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!

Ballast for '86 Skier


kscarter

Recommended Posts

I'm in the process of putting a new floor and tower on my '86 Skier and have started thinking about adding ballasts. Can anyone who has wakeboarded behind a old Skier give me some advice on what size ballast you used and how they were layed out. Also were you able to get a decent wake out of it. I would like to keep the seating in the back as it will be needed for riders. One thought I have is to raise the back set around 6" and put a hard tank under it. I figure it should be able hold around 250 lbs. which may not be enough. I was also wondering if adding some weight to the bow would help the ride when the water is choppy. With the boat already so low in the water I wouldn’t want to do it if it puts the bow too low.

Here’s a link to some pics of the tower and floor project I’m currently into.

http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dl...geid=236846&ck=

Any additional comments, suggestion, or ideas that will help me get the most out of an old Skier would be appreciated.

Kevin

Link to comment

Man,

First class looking tubing job. Are you going to have the tower flip forward during storage?

As far as ballast goes, the only thing I can recc. is to put a large fat sack in the bow of the boat and plumb it. as for ballast in the rear, I have no ideas.

Link to comment

Yes, the top of the tower will be hinged in the front so it can be folded during storage. I'm also going to cut it down about 6" since it looks a little tall since the boat is narrow.

Kevin

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

newbie here on this site. thought I would throw my two cents in.

I am currently looking for ways to add more weight to my echelon, without taking up more of the limited floor space.

currently what I have in mine is this. 250# in lead bars under the back seat. 200# in sand bags in the closed bow. I also use a fat sac between the back seat, and the engine cover. this fills up about 300-350 or so. I am getting some more lead, and am going to be filling some PVC pipes and slide those down the sides in between the back seat, and the side of the boat. not sure how much weight those will be.

good luck with whatever you do.

Link to comment

Lead bars and sand bags should work for some but its about a 20 min cruise from the boat house to some of the better wakeboarding spots where I am. I would hate to have to traval with the extra weight all day.

Link to comment
  • 2 years later...
I'm in the process of putting a new floor and tower on my '86 Skier and have started thinking about adding ballasts. Can anyone who has wakeboarded behind a old Skier give me some advice on what size ballast you used and how they were layed out. Also were you able to get a decent wake out of it. I would like to keep the seating in the back as it will be needed for riders. One thought I have is to raise the back set around 6" and put a hard tank under it. I figure it should be able hold around 250 lbs. which may not be enough. I was also wondering if adding some weight to the bow would help the ride when the water is choppy. With the boat already so low in the water I wouldn’t want to do it if it puts the bow too low.

Here’s a link to some pics of the tower and floor project I’m currently into.

http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dl...=236846&ck=

Any additional comments, suggestion, or ideas that will help me get the most out of an old Skier would be appreciated.

Kevin

Kevin, if you are still active on the site I would love to talk to you. I'm completing a very similar project (floors and possibly ballast) for a sunsetter about the same year. I'm getting ready to pour foam and wanted to see what tricks or tips you have after doing yours. Looks like you poured first before adding the floor, as opposed to pouring through holes of the new floors. Was the foam tough to keep level based on the way it expands? Also, did you end up adding ballast to your back seat?

Great job from the pics. Very encouraging for guys like me. I can see the light! Thanks! Ben

Link to comment

Hey Ben,

Doesn't look like he's logged in since June of 07. And his site doesn't answer at all. Maybe a PM will get his attention.

I think if I were replacing the floor & flotation under it on any boat, I'd consider some ballast tanks under the floor. Look at the Calabria Pure'Vert system that uses RV septic tank valves to open & close the tanks, filling & emptying in seconds using no pumps or switches, just gravity. Once you have the tanks picked out that will fit under the floor on each side of the engine, fill the foam around it, and build your floor over it.

You will probably need some weight in the bow too.

Good luck on the project!

Link to comment
Hey Ben,

Doesn't look like he's logged in since June of 07. And his site doesn't answer at all. Maybe a PM will get his attention.

I think if I were replacing the floor & flotation under it on any boat, I'd consider some ballast tanks under the floor. Look at the Calabria Pure'Vert system that uses RV septic tank valves to open & close the tanks, filling & emptying in seconds using no pumps or switches, just gravity. Once you have the tanks picked out that will fit under the floor on each side of the engine, fill the foam around it, and build your floor over it.

You will probably need some weight in the bow too.

Good luck on the project!

Thanks. I hadn't seen that post but will check it out. Thanks again.

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...