pudding, that is the concept (something that absorbs lots of water). Of course you would have to get something benign for pumping out in a lake.

Link to comment

Pardon my ignorance, being from the South and all...but why in the world would it matter if you have a bit of water in the tanks? That thought has NEVER crossed my mind. I understand the CA is quite different, but what gives with that mess? Dontknow.gifDontknow.gifDontknow.gif

Link to comment

There's a mussel that they're trying to keep from spreading into all the lakes in the area.

Honestly, I think doing anything to dodge the inspections is just gonna make this thing spread.

Also, I honestly don't think there's any way to avoid it's spread.

Link to comment
There's a mussel that they're trying to keep from spreading into all the lakes in the area.

Honestly, I think doing anything to dodge the inspections is just gonna make this thing spread.

Also, I honestly don't think there's any way to avoid it's spread.

The only way to do that is to ban the boats from the lakes, and lets hope it does not come to that. What I think might happen is you get to choose a lake, and you can go to that lake, and that lake only.

Link to comment
MalibuNation
Pardon my ignorance, being from the South and all...but why in the world would it matter if you have a bit of water in the tanks? That thought has NEVER crossed my mind. I understand the CA is quite different, but what gives with that mess? Dontknow.gifDontknow.gifDontknow.gif

Zebra mussels from Europe ... a lot of the lake here in MI have them. They recently found an even worse mussel ... which can live in deeper colder water and breeds faster.

Link to comment

o.k, I can see switching the hard tanks in the rear to soft bags. I can even see putting quick disconnects on them and emptying them over the side. But what about the hard tanks in the center and bow ballast? I don't even think you can remove the center one. So, unless you disconnect it and never use you'll have to place a 750 or so above the floor. Not my first choice.....

What about figuring a way to put in a bleach solution in the tanks (1 part bleach to 10 water). Then let the DFG or Sheriff know you did this according to what you have read and that you are really concerned as well. Then if some water comes out it will have the light bleach solution in it.

I'm also surprised they didn't make you start the engine and see if any water came out there. That is another place of concern.

We got the heads up a couple of weekends ago that the inspections were coming on the Delta so I guess we better start thinking outside of the box.....

Link to comment
o.k, I can see switching the hard tanks in the rear to soft bags. I can even see putting quick disconnects on them and emptying them over the side. But what about the hard tanks in the center and bow ballast? I don't even think you can remove the center one. So, unless you disconnect it and never use you'll have to place a 750 or so above the floor. Not my first choice.....

What about figuring a way to put in a bleach solution in the tanks (1 part bleach to 10 water). Then let the DFG or Sheriff know you did this according to what you have read and that you are really concerned as well. Then if some water comes out it will have the light bleach solution in it.

I'm also surprised they didn't make you start the engine and see if any water came out there. That is another place of concern.

We got the heads up a couple of weekends ago that the inspections were coming on the Delta so I guess we better start thinking outside of the box.....

Well the good news for us, is that the pumps for center and bow tanks are in the back of the tanks, so pointed downhill, they will be "dry"

I was expecting to turn on the engine, but I guess we failed before we got to that point.

They've also said if there is damp carpet; fail. Wet life jackets; fail. a drop of water is a fail. Don't put coolers in your boat either, because you can't prove where you got the water from, could have muscle larva in it.

Link to comment

Don't put coolers in your boat either, because you can't prove where you got the water from, could have muscle larva in it.
Mad.gif WTF. If you have an on board cooler you need to make sure the drain is pluged or is the water from the ice melting a fail?
Link to comment

I will not start my motor unless it is in the water or connected to a hose. Never have, never will, I will just turn around and go home. Before I go out at the beginning of the year I connect the hose and fill it up before I even fire the motor up. It has water in it until I winterize it at the end of the year. I understand the problem and would love to find a solution but starting your motor and running the pumps dry will only do damage to the motor. Mad.gif

Now if they want to change my impellar out for me everytime I go through the inspection process and guarantee that I won't do any damage to the motor running it dry then ok, but that won't happen so forget it.

Link to comment
Oh man,

This is turning ugly quick.

(I didn't mean you, Greg)

Yeah.. Talking to the guys at copes, they were not very excited, they had been turned away from a few test drives with a little water in them. And if your boat is registered anywhere south of santa craz county, they won't let you passed the front gates.

Link to comment

Hypenerd see my thread in the main boats area about this, there is some good information there. Its sounds like you got Robo-inspector for your ride. Way too strict IMHO. Do you still have to re-test or did they put a band on your eye hook and "blacklist" you for 5 days? I was inspected at Calero with an ice chest full and had no problems with the ice chest. They also did not check all my vests, although its rare that I leave things in the compartments to get damp anyways.

With that said I ride anderson and calero quite regularly and would be willing to trade out some red pro-x v-drive sacs I have for some pulls..... Biggrin.gif I might even be swayed into helping with installation if the beer/timing is right.

Link to comment
Hypenerd see my thread in the main boats area about this, there is some good information there. Its sounds like you got Robo-inspector for your ride. Way too strict IMHO. Do you still have to re-test or did they put a band on your eye hook and "blacklist" you for 5 days? I was inspected at Calero with an ice chest full and had no problems with the ice chest. They also did not check all my vests, although its rare that I leave things in the compartments to get damp anyways.

With that said I ride anderson and calero quite regularly and would be willing to trade out some red pro-x v-drive sacs I have for some pulls..... Biggrin.gif I might even be swayed into helping with installation if the beer/timing is right.

No Band for us, we have to come back after 5 days and test again. I think we are going to buy some sacs, and go that way, and see how that goes.

I want to go out during the week this summer, if I am ever home for more than a week or 2 :-p, and I will need a third.

Link to comment

Sounds good. I am usually out at either calero or anderson 2-3 times during the week. I am in a red and white 2000 vlx with no graphics and a monster tower. If you see me say feel free to put on over.

Link to comment

So is the Delta going to be the one to get us all black balled from other lakes??? Seems to me that if they are inspecting at the Delta you would get a band when you pull out and that would be good for entry to other lakes----right?

P

<edit> What agency is doing inspections? Anyone got a link or hand out?

P

Edited by Faceplant409
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...