Ballast winterization

[Ryan1776]

Ok I've spend the last hour searching and reading all the winterization threads I could find! 

Some good tips on the engine, and heater. I only saw one thing about the ballast....pour antifreeze into the vent of the tanks? 

What truly is required? 

Thanks

Ryan

[cacsrx1]

I bought a used VLX which is my first boat and I was also wondering what to do with the ballast .....

[Ryan1776]

@cacsrx1 

This is my first boat with integrated ballast. 

Guess we'll both find out! 

[wheelman]

Just drain the tanks, drain them on an incline if you can as it will get more of the water out. No need to do anything else. Antifreeze is only necessary when there is no room for expansion if water were to freeze. Tanks have lots of room. 

[Ryan1776]

1 minute ago, wheelman said:

Just drain the tanks, drain them on an incline if you can as it will get more of the water out. No need to do anything else. Antifreeze is only necessary when there is no room for expansion if water were to freeze. Tanks have lots of room. 

Thank you, I guess I wasn't really concerned with the tanks, more so the lines and pumps? 

No issues with that either?  

 

 

[wheelman]

5 hours ago, Ryan1776 said:

Thank you, I guess I wasn't really concerned with the tanks, more so the lines and pumps? 

No issues with that either?  

 

 

Never seen an issue. You can blow out your lines and pump if you like but not necessary in my opinion. 

[RedWakesetterVLX]

Or use a shop vac and suck out the water.  

[granddaddy55]

You can suck it right out of vent and drain holes over side as well as bilge pump hole with the shop vac just like you can from the sac ports, it’s also a way of cleaning debris from the pumps and lines that serve them 

down south with brack water I don’t let it sit, you shoukd smell what comes out of front sack when I gravity drain residual water to drain port and   pump and turn in drain switch , it stinks bad by Tuesday from the weekend 

Edited September 26, 2018 by granddaddy55